I realize that’s the term I use for a toaster on wheels – a vehicle that has four wheels and gets you places – at least on snow and ice free asphalt reliably, but maybe boringly. And every day car, something you drive to work the 250 or work days every year, to the mall and shopping center, the gas station, the community rec center, out to visit family and friends. Just “a car.” An appliance.
Some people might be okay with just “a car”. I realize when I name check the 20-year old Honda Civic, I’m probably referring to 80% of all cars on the road, driven by people who don’t really care about their vehicle except that it gets them to their destination, is relatively safe, and doesn’t use much gas.
Some people say a car – it’s beats riding the bus or your bicycle everywhere. You can go a lot farther, quicker on a car at least outside of the city compared to a bike or bus. But truth is I never found much enjoyment in driving, and certainly not in the city. Indeed, one of the first things I wanted when I started working was the ability to park outside of the city and take a bus downtown. I much prefer working downtown the in any suburban office complex. I wasn’t happy when I moved out to suburban office with acres of parking, I continued to take the bus and shuttle any day I didn’t ride my bike to work. I remember the meeting when I was told my work was being shipped to suburban office, I bit my lip, and the meeting ended with being told, I thought you were going to tell us no on the relocation.
Since moving to the city, it’s rare I drive at all during the weekdays, and only really on the weekends to maybe to Walmart and my parents house for Sunday dinner with a quick side trip to hike Bennett Hill or somewhere else. Really what I use my truck for is camping and traveling, visiting places recreationally. And nowadays, I’m much more inclined to get to camp, set up camp, park my rig and spend the full weekend hiking and riding my mountain bike from camp. In recent years, it’s uncommon for me to drive more then 5,000-7,000 miles and that includes a trip to West VIrigina and the Finger Lakes and many weekends in Adirondacks. Indeed, camping is the primary use of my truck.
People say a SuperDuty truck is rather impractical truck if you’re not planning to haul a heavy load regularly. But I like having a big truck for all my camping gear and supplies, I like riding up high, I like the big truck feel and drive. I’d much rather spend my money on a heavy-duty truck then get a half ton and butcher it up with an lift kit. Sure, gas is expensive compared to those little just an appliance cars, but it’s not for commuting. Indeed, I’m not sure I’d ever want to commute. Yes, I do want my off-grid cabin and live rural eventually, but only after I’m done with my career working in he in city, making and saving money.
I really hate how people keep thinking it’s really sad how I don’t own a car. Remember, it was my choice to take Big Red off the road and not get him repaired. Oh, but the local bus is so slow and dirty people tell me. To me, the boy who plans to have pigs and goats at his off-grid homestead in not that many years from now. But I don’t want to own a car, I want to own a real truck for camping and traveling. And not just traveling to Walmart. If I need something at Walmart, I’ll ride my bike there. Or the other two grocery stores around. Big Red was occasionally used for such utilitarian purposes, “as a car” but rarely. It annoys me how everybody keeps asking me – well how are you going to do __________ without a car? I don’t know. Ride my bike? Catch a bus? Or just find something else to do or not do it!
I’ve never really liked driving, certainly not that kind of driving through stop lights, speed zones and traffic, with cops up your ass every five minutes. I’ve known too many people killed and seriously injured by cars. It’s not to say I’m against travel on the weekends, camping, or nights spent up in wilderness, but not the kind of driving that maybe the 20-year old Honda Civic is perfect for.