Wow. That felt really good. I put the gas pedal to the floor for a stretch and buzzed down Route 40. I hit a pothole, bounced, and laughed outloud to myself.
I've been so afraid of driving since the last accident.
I've been in several car accidents. It's inevitible, because I love to drive. I do it just to do it. It's not a matter of getting between places. I have the choice of so many different ways to go anywhere. Windy roads are the best. Sharp turns! Oh and let's not forget hills. I love a good hill.
Erica and I once agreed that I was going to die in a car accident. I'm really okay with this fact, but I'd prefer to die than be crippled and maimed. I just want it over with. The 1/00 accident, I thought I was going to die. I remember the slow motion of the truck and my car as we got closer and closer, and the realization in my mind... just: "Wow. I am going to die." BAM. "Wow, I didn't die." I did however, bite off a chunk of my tongue.
Nomatter.
The point is, I like to drive, and I do not want to be afraid to drive OR to drive fast.
I have made one drive ever with my dad in the car. I was 16 and drove my brother to the movie theater and Dad came along. I was so annoyed with him. "Floor it!!! Floor it!!" he kept yelling at me. "If you want to learn how to drive you need to floor it." I rolled my eyes, and mom later agreed that it was silly, but inside, I know I agreed with him.
I think the fear of high speeds first began to overcome the love of thrills after the Wagon Incident.
Corey and I took the Radio Flyer and turned the handle inwards for steering. We both sat down and began the slow crawl to the quick drop that was the hill we lived atop. Like sled riding in the summer! Oh we flew. I wish I had a clear vision in my mind of that ride down the hill.
All I remember is the pain, for weeks afterward. It's hard to walk without skin on your legs. We had a close encounter with a pine tree, and all the skin on my shins was scraped off. But scabs like those are a thing of pride. Needless to say, we were forbidden from adventures like these after that point. I don't remember how old I was at the time, but I'd be willing to bet that that was the last and biggest thrill I've had since.
At least when you're going fast in a car, you're encased within its steel. I guess that can be a bad thing. Otherwise you could jump off and roll away, but the steel cage reassures me somehow. I'd rather not lose my skin.
Next time I have insomnia at 4 or 5 am, I am going to get in my car and drive fast again. My Fox is no Radio Flyer, but the release or rolling down a hill, over a bump, around a turn.... it's like a quick taste of the fear and thrill of falling in love. But safer.
anotherben.. said at 11:17 AM 03-07-2003: nice. i too love my car. the sound of rushing wind against unyielding glass and metal. the hum of the road. the scree of tires contemplating their frictional limitations. the incredible stillness of the world when viewed thru a window going 120 mph.
Lisa T. said at 5:56 PM 03-07-2003: yeah, until you squish a note fairy on your windshield b/c you were going to damn fast for her to deliver your note! now we know what happened to that missing note fairy.....
Bryan said at 12:31 PM 03-07-2003: I like a small, nimble car with good brakes and a stickshift. Fewer options, the better. I am an asshole at go-kart tracks. I must win.
kara [email] said at 2:12 PM 03-07-2003: One of my favorite quotes on my driving, aside from Gloria always warning people "prepare for the ride of your life," when I'd drive them home from High School, was this girl Gwen.. the second time I gave her a ride home, she sat in the car and timidly said "um... can you please NOT speed up for speed bumps this time..."
It was a Chevette, what did I care.
loren [email] said at 4:09 PM 03-07-2003: that made me laugh out loud. Good stuff. and that's why i'm getting a wrx... i want to be able to speed up for the bumps.
kara [email] said at 4:19 PM 03-07-2003: Sweet well sometime when I am less in debt and can travel again, I'll have to take a joyride in it and try not to cover my eyes in fear of your driving skills. So what is this wrx exactly anyway?
I can't wait for summer so I can take my new car to west virginia and drive up and down the mountains.. nothing like driving on a road with rock on one side and a steep drop to a river on the other.
kara [email] said at 4:29 PM 03-07-2003: OK I just read some jonx about the wrx it looks like fun is it stickshift? I've never really looked at subarus... I'm just such a sucker for vw's and other german vehicle goodness.
anotherben.. said at 5:12 PM 03-07-2003: you could get an automatic wrx...but that would get you bad carma. subarus impreza rally car (which the wrx is the common market version of) is a frequent winner of the world rally championship races. it comes with awd standard and a 235 hp engine (w/turbo)..very peppy. unfortunately..the bug-eye round headlights of the 2002 models have been discontinued. it is an imperfect world. newer editions of the wrx (the sti version) is supposed to come to the states with a much bigger engine. vroom.
loren [email] said at 6:41 PM 03-07-2003: sorry to be a spec stickler...
the stock WRX is 227hp @ 6000rpm with 217 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4000rpm and has a 2.0 liter intercooled and turbocharged boxer engine.
The STi version, which will be here in/around May, has $300hp @ 6000rpm and 300 lb.-ft. of torgue at 4000rpm with a 2.5 liter intercooled and turbocharged engine... PLUS a 6-speed manual transmission and a driver controlled center differential and some big ass Brembo brakes and a tighter suspension. All for around 32k MSRP.
Both have full time All Wheel Drive of course.
Actually, i'm getting an '04 because of the new look and the interior upgrades (better seats). I wasn't a fan of the old bug eyes, but they grew on me... but i dig the new look better.
I wanted an STi until i realized it would be a waste of money unless i started racing it. I'll probably barely be able to push the stock WRX to it's limits... much less a pure rally version. Pluss the upgrade path on the WRX is damn near unlimited as long as you have the cash. See Vishnu.
Goddamn i can't wait to have the AWD wagoney sweetness.
meenk said at 6:58 PM 03-07-2003: I fell in love with the wrx wagon, too, when they came out. I'm sad to see the headlights change, though. The round ones reminded me of a 5 year old on a sugar high, which is a great look for a car like that. I never did like the colours they had available, though. I'd have been settling, if I got the black one I wanted. Now, though, I decided my sanity at work is more important than turbo, though, and took a pay cut which will mean no WRX for me, anymo. It's okay, though, I'd just get arrested, any time I took a ride into Wisconsin (my favourite place to drive).
anotherben.. said at 7:21 PM 03-07-2003: the wagon is awesome. i am a huge fan of the bugeyes..but the new look is growing on me. alas..i was only able to afford the impreza outback sport wagon.. which is still a lot of fun.. but i had to park it next to my roomates silver wrx wagon. sorry about getting the specs wrong tho... its been a while since i kept up. my former wrx owning roomate would be ashamed of me for getting the numbers wrong.
Niko said at 1:53 AM 04-29-2003: the only bad thing about a chevette is the sit really low to the ground... but for a car that only has 65 hp it puts up a good fight when it comes to racing ppl in some civics cringe when they hear the engine reving at over 5500 rpm kinda sounds like a tep down version on a 454. i olny wish they made them a little more powerful im tired of being left behind at the line by the new calvilier Z24 but hey it aint a sports car so i cant complain.
Niko said at 1:57 AM 04-29-2003: the only bad thing about a chevette is the sit really low to the ground... but for a car that only has 65 hp it puts up a good fight when it comes to racing ppl in some civics cringe when they hear the engine reving at over 5500 rpm kinda sounds like a tep down version on a 454. i olny wish they made them a little more powerful im tired of being left behind at the line by the new calvilier Z24 but hey it aint a sports car so i cant complain.
jeff [email] said at 2:14 AM 04-29-2003: Chevettes kick ass. I'd love to get my hands on one, gut it, and rebuild it solely for track use. My father used to have one back in the 80s, then it burned up in the driveway without any warning.
