Musings: On Driving…
“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” George Carlin
Musings: On Driving... Maserati convertible...
“Sometimes, when I drive across the desert in the middle of the night, with no other cars around, I start imagining: What if there were no civilization out there? No cities, no factories, no people? And then I think: No people or factories? Then who made this car? And this highway? And I get so confused I have to stick my head out the window into the driving rain—unless there’s lightning, because I could get struck on the head by a bolt.” Jack Handey
Do you enjoy driving? What was your first car, your dream car, and earliest memory of driving? I love driving as I find it, especially highway driving, meditative. My first car was a Mitsubishi Galant and my dream car is the Maserati convertible you’re looking at above. Ever since the first time I got in a car, started the ignition and hit the accelerator, I’ve loved cars. I learned how to drive from a funny old guy who taught me that the best kind of driving is when you stay away from nutty drivers; ignore them and change lanes if possible. I did that a lot in California but not as much in NY. What I also learned in California was their amazing car culture of washing and polishing your car regularly, giving her a pretty name, and all that… I’m back in NY but have held onto that lesson. Yep, I did it all but fell short of pimping my car like they used to do on that TV show – Pimp My Ride… I still dream about driving a souped up, pimped up, tricked out car… but I think it will remain a fantasy.
“Most of American life consists of driving somewhere and then returning home, wondering why the hell you went.” John Updike
Musings: On Driving... Mercedes S Klasse...
“What is the feeling when you’re driving away from people, and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? -it’s the too huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.” Jack Kerouac
The Mercedes S Class above is my second favorite car, although I have to admit that I love the Mercedes convertible better; especially now that my kids are grown… Anyhow, I find highway driving relaxing and enjoy getting in my car and driving off to chill out. I’ve driven for 8 straight hours and would do it again… Something about the rush you get. I know this might sound crazy to people who don’t enjoy it, but it’s true that driving can be a way to relax as long as we don’t start imagining ourselves as Indy500 race car drivers. Sure, you may try and the highway cops would love to meet you. Local driving, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.
Unfortunately, I fall into the category of people George Carlin is referring to in his quote above. I live in an area where people drive a lot and some of them shouldn’t be on the road. The drivers that scare me most are the ones who hit their brakes for no reason; sort of like a nervous condition. Then there are those who drive at 15mph at a 25mph zone and you wonder if they are lost or need glasses. Then we have the tailgaters, speeders and the honkers. I don’t like tailgaters and sometimes I’ll slow down to encourage them to switch lanes or get lost… Once, I was driving in LA and a tailgater switched lanes to follow me twice. I waved my cellphone at him indicating that I was about to call the cops; he took off = the creep! More below… 😉 Congrats to Beyonce and Jay-Z on the birth of baby girl – Ivy Blue Carter! 🙂
“Driving is a spectacular form of amnesia. Everything is to be discovered, everything to be obliterated.” Jean Baudrillard
Musings: On Driving... BMW 5 series...
“My biggest nightmare is I’m driving home and get sick and go to hospital. I say: ‘Please help me.’ And the people say: ‘Hey, you look like …’ And I’m dying while they’re wondering whether I’m Barbra Streisand.” Barbra Streisand
Back in the day when everyone called the BMW a beemer(?), I loved that car and wanted a navy blue series 5 model. I still love the Bavarian Motor Works brand, but I’ll take my Maserati first. When I drive, I have a tendency to have running conversations with myself about the drivers in front of me and what ever else is going on. My kids think it’s funny. “Mommy, they can’t hear you… why bother?” I know, but there is something to be said about expressing yourself in your car… try it; quite freeing and refreshing. Another thing I enjoy when I drive is music. I alternate between the radio and my music and I dance along/bop my head until I notice someone staring at me at a stop sign… 😆 When the weather is bad or there are highway delays, I tune in to 1010 wins for updates and find alternate routes home. Sometimes, if I’m running an errand, I’ll get in my car and try to discover new ways to get back. I’m not a big fan of gps but I understand their usefulness… Remember the days when we used maps? So much has changed with driving. What about you? Are you a driving buff? ♥What are your thoughts? Do you enjoy driving? What was your first car and earliest memory of driving? Do you have a dream car and what would you do with it? Do share! ♥Happy ♥New ♥Year ♥To ♥You! 🙂 Thank you. 😉
This post was inspired by a prompt from SoulPancake: Fiction First: The Car You Drove in High School. Post a pic of your car over at The Car I Drove in High School, get super reminiscent, and then cruise on back here for a micro-story of 250 words or less inspired by your first ride. Give your story a title.
Positive Motivation Tip: Driving can be meditative or maniacal… choose your ride wisely.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos Maserati, Mercedes S Class, BMW 5 series, via Wikipedia Or via Flickr
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
me on my first car,
flickr.com/photos/frizztext/4931868388/
a Volkswagen
I remember that awesome car… and photo. I decided to write on a totally different topic for the weekend… TY! 😉
Haha, Elizabeth, I so agree with dear George Carlin! Happy motoring.. 🙂
Me too! I love that quote and I suspect George is speaking for a lot of us. 😆
My first car was red, a Baretta and only 10 grand.
My second car was a black Baretta GT fully loaded 6 cyc or 8- 12 grand
My third car is a 1992 silver/grey Chevy caviler 12 grand..paid off, thank god..but
My dream car is a Red Mustang Loaded. or a Muscle car older…versions I love them. I can dream can’t i?
Great post Eliz!
Oh Jackie cool! 😎 I like the mustang but the last time I drove one, I felt the steering was a bit stiff. What the heck is a muscle car? A truck? A 16 wheeler? 😆 And yeah, I forgot to use one of my favorite lines in my post… “fully loaded!” TY! Guys say that a lot. 😆
TY Jackie, I found out what they are… and yes, we can all dream! 🙂 The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as “any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving.”[2] Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a 2-door, rear wheel drive, family-style mid-size or full-size car designed for four or more passengers. 😎
I refuse to use a GPS – my friends think I’m a Luddite 😀
And I used to be interested in cars until one was taken from me at gunpoint and its replacement disappeared from a restaurant car park not long after – I moved countries and now have no more interest in cars other than that they are reliable enough to get me from a to b – (although I would be unlikely to turn my nose up at that first one if someone wanted to donate it to me, hehe)
Good lord Bluebee, you’ve got to write a post on your car jacking… You know WordPress has a tag section on cars and it would be a great addition to the selections… Plus, it would be helpful to others… Think about it. WoW! Glad you’re okay… Oh right, I’m waiting for my Maserati donation too. 😆
It was a long time ago, and in a country where such things are a daily, if not hourly, occurrence.
My first car was a used V8 Dodge Charger with a front end as long as a tank. My Dad had picked that car out because he wanted me to be “safe.” I wanted a small car, easy to park. After that I purchased my own cars to fit my needs at the time and my budget. I’ve been through little, fuel efficient cars, SUVs, “Mommy” vans. Now, I’m driving a car that I feel really fits me today–a Nissan Murano AWD with all of the bells & whistles. It’s perfect. Like you, I LOVE road trips. Give me the open road (or even 2-land roads winding through the mountains) and I’m good for hours and hours. My dream car? A totallly impractical JAG–the color of money. I think I’m just enamored with the hood ornament, but the whole car just screams “SEXY”!
A V8 Dodge with a station wagon boat look! WoW! I bet you couldn’t wait to ditch that car. I started thinking of that V8 drink too. 😆 Yes, the hood ornament on the Jaguar is pretty cool… same for the Rolls Royce. 😉 I love the open roads and driving through mountains too… Now, we gotta hitch a ride someday! TY! 🙂
I so agree with George Carlin. And let me commend you if you drive in NYC…you couldn’t pay me to drive in NYC. I have visited but the traffic there scares the crap out of me and I’ve driven in LA, DC and used to drive in Atlanta every day!
I do love to drive when I’m on an open road and not in traffic. I hate traffic and living and working in the Atlanta area I knew EVERY back way home so I wouldn’t have to sit in traffic.
The longest car trip I’ve driven by myself was about 22 hours straight! I used to live in New Orleans and my parents live in Virginia. It was hard to stay awake. When I was a teenager my best friend and I had some of our best times just driving around the back country roads! Thanks for bringing those memories back!
TY too! Yes, that Atlanta traffic is almost as bad as the traffic in LA… 😉 NYC drivers are aggressive and I hate when a taxicab sees me and thinks “I’ll pull one of those cut-her-off-stunts…” They are always surprised to meet my alter ego: The ferocious driver! I love driving in the city as it’s like a game of chess; constant manoeuvrings to get ahead and to your destination… Love it. 🙂
How spooky. Early this morning before I read my emails I was driving and thinking about how much I like driving and musing on how odd that is as I hated it when I started – I’m not the most coordinated person on the planet (understatement!) and all the clutching and gear changing and steering and watching traffic and so on freaked me out of my head…but now I like to drive (except in cities) and to be honest I think the part I enjoy the most is the feeling of power from the engine. I’m not much of a car person, though. As long as it works I don’t care what it looks like. Do you know that something like 80% of us believe we are above average drivers? Hmmmm….
Yes, I can imagine 80% or more thinking they are decent drivers when infact half of them probably aren’t. I love driving too and enjoy it in NYC but not locally in my area… Interesting that you were thinking about driving before reading your emails… Great minds… TY! 😉
I used to enjoy driving . . . traveling . . . wandering with pedal to the metal. Now I’m content to stay put.
Wherever you go, there you are. 😀
Don’t you have to drive where you are in Florida? Oh, your beloved does the driving? Good for you! 🙂
Driving has always meant freedom to me. I love it! I had a few small ‘fender benders’ with my step-dads cars when I first got my license but never actually had my own car. When I met my husband he had a Triumph Spitfire and I wanted to get to know him better, primarily because of the car. I hate to admit that but it’s true.
Our first car together was a ’64 Mustang. Over the years we’ve had many Volkswagen’s (which I adore) and since 1984 I’ve had a convertible. The first was a BMW 325 convertible that my husband bet me I couldn’t get for less than $400 a month. I did win that bet but the car was a mess. We replaced everything but the engine in the first 30k mi.!
After that I let him talk me out of a VW to get the BMW 318 convertible. It sucked! Finally I got my first VW Cabrio in ’95 and it’s been a true love affair ever since. Two of them have saved my life, literally.
My love of highway driving changed after my first major accident and it pissed me off. I have taken many road trips and loved them (even drove alone from Philly to West Palm, FL once) but after flipping on a hwy the love became fear. It’s been almost 12 years since that accident and my fear is less now, or I just don’t dwell on it.
I’m hoping to get VW to sponsor my blog… hopefully this year.
b
I thought of you when I wrote the piece as I know your love affair with cars and driving. 😉 I hope VW follows up to support your blog. It would be totally cool. 😎
I drove for a while but I never really liked it. I was far too tense.
I understand… It is a pretty clear cut thing; we love it or not. If you are tense driving, maybe some visualization techniques or relaxing music in your car might help. TY! 😉
I didn’t know you were such a car fan. This is interesting and a different look at something else you like doing.
B
Yes, I love driving and enjoy highway driving. It wasn’t always that way but, over time, as I grew as a driver, I enjoyed it more. 🙂
I really am not a petrol head at all – as long as the car goes well from A to B I am happy.
My worst memory of driving was when a car in front of me on the freeway slammed on the breaks to come to a dead stop to allow someone to get on the freeway from the on-ramp. NOT what one expects on the freeway!
I started driving on the farm, driving tractors, so I drove from about 11 or 12.
Oh, you have been at it for a long time… and those farm tractors need careful handling…. Wow! What was that driver thinking? You never stop your car on a highway unless an emergency is occurring pronto. Phew! 🙂
I love driving! Driving gives me the opportunity to relax and gather my thoughts. My first car was a 1995 Pontiac, Grand am. Wow, how I miss that car!
Yeah, it relaxes me too and you’re right, it helps clear our mind. That car you had was totally cool. One of my boyfriends had your car and I just loved it… WoW! TY for stopping by. I will visit your blog to say hello soon. 🙂
Love that quote from GC, made me burst out laughing. I feel the same way!
I love your selections, especially the Maserati. My first and only car was a VW Fox — I doubt they make them anymore, however. Four on the floor and a joy to drive, that car took me everywhere and never a problem, mechanical or otherwise.
My dream car is a sports car, one I’ll drive as fast as I can and with the top down. But for driving here, I need an SUV.
Did you get rid of the VW Fox? Sounds like a pretty great ride to me… I noticed to that the SUV seems to be the preferred mode of transport back in the home country too… Guess all those dodgy roads and uneven terrain needs it. TY! 🙂
Since you mention NY. Remind me of a friend who stays in VA and to hear him talking about people can’t drive. Its funny to hear people with road rage. Only funny when you not in the vehicle with them. I so had to share that. They may not can hear you but it does feel good to get it off your chest. Some peoples shouldnt be allowed to drive.
Yes, road rage is alive and well, but less so in NY. What I noticed after spending time in Los Angeles is that NY drivers were driving poorly on the road. I never noticed it until I returned… I agree that it’s important to vent in your car and release the tension… It helps make light of annoying stuff. TY! 🙂
Love the picture of the Maserati. There is one that parks outside where I work sometimes. It sounds stunning.
I’ve never had a dream car. I suppose it would be a convertible of some time–perhaps a BMW. I was thinking about a 60s Super Beetle or Karmann Ghia convertible to drive for fun and then a Jeep to haul around my kayak. Yeah, I guess I’d need three dream cars!
Love to drive on the highway with the radio blasting: Chaka Khan, The Gypsy Kings, Aretha, Stand Getz & Brasil 66–you get the drift . . .
My first car was a 1983 Subaru hatchback that I called the mimobile. I bet it is still on the road somewhere although it couldn’t climb a mountain faster than 40mph. Funny but I still drive a Subaru with a lot more guts than the mimobile.
I know God is going to let me live long enough to purchase a really, really beat- up -on -the- outside- but- running -great genuine military Humvee! That is my idea of driving security. Since I am such a nature girl/Earth Mother, this makes sense, right? I loved the Barabara Streisan, George Carlin, and Jean Baudrillard quotes. Wonderful post–great way to start my week driving in a small Southern town where it is considered heathenish and yankee-fied to use turn signals, to correctly parallel park, to drive the actual speed limit, instead of 15 miles slow (escapees from assisted living centers) or 20 miles faster (everyone else except me!) I was once passed on the interstate near here, driving about 5 miles over the speedlimit, by an entire wooden house being towed to a new location, apparently! Only in NW Alabama have I ever encountered homeless houses (actual houses, not house trailers!).
I’d rather be driven than drive any day. No matter how much rest I get, my eyes have a mind of its own and wants to close shut as soon as it hears the car start. *sad 🙁
Perhaps the Maserati you got up there may convince my eyes to stay open…yah, right. wishful thinking eh?
I have a driving phobia and go straight into panic mode every time I get behind the wheel of the car. I drive anyway because we live too far away from the grocery stores, etc., for me to walk or ride my bike. But I very much dislike it. I’m too busy with my own panic to get road rage, although I have to admit that my driving phobia is based more on the fact that I cannot control others and how they drive so I do worry about them and what they might do.