KevinGS

I guess I’m in the minority here (which is strange in an automotive forum ), but I absolutely LOVE cars. And I love cars because it brings me the freedom and serenity of driving. Ever since my first matchbox car when I was 5, I could not WAIT to get my license. And once I got my license at age 16, driving has been my most consistent, primary and daily form of entertainment in life. Seriously. It’s #1, by FAR.

So my love for driving makes me a suburbanite for life, at least as a primary residence. Urban roads are typically rough and unkept, and coupled with the minimal space for parking it makes it a no-go for me for a location to call home. And higher insurance rates coupled with typically higher crime rates solidifies the fact that an urban atmosphere is not a residence option for me.

But I want to live near a big city (within about 40 miles). Because I do love visiting cities in my car, just don’t want to live there.

Neither do I want to live in the rural country. I don’t want to live anywhere where most of the roads for miles upon miles are 2-lane roads. I don’t like the idea of not being able to easily pass slower moving cars freely. This really irks me. So living in some really small town with all country 2-lane roads is out of the question too. But I want to live near some rural areas with winding roads, simply to have access to some scenic and challenging roads. Again, I don’t want to live there, but it would be ideal to have these within 50 to 60 miles.

So, for me, suburbia is perfect. I get the best of all worlds. And in my neighborhood, I can walk/bike to all kinds of stores when I want to, including the library and restaurants and friend’s houses. I ride my bike to the gym all the time. And my over-developed suburban area is filled with 4-lane heavily-trafficked roads (so I can pass people freely)……and crime, especially car crime, is relatively low. And I’m sitting in the middle of 3 cities (Baltimore, Washington and Annapolis) so I can get my urban fix when necessary. Good country roads are an hour away, and great mountain roads 2 hours away. Again, it’s perfect for me.

I don’t even mind traffic, when I’m not in a hurry. It’s just all part of the experience of driving to me. I remember when I was a teenager and didn’t have my license yet, I couldn’t WAIT to be in traffic. I fantasized about finding the best lane and the best path to navigate traffic. And I love cars in motion. To me, cars are like rolling art. A favorable image to me is to see a nice car rolling along on a highway….and if modified tastefully, all the better. There’s nothing better than a lowered car with proper fitting aftermarket shoes, in motion. These two mods alone make any car worth looking at, IMO. I stare at most modified cars on the road……just to catch it from all angles, analyzing what I like (and dislike) about the car.

And I love roads too. And though I am a mechanical engineer (because of my love for cars), I probably should have become a civil engineer or a traffic engineer…..because that’s where my TRUE love is. The theory of traffic patterns and the best ways to navigate traffic is my real passion, which of course extends to driving.

And being in my car, alone, it’s complete solitude. Just me, the road, my car and some music…..it’s heaven for me. It really is. Most times, there’s no place I’d rather be. And I like driving fast in the left lane, I like dawdling along in the right lane doing the speed limit, and I like finding other nice cars to caravan with. I like the pure adventure of driving....the isolationism and the togetherness of other company on the road. Actually, the one part of driving I don't like is being all alone with no other cars on the road (BO-RING!)....unless I'm on challenging back road, then I do want to be all alone so I can explore the upper limits of my car.

I love driving so much that I literally will just find random places to go in obscure locations, just so I can drive somewhere. And I’m talking 130-mile-one-way drives, just to go get a cheesesteak. Give me a beautiful day, my car, and my music….and I will almost go ANYwhere. I love planning vacations where I get to drive 4 or 5 or even 6 hours, one-way. I’ll then map out the route, mixing in highways and back roads….through small towns. I do this less now with my girlfriend, but as a single man, I did this A LOT. And LOVED it, and I miss it.

I have 4 vehicles, and 3 have over 200,000 miles. My pickup (which I rarely drive) has only 45,000 miles….because I only use it for utility and snow days which are not common occurrences. I drive my RX7 and my GS all the time, everywhere, for miles on end. I’m currently shopping for my 5th car (none will be traded in, ‘cause for me a car purchase is a damn-near marriage). It will be a weekend toy….purely used for driving enjoyment. This has become a difficult decision since it will have such a singular mission. It won’t accrue as many daily miles, but this all-important mission of simply making me (and my girlfriend) smile for miles on end is not an easy task.

So, when I hear the demise of cars, I scream “Nooooooooooooooooo!” ....because cars are my main source of daily pleasure and enthusiasm. Another example is the fact that I love driving to work. And I am an account manager, so I drive around for work….visiting clients. It’s like my company is paying me to drive.

I know I’m strange in this way, but cars, driving and roads are now woven into my internal makeup….and I can’t imagine that ever changing. If there ever comes a day when I cannot drive , for any reason, that essentially is the beginning of the end for me (and I won’t last long)…… because a life without cars and driving is no life at all for me. And I mean that, literally.

Lil4X

We may well be the last of an endangered species. If the threatened CAFE standards are enforced, the only hot cars will be Fiat Abarths and the like. Not that they're bad, but they're a far cry from a 427 "wedge" when it comes to getting out of the hole. At least for under $180,000. Motorcycles may be next. Wait'll the feds go after Phil's Duc.

mmarshall

Never mind Phil's Duc, Bob. Just wait until emissions laws start to impact the millions of straight-pipe, muffler-less Harley Hogs. The government will have a national uprising on its hands.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

not with ya there. there will always be car enthusiasts. food regulations have not stopped grilled cheese sandwich restaurants and fairs sprouting up lately, and hotdog eating contests, bbq and chili cookoffs, etc.

what is changing, is the types of cars people will be enthusiastic about. not to mention, people will continue to maintain, restore, and run cars from today and yesterday, forever.

and while it's true that for many now cars will play less of a role and have less importance in their day to day lives, there will continue to be rabid enthusiasts out there!

Joey-E

iTrader: (1)

Amen!