locked my keys in the trunk -
I was putting my bags back in my trunk, getting set to drive home from a weekend trip, and dropped the keys in the trunk without realizing it, closed up the trunk and realized the car was also locked.... oops. Good thing my insurance covers 'roadside assistance'

Was taking a buddy of mine drifting on this road I had just found. It was wet out, but I was used to it because that's what makes the 8 drift. I pride myself with have enough control to keep my car completely in my lane while drifting. So I flow through a few corners, really smooth going well. I come up to this almost 180 degree corner. I start going through it, and on the outside were lots of wet leaves(it was fall). I catch them and the rear end swings around quickly and I cross into the other lane, and go slightly into the ditch. The front wheels rolled off the road onto the dirt. The frame was barely setting on the road. My car just spun like hell trying to reverse onto the road(luckily I'm not like the rest here who have a hard time getting reverse). 3 wangsters in a Civic roll down the road and jump out to help. I was really appreciative. Little shove and I was right out. They then pulled off to the side of the road with me. I checked out my car, it was fine, and knew I had to conquer the corner. Luckily I regained some confidence as I slid by them and gave them a thumbs up out the sunroof mid drift.

Mine stalled/died on a light....u would never expect that from a cool looking car......its embarrasing when ppl look at you and think whats wrong with that kid?

I don't get embarrassed when I stall, and none of you should either.. Just think about it, you're driving a manual, they're not. Most people on the road don't even know how to drive a manual, or why it can stall easily.. 5 minutes behind the wheel of a manual and they'll never criticize someone for stalling again.

Anyway, my most embarrassing moment w/ my 8 would have to be when I was getting gas the first time. I pop the hood to check the oil, and it's dark out, so I couldn't see the dipstick. So I use my phone as a flashlight and still can't see it. By now, the gas is full and the guy behind me is like "hey man move your car go figure out how to check your oil somewhere else" and I was pretty pissed. Screw him tho, I stood there for another 5 minutes trying to get the dipstick back into the tube once I checked the oil...

not necessarily an RX8 embarassment but it was caused by owning one.

So i put my 8 up for the winter last year and bought this beater `92 Ford Ranger. The next day after i bought it, i hop in the truck and get head off to work . Without thinking, i fall back into old habits and run the truck (or tried) to 9k rpm in 2nd gear while getting on the highway. The poor thing had no idea wth i was trying to do but it sure was NOT HAPPY about it. i think i got it to 6k and couldnt figure out what was wrong with the car... oops, not the car! Old Truck! i laughed the whole rest of the way to work, trying to imagine if the truck were alive, how bad it would be cussing me.

Yep.

Most people wouldn't even know why you stall and might laugh at you like "haha cheap car"

the truth is most people never even seen a manual transmission car before, I always told my gf that, just learn manual and you will find Automatic is a joke.

some people actually thought that "Manual" transmission car never existed. when you tell them you have to shift by yourself, they like "Waaaat?"

Are you suggesting they DO exist? :icon_bs:

there are really people this stupid? I was aware of shifting even when I was like 4 (but id consider myself above average intelligence by far).

Here in Oregon, everyone drives auto. There's about 6 RX-8's in town, and all but mine and one other is auto. The BMW dealership in town has like 100 cars, 98 of them automatic. (they have a couple new M3's) It's basically like "gas is go, brake is stop, and that's how you drive a car..." everytime I see a classy mid nineties 911, it's always auto. It's like getting with an awesome chick and finding out she has a penis.

my most embarrassing moment with the 8 was a few months ago when I was going to the store with the bf. I park (the lot was kind of crowded) and get out of the car I shut the door and as I'm walking away I activate the alarm as I always do. I get about ten yards away when I hear my car alarm going off. I turn around to see that I had activated the alarm with my bf still inside! So when he tried to open the door the alarm starts going off. He jumps out of the car and starts flipping out and yelling at me to turn it off. The only problem was that I had never tripped my alarm before and wasn't sure how to turn it off. People are staring and my ever-helpful bf is still yelling at me while I fiddle around with it for a couple of minutes before I get it shut off. It also didn't help that I thought it was hilarious and was laughing at my boyfriend having a hissy-fit.

^lmao

I tend to get that a lot. I'm fairly new to a manual tranny, but I'm getting the hang of it. I learned on a ford, but I hadn't driven in like 2 months prior to getting my 8.

Hmm. My most embarassing moment (so far... I know there will be plenty more to come) is when I let my sister drive. She can handle a manual just fine. She and I loaded in she started it up, thought she found reverse (yes, another one of those stories). She held the clutch in, so we rolled backwards out of the driveway. She tried to accelerate, killing the car. So, she tried to hit reverse again. Epic fail. So, instead she throws it in first and climbs the driveway again. And just rolls out, finally getting back far enough she wouldnt hit her Avenger. After she drive and parked it back in it's spot, I sat out in my car for 15 minutes trying to figure out why we werent hitting reverse. My dad had to come out and show me. But I feel better anytime I let anyone drive my car. Because they dont get it in reverse either. :yelrotflm

^ When you let other people drive your car, just make sure they are an experienced manual trans driver. Our transmission is very sensitive and doesnt forgive us on noobie mistakes.

Fixed it for you for accuracy.

Hall of shame: Having the end come around in a turn, riding over the curb backwards.

Hm...stalling on a good size hill in the rain, then slipping and sliding all the way to the top after i get the car started back up...that's embarrasing, especially when the person in the passenger seat is a girl i'm taking on a first date haha.

I unexpectedly got stuck in traffic going up the hill to big bear.

Figured I would have enough gas to make it to the top of the hill, then saw a huge line of parked cars creeping their way to the top. Bummer.

Traffic was moving very slow, grade was very steep, was having serious problems maintaining the 1/2 mph forward velocity. Clutch started slipping. Also very concerned I would run out of gas at any second.

Finally ended up making a march of shame past a mile of parked cars with a gas canister. Plenty of honking and well deserved jeers.

Ugh that's the worst. I woulda said fuck it and drove on the shoulder up if there was one. Worry about the ticket later. At least my clutch and leg will be happy.

One embarrasing moment was when I was just cruising on a blvd in my car. I was in 3rd gear, felt like going WOT for like a sec and then wanted to drop in 4th, just like cyberpitz, I then realized i went into 2ND! Dropped the clutch, the needle jumped wayy passed 10k pressed the clutch as quickly as I could and prayed nothing happened. I then started testing out the car, and found out it actually drove better than before :) Now that's fucked up.

Haven't had anything that embarrassing. I did roast my clutch on a big hill some months ago.

One time I was in SF on a really steep hill in my old Integra GS-R and I didn't realize I was not in gear. I am sure the Porsche driver was freaking out when I started rolling toward him.

I had the mother and aunt in-Law in the car and had to make a U-Turn. Too much throttle and rear end stepped out, the mother in the front seat grabbed the O-Shit! handle and the Aunt just started screaming as I accidentally drifted around the corner.

I totally believe that was an "accident" LOL

Grinding when shifting into reverse is always lame. As is stalling.

My worst moment was the day i learned how to do hill starts in an MT.

On a steep San francisco hill.

In bumper to bumper traffic that was barely moving.

You'd think that people would be more willing to get out of the way of a car launching forward and chirping the tires then suddenly stalling out, and rolling backwards but nope.

On the plus side, I'm an ace at hill starts ever since then.


The only other time was letting my dad drive. I left it in gear and he didn't notice. came milimeters from jumping my baby over the curb.

Well, my most embarrassing moment so far was when I was coming off from the freeway onto a hill. I'm still getting used to MT as I haven't had too much experience with it. Once on the hill I accidentally let off of the clutch in first and stall, light turns green and there's people behind me. In a panic to move up I gave too much gas on the clutch, and then that wonderful smell of something burning arose. Boy oh boy I was pissed. :mad:

#1 - Not being able to get up the driveway in 2" of snow, sliding around everywhere just trying to get around the block, getting stuck 3 times, getting pushed by 3 different people and having to park at the corner store for three days.

#2 - Parking on a hill and not adjusting the e-brake after a day at the track
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