Car Throttle

Some days I sit back at my laptop, scratch my head and ask “why do I do this?” Everyone has days like that with their job.  Self-doubt, self-pity, frustration – whatever you want to call it.  But there’s gotta be a reason why we put so much time and effort into our small little corner of the internet here, and lately I’ve been pondering that.  After all, if one thing’s clear, it’s that we’re here for the cars.  But why am I (and my fellow writers as well) obsessed with these cold, mechanical, expensive depreciating assets?

It’s hardly logical.  Even from a practical standpoint, cars suck.  It’s not like horses – treat it right, do the proper maintenance, and a $3,000 horse can become a $30,000 horse in a few years.  No, cars (almost without exception) become worth less the further you drive them.  So it’s sure not a monetary thing.  They suck up a lot of money.  I know that for a fact; my Saab has been abusing my wallet like the proverbial red-headed stepchild lately (motor mount, thermostat, boost pressure transducer, distributor rebuild and timing set, oil changes, gas…)

But here’s the thing.  Life is stressful.   No, to be accurate -life is really stressful.  I think the reason life is such a stress is because you’re never really in control of things most of the time.  If you’re a student, you might be in control of the work you do but you’re not in control of the grades you receive for it.  If you’re in the work force, I’m sure you’re aware that you’re not in control – you do your work but what’s to say you won’t get laid off tomorrow?

But for me, when you’re behind the wheel – you’re truly in control of things.  Or at least as much as is realistically possible.  Sure, some inattentive driver on a cell phone in a Durango might T-bone you to kingdom come while they blissfully run a red light.  But for the most part, all of the consequences you receive are the direct result of your actions.  I find peace with this.  When I’m in my car, I get back exactly what I put in.

Cars reward you for doing it right and punish you for doing it wrong, in equal measure.  They’re mostly predictable; sure, your steering rack might go out for no reason, but mostly if you treat it well it’ll treat you well.  Cars don’t ask you to read their minds and guess what’s wrong with them without any clues.  They don’t act up for no reason.  If something goes wrong, it’s probably your fault.

So I like the control – being the king of your domain when you’re behind the wheel.  I like the way they reward you for hitting the mark and I think it’s fair the way the don’t when you miss.  This is why I’m at peace when I’m behind the wheel – I know what to expect – and why I’m not, well, pretty much all the rest of the time.

Working on a car has it’s own rewards, in the same way.  You put effort into something, and if you do it right you can see and feel the results.  Sweat your shirt through and bloody your knuckles changing out a motor mount, go drive the car and you can feel the engine not rocking around as much, the response of the throttle is sharper, the car just feels happier.  Cause, effect – perfectly direct.

Also, the camaraderie that the car breeds is simply amazing.  So many of my good friends I’ve met because of their cars – Paul, Taylor, Patrick, I’m looking at you – and I’ve met more because of the car I’ve been driving.  Cars bring people together.  Car guys always have SOMETHING to talk about, something they share common ground over – even if you’re a Honda guy and your buddy really digs Camaros, they’ve both got internal combustion engines with pistons, cams, valves, clutches and flywheels, all that – right?  (Exception: Rotary fans.  I know.)

I love the interaction between man and machine, the closeness you get with your car when you’re howling down some curvy road.  Exploring the limits of your sanity and your lateral adhesion, finding the perfect shift points, where to tap the brakes to get the rear end to rotate the tiniest bit, where to go wide-open-throttle during corner exit – it’s fun.  It’s a learning process, and each time you do it you get a little better at it.  A lot of things at life you can continue to work at and continue to be mediocre at, but every second behind the wheel is a second of improvement.

My car brings a smile to my face every time I turn the key, and for a multitude of reasons.  How many other things in your life can you say that about?