Tunnel vision: Lamborghini playing in traffic (video and road rally driving tips)

People who don't own exotic cars or have never really spent time around the car club crowds perpetually tell me, "The exotics are beautiful," and then ask, "but where can you really drive them?" Find out here what it means when exotic car owners have tunnel vision.

WHERE CAN YOU DRIVE AN EXOTIC CAR?

My typical answer is that there are a variety of track opportunities regularly around the country -- and most respectable dealerships who are genuine automotive enthusiasts generally sponsor monthly or at least quarterly driving events in the form of track time, professional driver training opportunities, and road rallies.

They typically follow their question up with a wide, sweeping generalization -- telling me that the cars can't be any fun on regular streets and highways unless the drivers can really afford to pay big dollars for insurance, traffic tickets, and attorneys fees to beat the legal speed limit restrictions.

When someone who is not a real car person says this, I typically let them know that drivers do in fact have to drive carefully and be respectful of our county, state, and national road conditions (including restrictions).

At that point, conversation typically turns to talk of law enforcement, when I am able to educate folks about exotic car drivers and dealers typically working to foster excellent relationships with local city police, county sheriffs, and state troopers.

[Many exotic car clubs are involved in a variety of fundraisers for these types of organizations, as well as do charity benefit cars shows for military troops and wounded or retired veterans.]

However, if the person that I am speaking with gets that little glint in their eye when we talk about the cars -- and they perk up to the idea of having fun while driving responsibly -- then I share with them a few of our favorite tips about  respectfully driving cars like Lamborghini, Maserati, and Ferrari out on road rallies, to exercise the engines', or on extending touring driving trips.

What can you do to up the fun factor when driving an exotic car in a way that stays at speed limits and does not earn you tickets for reckless driving? That's easy -- narrow your focus and look at life with tunnel vision.

TUNNEL DRIVING FUN IN AN EXOTIC CAR

Watch the video below and make sure you turn up your speakers to high volume to get the full effect of the audio.

The trick is simple --

If you are out for a relaxing afternoon drive and you are not in heavy traffic, slow down a bit before entering any tunnel or heading under an overpass.

If the top is off or windows are rolled down, accelerate quickly back up to speed as soon as you enter the tunnel or covered area.

What you will quickly realize is that exotic cars -- especially the Lamborghini -- will produce such an exquisite sound that is gloriously magnified by the acoustics created on the urban roadways that you will be addicted to Playing in Traffic in no time.

ROAD RALLY TUNNEL DRIVING TIPS

• If you are driving an a caravan or on a rally, make sure all drivers are careful to allow each the space to both slow down and head back to full forward speed quickly.
  
• Exotics like Lambos and Ferraris are really not designed to be 0-60 cars; ideally, they are designed to accelerate at a rapid pace from 50-150 MPH. As such, you have a lovely "play in traffic" range from 35 - 55 MPH that is not too wild to handle or enjoy in everyday touring, and rally drives are included in that daily driver fun classification.
• The tunnel acceleration trick is not in any way eco-friendly or fuel efficient, so please use the happy juice factor (applying your foot more heavily to the gas peddle followed by backing off almost immediately) conservatively if you are at all concerned with going green or saving gas money.
• Do not over accelerate, as you may lose control or drive into the back of the car in front of you if they have had to stop short for any reason. Trust us -- you might laugh later if you've bumped a friend, but you'll cry simultaneously while telling the story (as each car is a limited edition collectible and priceless piece of automotive history).

EDITORIAL NOTE: Please drive carefully and be fully aware of your surroundings before accelerating in an exotic car no matter what the day or situation. Should you need to quickly brake or deviate from your course, be sure there are clear and safe spaces available to steer the car to either side without hitting anything or potentially injuring anybody.

Special thanks to Michael John Whelan for sharing the video link with us, to members of the Italianizzato Club (www.italianizzato.com) for playing in traffic with us, and the Mid-Atlantic Lamborghini Club for sponsoring and participating in great national driving events.