Driving

[markolas]

I hate, hate, hate driving. It's mainly my dad's fault, as he's the one who taught me; he would start screaming at me to slow down if there was a car stopped a mile in front of me. It turned me into a very nervous driver. I didn't even get my license until I was 20.

I especially can't stand driving downtown...lots of pedestrians make me nervous, as do narrow streets and cramped parking. I'm better on the freeway, where there are nice, wide lanes and lots of space between me and other cars. I'm generally very cautious...I slow down at yellow lights (which makes people maaaaaaaaad) and never drive more than about 5 miles over the speed limit, unless I'm on a freeway and need to keep up with the flow of traffic. I've been in one accident (I slid into the back of a woman in her SUV) and have never had any tickets.

I'm not as road-ragey as I used to be...I used to be bad about honking my horn and shooting people the bird if they were being assholish (not letting me over and forcing me to exit when I didn't want to is a big thing that pisses me off). I don't do that so much anymore, but I dunno if it's because there just has been cause to lately, or if I'm actually a calmer person.

And I cannot drive a stick shift. I guess I'm just not coordinated or something, but I don't get it. I can never get more than a few feet before the car stalls, and I know that if I ever got out on the freeway in a stick shift, I'd be street pizza.

I'd love to be able to live and work downtown and not have a car at all. I especially hate the upkeep. My inspection and registration stickers have been expired since last summer.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by estranged4life

wouldnt let my Mom drive, so she was reduce to "backseat driving" - and YES (!!!) she had a license for it too.

The following is a true story. As much as you want to believe it not to be it did indeed occur. My Mom was legendary for her driving prowless. Hell, I was once in her car as she laid rubber at a stop sign....With a Muskogee PD car directly behind us. She laughed at the cop as he wrote her a warning, guess those 36 DD's may have had something to do with that...Anyways, below is the story:

Mom didnt get her license until she was 34 years old. Her first traffic ticket was for doing 180+MPH in a 55 MPH zone on a state highway, yes, you read right - 180MPH in a 55 MPH zone...All this without a driver's license or permit (Mom bought herself a 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am with a medical malpractice settlement. Her first driving lesson was learning to drive atbreak neck speeds on the Muskogee/Broken Arrow turnpike. Mom had the 454 Chevy 8 block modified so the top speed her TA would get was about 210 MPH according to the OHP.).

Once Mom passed her driving test, which she nearly aced, she had a challenge made to her from the OHP trooper who pulled her over. This trooper has a 1980 Pontiac Firebird 'Bandit Edition' Turbo which he claimed could beat Mom's TA in a drag on the highway. Mr.Pooper-Trooper even wanted to sweeten the offer by racing for pink slips, so Mom, being the NO BS person accepted his offer.

The local unit, which this trooper belonged too, cordened off (Can you say "illegally"? Knew ya could!) a stretch of highway 64, Which becomes highway 2 between Porum & Briartown, for the race.

Mom LUNCHED Mr.O-Hip and his black Turbo turd, so much that this trooper was near tears knowing he had just lost his 'prized' car to a woman driver. When he approached Mom to give her his pink slip, Mom told him to keep it, She said "I dont want that piece of crap...It drives too slow". His fellow trooped ripped him a new one for the whole episode.

Awww, the memories of the **** that was my childhood...God it was definitely different than most.

That's a great story I bet those troopers NEVER let him live that down!

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Does anyone drive a stick shift any more? When I was car shopping recently, people looked at me like I had three heads when I requested a manual transmission. Driving an automatic is so boring... and I never feel like I am totally in control of the situation.

I do! I love the stick! I drive a '92 Toyota Paseo. She is old and a bit tired but still runs REALLY well. She has never broken down, EVER, except for a dead battery which has nothing to do with the quality of the car. I will buy Toyota probably forever now. My second car was a Ford Escort. That car was HORRIBLE. But it was cheap. You get what you pay for I guess!

I learned at 17. I did take driver's ed because you save money on your insurance when you do. It was sort of a joke though, our teacher showed videos in class. And I couldn't believe how few road lessons you needed to get your license.

My Mom taught me, the first time I went out I drove two houses down my street all the while babbling, "Oh my god, am I going to fast? Etc etc", then I slammed on the breaks in the sand, skidded a couple of feet, and recovered to my Mom's infectious laughter! We had a good chuckle, I calmed down, and continued on. She was actually a good teacher which surprised me because she is generally not very patient!

I learned in my first car, a Plymouth Horizon hatchback, which my parents sold to me for $300, they should've just given it to me. Trying to teach me a lesson I guess. Lesson? Be indebted to people. Anyway, that car was pretty good to me. I used to peel out sometimes, haha. Because of the front wheel drive, even though it was a 4 cylinder, it would make a really loud noise. People would turn to look like, "WTF, was that the chick in the Horizon?" It was hysterical.

I had trouble with backing up and backed into a mailbox and another car in a parking lot. But the car wasn't my fault, I don't know where the hell he came from. I also took out a post from my family's deck trying to go around the cars in our driveway via the lawn. I cut the wheel too hard and punched it. I have no idea why! I was a nervous driver! Michelle, I used to always piss people off, people would give me the finger, cut me off, just harrass me. I would have no idea what I did, haha.

I have had speeding tickets. Most times I've been pulled over I have been warned and not ticketed. Once even in this town NOTORIOUS for always ticketing. The officer made me promise not to tell, haha. I was always very polite, "Yes officer" etc. I recently cut a cop off, omigod. I pulled out of a parking lot and I guess I didn't look, that is very unusual for me. But I was really polite and by the end of our convo he was telling me I can't do that stuff, who cares about the other drivers, I gotta keep myself safe. Although he started off being a hardass! These incidents pissed my ex off cuz he would always get ticketed. Haha.

I've had many parking tickets since I used to live in the city and it's street cleaning this Thurs, that Tues, every other street, it gets confusing and you always wind up screwing it up somehow. It is just another expected expense when you live in the city. I don't miss it! But I did learn to parallel park really well living there. I did so in front of my ex once, I only had about 4" of clearance, and he said, "I will never make fun of a female driver again."

Anyway, I love to drive. But I hate other drivers. The drivers here are HORRIBLE. They don't signal, they don't let you merge in when you need to, etc. I try not to road rage so much anymore but have big time in the past. Now I just try to accept that I am really not the one in control. I am at the mercy of traffic laws, lights, other drivers.

And DD, I once did the same thing, turned right on red with an officer right there. But it was at an intersection, a familiar one, that for years allowed right on red. I told him that and he was really cool about it, thank god. I had a couple of drinks too so I had visions of doing the sobriety test in the middle of the center of town! But I wasn't drunk, I was just worried he would smell something. Anyway, all was well, phew.

Okay, I could write more, but I've already well exceeded my quota here!

[danax6]

Originally Posted by goldie

But ... I thought you guys in the Netherlands rode bikes everywhere? Or is that just Amsterdam? All I know is, I almost got run over at least 3 times in 4 days by people on bicycles when I was there last year!

Sure, bikes everywhere! But, that doesn't mean we don't drive cars also. It would look a bit silly if we drive a bike on the highway. The reason we can ride bikes everywhere is because it's all flat, flat, flat here. 'Cept where I live. I hate bikes, I haven't been on one in 6 years or so.

But you're right about Amsterdam...here's A'dam Central Station:

http://www.studiokoning.nl/Foto_17/F..._Amsterdam.htm

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Does anyone drive a stick shift any more? When I was car shopping recently, people looked at me like I had three heads when I requested a manual transmission. Driving an automatic is so boring... and I never feel like I am totally in control of the situation.

if the transmission is automatic or standard shift, I can drive 'em both with ease but my wife cannot drive standard shift - so our car is an automatic transmission (Though I prefer standard shift).

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by ragandbone

I love these stories! Do we have a picture of your mom in the Trans Am?

if one of my older siblings has a picture of Mom & her TA, I dont have any at the moment that I can find (There's plenty of pictures of Mom & her T.A. in the photo albums that my brother has - I need to make copies of those pictures since they are the only ones left in existence.)

[JazmenFlowers]

I'm also a car whore...I get new car fever all the time. let's take a look back at Jazzy's vehicle history from beginning to end.

Ford F-150 extended cab (can you picture this? me? in a truck? yeah, funny. and it went dead if you didn't keep just the right amount of pressure on the accelerator while stopped)
Mercury Sable (died on me after 3 months)
Pontiac Grand Prix (loved this car)
Chevrolet Camaro (my favorite car I've ever had. it was my high school graduation present and my parents were gonna stop paying for it when I graduated college and I couldn't afford it so I had to let it go )
Ford Explorer
VW Jetta
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee (an upgrade)

see? I've had more cars than I have sex partners. ok, well, maybe not, but you get what I'm saying.

[carrie721]

Originally Posted by ragandbone

I love these stories! Do we have a picture of your mom in the Trans Am?
I am the owner of the Tool chest in the house, I have fixed a stereo receiver with a schematic, and taken apart my vacuum to fix it, but I would be scared to tackle a large appliance. Your mom is my hero!

ooh, you sound like my mom. she is the keeper of the tool chest also. she's fixed the dryer a couple times with a schematic. she also replaced the alternator on my car. my mom is pretty cool. she's really passed that on to me (not coolness, her aptitude for building/fixing/etc. i always had those "300 in 1!" sets when i was little - where you wire things different ways and you can build a radio, or a blinking light, or whatever? and chemistry sets. my god, the chemistry sets!

in fact, at this very moment, my mom is taking out the vanity sink in our bathroom and replacing it with a pedestal sink. she was telling me about her ordeal at the hardware store today - why is the hardware store always an ordeal when you're a woman? my mom went in and knew exactly what she needed, but the guy who was working there wouldn't just help her find it. he had to know why she needed everything, why she was doing it the way she was doing it, etc. god almighty.

anyway. brian, your mom sounds so cool. i agree with eliza - we need pictures of the TA!

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

I had trouble with backing up and backed into a mailbox and another car in a parking lot. But the car wasn't my fault, I don't know where the hell he came from.

i've done both of these things! but no one was in the car at the time, and it was 3 a.m., and i was young. and i didn't make any marks on the other car. good times.

[bikerchic]

I drive stick. A 2004 PT GT Cruiser and I love to drive. Totally agree on the having better control of your vehicle with standard.

[DrummerDeanna]

Ha....glad to know I'm not the only one who's done something stupid right in front of a copper.

The backing into things story reminds me of my early driving days. I once piled all of my friends into my car, backed out of my driveway and plowed right into my mom's boyfriend's car.

We all got out -didn't see any damage and sped away. Then being the stupid 16/17 year olds we were we thought that if my mom saw us gathered around his car we'd just tell her that the muffler fell off

We never got questioned though, and I only told her about that a couple of months ago...she thought it was a hoot - though she would not have been so kind at the time it happened.

I also once backed into our trashcan that was set out for pickup It broke one of my taillights!

[carrie721]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Oh actually - when I first moved to Rochester I got stopped...for turning on red when there as a sign that said not to. I didn't see the sign, in my hometown there are no such signs...I'd honestly never seen one....the stupid part is I did it right in front of a cop. I saw the cop, I didn't see the no turn sign - so I was genuinely surprised when he pulled me over.

damn, how did i miss this? i should edit my post. so there are three of us?

[rbs3676]

I initially learned to drive in an old truck on my parent's ranch on weekends. Must have been 14 or so. There were limits to where I could drive (the McMarr Ranch is huge -- over 1700 acres) but it wasn't like there would be other cars to contend with. It was a blast.

At 15, I took drivers ed. with 3 cheerleaders from my school so all we did was laugh our asses off and gossip about the hot guys in the class. The day I tuned 16, I got my drivers license and my father surprised me with a brand new white four door Volvo GL. That car was the bomb. I had it for about 5 year and ran it ragged. I adored that car.
The next car I had was a used Oldsmobile Cutless Supreme that my parents got me because they thought (and rightfully so) that I didn't take care of my Volvo. I never changed the oil in the Cutless because I hated it so much and it finally died one night on I-10 as I was coming back home from the ranch.
I then got a new Honda Accord and that was a great car! I must have had that car for seven years!! Drove that car to New Orleans, back and forth to Los Angeles a couple of times and, of course, to Austin almost every weekend. That Honda was stolen twice - once in West Hollywood and found 3 weeks later and the second time it was stolen right in front of my apartment...but the police were watching the kids do it and the car was retrieved about a block away. Honda's are built to last, that's for sure. I drove that car into the ground and it kept up.
I then got a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo in 2001 and loved that car. I love the way it drove and I like being "up" in an SUV as oppossed to a sedan. I doubt that I will ever drive a sedan again.
I got a new Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited last year and absolutely love it -- I'll probably buy Jeeps for quite a while. Great vehicles.

I think I'm a decent driver. Have had my fair share of accidents (some my fault, some not) and speeding tickets. I drove a lot more when I was younger, that's for sure. Now that I'm older, I've become more of a homebody. But that Jeep is in the garage whenever I need it!!

rbs

[sparky]

I drive way too much, but I like it most of the time. I put about 28k miles a year on my pickup. But it's at 220 and still going strong. Driving in LA traffic is hideous, but I love to do road trips on empty highways in the middle of nowhere. It's the best therapy on earth for me.

My first vehicle was a motorcycle. An 82 (I think) Yamaha Virago. Not a crotchrocket! It was a wanna be Harley. A great aluminum V twin engine and it totally screamed. Miraculous I never died on that thing riding it without a helmet, drunk, coked up, stupid and in my early 20's.

Had to get a pickup in college because driving in the Oregon rain was too much. I had a nifty little 77 Toyota that rocked. So easy to work on and it was a stick. I learned how to fix engines on that thing. Next was my favorite, an 87 F-150. Automatic, and damn did that thing go fast. It died a horrible death in 97 because the oil pump went out, and I didn't know. Threw a rod. Nothing like that blue smoke and f-ed up rattling noise to ruin your day.

Since 98 I have had this 96 F-150. I like it fine. It's a stick, has two tanks, and I bought it because it was the last year with the square nose. The only drag is I need an extra cab. Never got one cause they always look silly - like the bed was tacked on at the last minute. I have hated the new pickups from Ford since 96, though I saw some at the car show recently that I finally like again. Maybe I'll get a new one next year. I am driving this one till it croaks out, though. No more payments.

I have had a few accidents. The big ones weren't my fault. A couple fender benders have been. Never had a speeding ticket, but ran a few reds when I first moved to LA. My driving record is pretty clean. So thankfully, my insurance is cheap. I can't see having anything but a pickup. I have to be high up to see things and I need to haul stuff often. But, I can picture getting a Mercedes or some cruiser thing at some point. My fantasy is that someone will make a damned real hybrid pickup. Those Prius things are just too ugly and I am sure I'd be squashed like a bug in a wreck.

[rbs3676]

Originally Posted by sparky

I love to do road trips on empty highways in the middle of nowhere. It's the best therapy on earth for me.

I love road trips. As long as someone else can deal with the map (I have a horrible sense of direction), I am down for the ride. Totally theraputic, indeed. I love driving until you just dont feel like it anymore and staying at a cheesy/sleazy motel out in the middle of nowhere.
My ex-partner and I took some great road trips like that and learned a lot about each other on them. I miss that.

rbs

[skcin]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

see? I've had more cars than I have sex partners. ok, well, maybe not, but you get what I'm saying.

*cough/choke/snort/sputter/cough*

Originally Posted by rbs3676

I I never changed the oil in the Cutless because I hated it so much and it finally died

Wow. You really hated it.