Conflict of Interests

[liralen]

I've always had two conflicting desires with cars. I've always wanted power, handling, and style. I've also always wanted fuel efficiency. These two are in direct conflict with each other. Nearly always.

My CRX HF was a mild compromise between the two, the high fuel efficiency CRX way back when. The pup got 50+ miles per gallon on the freeway. It was cute and it was tiny enough that with my stick shift control of when I would shift up or down, I was able to get enough power out of it to feel good about the beast. It handled well, and it looked nice for the price range. When it got totaled, I went without for a while.

I then stumbled on the Turbo Diesel Passat, which, at high altitude, with the turbo assist, is a very, very fine car. It has German handling, enough power to pass nearly anything I'd be comfortable passing, has room for Jet and all his stuff, and it looks like an ordinary sedan. I'd imagine it's why the last five times I've been stopped by policemen I've been let go with only a warning.

Did I mention that I like driving to the capabilities of the car?

Ah, yes. The other thing is that the Passat, since it is a diesel, gets 45 MPG in city driving. 50+ on the open road.

I never thought I could do better than that, until I saw the TZero. Ferrari handling with a thousand times the fuel efficiency. Yowza. Honestly, though, I don't think I'm going to get off of any tickets in that...

Comments

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

What I want to know is why you're driving so fast you've been stopped five times. :)

[liralen.livejournal.com]

*laughter*

I've actually been stopped... uhm... at least 25 times in my checkered driving career.

I like driving fast. Never in residential areas. Usually in wide open spaces or along roads that have no people but sometimes have ridiculously low speed limits. Though once was because, as the policeman put it, "YOU almost ran me over!"

That last one is kind of funny. I was driving John home from the company party, and he was drunk as a skunk. I came into a construction area, and seeing no signs, thought the ramp I was going up on was just a normal merging ramp, and at the top, I saw a car just behind me. It was close enough that I just put the pedal to the metal and knew that, physically, it wouldn't be a problem and I'd make it in ahead of the guy. Then the bubblegum lights turned on. Whee...

I pulled over. The car's reeking of alcohol. The cop gives me a couple of tests. We tell him I'm driving John home because he's drunk. I'm as sober as an owl, and he grins and lets me off with the caveat that I tell someone, the next day, that I got pulled over for almost running into a policeman. *grin*

I love speed. I love controlled speed in areas where I'm not even remotely likely to run over an animal or child stumbling into the street. An empty freeway at 2 in the morning is an invitation to 100+ for me. Luckily, I think that some of the fact that I'm not remotely endangering anyone counts to the fact that I get warned.