I am going to be heretical. I have had very little interest in cars (or other machines). They are lesser beings. I do not anthropomorphise them though I admit to speaking harshly to them when they do not work as I desire.
I never wanted to drive a car but my parents told me it would be useful skill. I never enjoyed it but I drove for 60 years in the UK and latterly in Thailand. I stopped driving last year and sold my car. The sense of relief and peace of mind is quite rewarding. Getting Uber-type taxis (Grab and Bolt are the local versions) feels food.
All that said, I can empahise with all that you said and I celebrate your reunion with your car, at last.
I share your “I’d rather not” approach to cars. While I had a brief love of autos in my teenage years, since becoming an adult, I’ve found the expense of keeping them going is a pain in the arse, so I tend to buy less flashy and more reliable cars…to avoid mechanics at all costs. Literally and figuratively. Living in LA though, it’s a damn near necessity to daily living…I wish public transportation were more available and reliable or Uber/etc less expensive. Alas, we do the best we can, right? Glad you’ve made the right calls for you, boo. Cheers!
Thank you for another mutual and similar attitude. I realise that in the US the ownership of a personal transport engine is almost a necessity. In the UK from which I retired, the land is small and there is excellent (though trains can be expensive nowadays) public transport. Here in Thailand, a similarly sized land, trains are less organised but buses are prolific, cheap and - like cars - consume time. Taxis are comparably expensive as cars within this city. Waiting times for picking up customers are usually less than 10 minutes. I am relaxed and driving sent my blood pressure too high. For you, I'm just happy that you are healing and sorting things out.
Thank you for you continued love and support, Ray. Planning to reach out to you next week, once I get all my lil duckies in a row. Too much quacking going on around here for my taste, but I must admit it’s kinda fun. :-p
Howdy, Clint. Cars... I had no choice but to get a new one at the end of 2024. I decided to stick to my favorite brand which happens to be foreign. Now, I shudder at the thought of prices going up drastically for parts and even service, given the current situation with tariffs being raised on our suppliers.
Even without the tariffs, car repairs are astronomical in my experience. Hopefully, your new ride is problem-free for many years to come. All the best to you and your beep beep!
In my mind, having a driver's license and using public transportation is the best of all worlds. I used to dream of living in NYC because everything was so much easier, at least public transportation. LA and most of the rest of the country? Not so much. They keep trying, but got started a little too late...although if you've ever seen Roger Rabbit, the backstory about the street cars is fairly historically accurate. The automobile industry crushed the flourishing street car system of the 1920s-1940s. Sad it's taken so many years to get back to a similar train system. Though they still don't go anywhere near as many places yet. I am lucky to live near one of the better lines. Photo outings are gonna be happening again soon! Cheers to you and your lovely home across the pond!
I am going to be heretical. I have had very little interest in cars (or other machines). They are lesser beings. I do not anthropomorphise them though I admit to speaking harshly to them when they do not work as I desire.
I never wanted to drive a car but my parents told me it would be useful skill. I never enjoyed it but I drove for 60 years in the UK and latterly in Thailand. I stopped driving last year and sold my car. The sense of relief and peace of mind is quite rewarding. Getting Uber-type taxis (Grab and Bolt are the local versions) feels food.
All that said, I can empahise with all that you said and I celebrate your reunion with your car, at last.
I share your “I’d rather not” approach to cars. While I had a brief love of autos in my teenage years, since becoming an adult, I’ve found the expense of keeping them going is a pain in the arse, so I tend to buy less flashy and more reliable cars…to avoid mechanics at all costs. Literally and figuratively. Living in LA though, it’s a damn near necessity to daily living…I wish public transportation were more available and reliable or Uber/etc less expensive. Alas, we do the best we can, right? Glad you’ve made the right calls for you, boo. Cheers!
Thank you for another mutual and similar attitude. I realise that in the US the ownership of a personal transport engine is almost a necessity. In the UK from which I retired, the land is small and there is excellent (though trains can be expensive nowadays) public transport. Here in Thailand, a similarly sized land, trains are less organised but buses are prolific, cheap and - like cars - consume time. Taxis are comparably expensive as cars within this city. Waiting times for picking up customers are usually less than 10 minutes. I am relaxed and driving sent my blood pressure too high. For you, I'm just happy that you are healing and sorting things out.
Thank you for you continued love and support, Ray. Planning to reach out to you next week, once I get all my lil duckies in a row. Too much quacking going on around here for my taste, but I must admit it’s kinda fun. :-p
Howdy, Clint. Cars... I had no choice but to get a new one at the end of 2024. I decided to stick to my favorite brand which happens to be foreign. Now, I shudder at the thought of prices going up drastically for parts and even service, given the current situation with tariffs being raised on our suppliers.
Even without the tariffs, car repairs are astronomical in my experience. Hopefully, your new ride is problem-free for many years to come. All the best to you and your beep beep!
In my mind, having a driver's license and using public transportation is the best of all worlds. I used to dream of living in NYC because everything was so much easier, at least public transportation. LA and most of the rest of the country? Not so much. They keep trying, but got started a little too late...although if you've ever seen Roger Rabbit, the backstory about the street cars is fairly historically accurate. The automobile industry crushed the flourishing street car system of the 1920s-1940s. Sad it's taken so many years to get back to a similar train system. Though they still don't go anywhere near as many places yet. I am lucky to live near one of the better lines. Photo outings are gonna be happening again soon! Cheers to you and your lovely home across the pond!