Re: Rambling stuff
In digest 453 Jim Muller eloquently expressed his frustration with
unmannerly drivers spoiling his enjoyment of relaxed driving.
Reading Jim's thoughts on aggressive drivers, I was filled with the
strangest mixture of remorse, empathy, and foreshadowed guilt. After
college I bought an '83 GTI, and I drove it like a fool: I sped
inveterately, I tailgated, I cut people off, and I took any reckless
chance necessary to stay ahead of everyone else. This was true
during my commute to and from work, during long-distance travel, and on
weekend excursions. I was very lucky to get only two tickets in this
car and no accidents (well, except for the uninsured bum who backed
into me in a gas station parking lot). Getting married helped me to
begin breaking my bad driving habits; but what really cured me was
buying an Isuzu Trooper a few years ago. You just can't drive that
thing wrecklessly! Under the best of circumstances, it's slow; but
it'll really drain a gas tank fast if you stay on the throttle. And
weighing in at 2 tons, with a straight front axle and copious body roll,
it'll scalp tires about as fast you can spin the steering wheel 15 turns
lock to lock... Hell, it just isn't worth trying to get anywhere fast
in that truck! Which is where I began to learn the technique of
leisurely driving that Jim was trying so hard to enjoy on last weekend's
crowded drive.
OK, onto British content. From time to time, as I watch big fat 5- and
7-series BMWs, Mercedes, Q-ships, clapped out Zs (both kinds), etc.
carve through traffic, I miss the days of playing tag, and I long for my
GTI or my TR6. Well, with hot weather coming on, my wife wants the
air-conditioned Trooper, and she wants to give me back the GTI. But,
even worse, I'm supposed to get my TR6 motor back from the machine shop
this week, freshly rebuilt, balanced to a gram, with a warmed-up cam,
and the head milled down for 9.5:1 compression. Those triple Weber
side-drafts are sitting in boxes, waiting to be installed and tuned.
And I'm getting kind of worried about my manners...
Pray for me, Jim; my soul's in jeapordy.
Kevin "God, grant me the strength to patiently enjoy each *passing* moment"
Riggs
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