I love driving, people come over and see me putting alot of work into building cars, i strip them down, turn them over to do underneath and restyle the body to suit my taste, i dont really like driving someone elses design without my own restyling, evreyone thinks i like building cars but i hate it, there is nothing worse than your ride being off the road and at the same time you are rolling around on the ground in the hot and cold getting showered with grinding and welding sparks or wearing away your fingers with sandpaper. I do it all for the feeling you get when you are on the road.
I always wanted to drive so pushing myself to learn was nothing, it took me about 6 months before i was confident drive in built up traffic, after 1 year i could do a handbrake turn and shift into first quick enough to accelerate out wich none of my mates would even try, i have always done a bit of racing at the local dragstrip and love it.
I dont like the city, main reason is my cars dont usually like city traffic without overheating or stalling and not starting again but i also seem to get pissed off with everyone in the city and if you miss a turn or are in the wrong lane you are stuffed. I dont like making quick lane changes, i often hang onto the indicator till i am 100% sure the car next to me is leaving a gap. in my early years I had a few accidents due to loss of control at high speeds but never hurt anyone, my dad lost it on a bend in a rotary mazda and died so i am pretty cuatious on the bends not only of myself but what could be coming the other way. I dont like conversations and distractions while i drive but i do like music, i have been late for job interviews becuase the stereo was having problems.
I dont really like any new cars, i like having lots of shinny paint and chrome surrounding me even though plastic padded dashboards are safer. i used to get nervous in underpowered cars thinking a truck or something might run me over but then i had a job driving a diesel lwb transit and got used to no power, I often wont make a turn at a intersection unless there is a massive gap and if i do i often do it with tyre smoke becuase i plant it, people always say "why didnt you go?"
I hate travelling on freeways or doing any long trips in small cars, especailly if i have to sit in the back.
I seem to always get colds and stuff when i catch public transport and find myself holding my breath on the train till i nearly pass out in peak hours, there are always heaps of dirty and stinky people on trains, or i miss the train and walking anywere just consumes too much time.
I use my car to show who i am, i built it how i wanted it and it fits in with my music and the way i dress, when people hear the music and see the car they dont seem to think i am dressed so weird. my car kind of stands out and starts conversations everywere and people in other cars give me thumbs up , smile or wave and i never can work out the right reaction wich sometime feels a little awkward.
being such a stand out on the street people recognise me and say things when i am shopping and stuff wich is a pain becuase i dont remember faces and cant remember if they now me or if they have just seen me around and heard about me.
MY wife gets hates the attention i get but i dont really get off on the attention, i like the feeling of being in another era sliping through the traffic wich is all in 2006 while i am in 1961 in a 1950's car.
When i am in my car it doesnt matter if i am AS, everyone respects me and the big chunk of steel i am lugging around and some even envy.
what i dont like is having to drive somewere in a everyday car, i love bouncing on bumps becuase i am so low and the smell of the motor and exhaust and the sound of the motor mixed with some cool music, i love the pulling feel of a stong motor accelerating or the shake of the car idling along cruising main streets and the sparkle of the chrome on the dash infront of me reflecting neon lights from shop fronts and when i shift and the back swings out a little.
I like cars that look like cruisers but have the power of a drag car, it shows how i see myself as looking like a slow cruiser but having alot of power hidden away insde.
There is also alot of fun challenges and brain teasing when you take a old motor made for carting families around and try to get more power than all the latest big exotic sports cars, lots of experimenting but unfortunately also lots of money needs to be spent, anyone can buy a fast car if they have the cash but you need to use your head to make a old jalopy scream.
04 Dec 2006, 7:44 pm
