The best drivers on the road…

I’m down in Southern California for a few days, working between Azusa and Anaheim. It goes without saying that the well-worn freeways of LA and Orange County are dirty, covered with debris, and congested with too many miserable cars and trucks. It’s a nightmare to drive here as a rental car rookie, and my hat is off to any poor soul who has to commute these unforgiving roads on a daily basis. So I was on the 210 East yesterday, heading to nowhere fun, when I saw a beautiful shape ahead, seamlessly floating above the wrinkled pavement. Upon approach I discovered a flawless jade green 49/50 Mercury coupe with a gorgeous chop bombing down the right lane. The black license plate read “POSN IVE” and Poison Ivy she was.

The driver (who are you my man?) was doing the unthinkable on these roads: He was paying attention, driving with two hands, listening to his engine rock instead of KROC. No nonfat triple shot caramel latte in hand, no mobile phone chatter (or God forbid, texting). And it occurred to me just how much more work and dedication it takes just to drive an old car. That the skills it requires to navigate a ‘kingpin suspension, single-circuit drum brake, manual steering’ Jalopy actually makes you a slightly better driver than the 99% out there. You are most likely paying attention to your car, to the road, and to the guy next to you or behind you that is not paying that same amount of attention.

The modern car conveniences of bluetooth, GPS, and the almighty cup holder have lulled today’s drivers into a vehicular coma. A vintage hot rod or a custom is a ‘reset’ of sorts, that takes you back to the pure experience of DRIVING an automobile, the connection to what your doing in that moment. Besides all this, your driving down the road in a rolling piece of art that those comatose drivers can’t help but notice the beauty of, and respect that you indeed drive it. Hopefully they do long enough to put down their latte, hang up the phone, and drive just a little more connected…