Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

 I'm retired, Go around me!

I used to have a little suction cup mounted sign stating that sentiment visible in the rear window of my truck. I had found it for sale at a supermarket at one of our usual vacation spots. It was on display with all the tourist stuff, like T shirts, hats, and bumper stickers. I thought that it was kind of funny, and played into stereotypes about older drivers. 

I think that I may finally have become one of those stereotypes myself!

I guess that it was bound to happen. 

One thing about being retired, you are usually NOT in a hurry, at least not most of the time! Especially when on vacation. Time is the hardest thing to come by when you are young, even more than money. Getting time off from work is the problem, many companies won't even let their employees take their accrued vacation leave when they want. One week, seven days, tack on two weekends. One before, one after, for a total of eleven days. Make it count!

It's important to cut down on travel time. Why spend two days driving, when you can pull a marathon session and save one of those two days? I suppose that's why flying places is so popular. Of course there are places that you can reach only by flying, there's no bridge to Hawaii! 

Of course, a layover adds another night's stay at a hotel, another additional expense. 

When I was younger, those marathon driving sessions weren't a problem. I could grind them out with the best of them. My eyesight was good enough to easily see beyond the headlamps. Now? Not so much. I prefer to do the majority of my driving during daylight hours, especially during the Winter months. Even more if I'm going to be on secondary highways. 

Who would have thought of a minivan as a GT vehicle?  

How much time can you save over an hour, driving at 85 mph. as opposed to 70 mph? You could be 15 miles closer to your destination. That's worth 15 minutes driving at 60 mph. That's four or five songs on a CD. Driving at 85 and trying to maintain that pace, means that you will have to maneuver a bit, through, and around traffic. I'm not a tailgater, so it was catch up to vehicles ahead of me, wait, then go around them when safe. Repeat as needed. 

Not as relaxing as I would like, but the time saved seemed worth it at the time. 

For the most part those times are gone.

"Become One with the Serenity"
photo source: freepik

I have written several times how I now seek harmony with the highway and the traffic. I won't hold traffic up, I will move over to the right lane, and I'll plan my moves around slower traffic ahead of me. This takes a certain amount of maturity. Just Yesterday I was driving down highway US101 on my way to Pismo Beach, cruising along at a steady 75 mph. in the left lane. I noticed that a few cars went around me on my right. That doesn't immediately make me consider moving over, 75 is fast enough, I let the hot shoes go around me.

If it had been this truck, I'd have moved over immediately!
photo source: Jeepers Creepers.

Then my rear view mirror was filled up by a big black truck sitting on my bumper. It could have easily flown past me on the right, that's what I would have done, but no, it just sat there. I wasn't going to speed up, I just signaled and moved to the right while the truck flew past me. I thought that it was a bit rude. As a Freeway Ninja, I would have fluidly went around a slower vehicle, even if that vehicle was already five miles over the limit.

Of course, I was only a few cars behind them when they exited the freeway ten minutes later!

My feeling is that people drive fast because they are in a hurry, it's the stress that makes them want to go fast. Well, younger people are also  usually in a hurry, they want things to happen FAST. I take a longer view because my vacation drives are of a longer distance. 

Me, back in the Old Days!

Me, Today!

Things do change with age and experience.

Just Yesterday, I was sitting at a stoplight and noticed a new Corvette on my right waiting to turn left onto the street that I was on. I'm not a big fan of the new Vette, I know that it is a much more advanced, more powerful, and a better performer, but that just leads to a big yawn. 

For one thing, the new Vette just doesn't look as good as the Vettes of old, at least to these tired old eyes. 

Second, All that power just seems kind of ludicrous for street driving. 

I know, I know, that is the ultimate Old Man statement!

I rode the first generation of Japanese Superbikes, back in the Day. I once had a NorthStar Cadillac Seville, chosen because of it's performance. I had a '92 Nissan 300ZX. So I know what speed is like, in fact I still own an '06 Mustang GT, which is still a pretty quick car. 

I also know that performance is part of the image, even if you are never going to be able to use it. It just doesn't  impress me that much anymore. 

I prefer something that is comfortable, quiet, and relaxing to drive, and still has adequate performance for my needs. But setting a Land Speed Record isn't one of my priorities. 

Maybe that's a sign of maturity or maybe it's a sign of my geriatric decline! 

You do You!

I'll just try to stay out of the hot shoes' way!