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May 06, 2004
Get out of my dreams and into my car
...and take over the wheel, would you, because DRIVING FRICKING SUCKS. Now, we realize there are people who say they love to drive. But they mean they love to drive when they're out on the open road, or along a gorgeous coastline, or on their way to get some. No one likes to drive when there are too many cars on the road, there's a red light every 45 seconds that stays red for 3 minutes, and everyone blocks the intersection, and there are no parking spots. And you know what, you self-satisfied autophiliacs? That is how driving is 85% of the time.
Girl-E never drives to work because she lives at one subway station and works at another, and she can zone out, or read, or listen to music, or eat, or do any number of things with her unoccupied hands. Plus she grew up in Southern California where people are crazy, so the idea of getting driven around, even by a semi-reliable public service, is thrilling and indulgent. But this morning she had to drive because she needs the car after work, which requires passing her office by about 3 miles in order to park where it is not $25/day, and get back on the train to work. And it was horrid. And it brings out the very, very worst in her, because other people in big metal machines are disgusting.
The moral of the story is, Dean Kamen just has to work a little harder.
Addendum: We suppose the fact that we said she needs the car after work might rip all credibility from this rant. But that's still other people's fault, because if other people would understand the value of public transportation then she could get to where she has to go without the car. So yeah.
Posted by The Twins at May 6, 2004 12:50 PM
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Comments
i only wish there was such a thing as reliable public transit around here. i'd have to take a 2 hr bus ride just to go a distance that takes 20 minutes in the car.
Posted by: snowy at May 6, 2004 04:18 PM
Well, 85% of the time in a global sense. I'd guess it's like 100% of the time in, say, Manhattan, and maybe 25% of the time here.
I usually love driving, but since our air conditioning broke, I haven't really been feeling it so much.
Posted by: Jess at May 7, 2004 08:52 AM
There are some days when I want to french-kiss anyone who actually uses their turn signals. I am also not above keying your car if you're stopped in the handicap-parking spot "just so you can run a quick errand". Seriously. Kissing or keying. I'm not messing around.
Posted by: nikita at May 8, 2004 01:10 PM
I assume that, since you didn't mention a crippling cramp in your left calf, you drive an automatic. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my stickshift for anything....except maybe for an automatic for city driving.
Posted by: Lynn at May 9, 2004 02:16 AM