What's in front of the Tundra ?

It takes me about 1 to 1? hours to get to work. Since I don't have a radio, cassette, CD, DVD, reel-to-reel, or 8-track in my car I have to rely on my own form of meditation and reflection.

Sometimes I'll practice memorizing things grammatical (rules, irregular past participles, irregular verb conjugations, declensions).

I also think about stories that I'd some day try to write. Has there been enough written about the similarities and differences between the peoples of America's two coasts? If you think the disagreement between the North and South was a big to-do, you have no idea what sort of hostilities exist regarding the east and west. Food, restaurants, modes of transit, consumer items. Even the municipal water is a subject of conversation!

Needless to say, driving vs walking is a pet subject. If you think Angelinos are frightening behind a wheel, just get into a car with someone from the Empire State's Big Apple behind the wheel. Or better yet... BEANTOWN! There's defensive driving and then ther's OFFENSIVE motoring. I've taken up nail-biting since my last experience.

I drive a low-to-the-ground VW Bug. It never bothered me in the city. I can coast downhill and neutral and say, "Weee!!! I'm saving gas!" It's easy to clean and it never needs water to cool down. On the down side, however, I find I am in a bad position when I'm behind one of these raised off the pavement bus-type vehicles; the SUVs, HUMMERs, CARAVANs. I don't even know if there is a generic term for some sort of car that has the driver sitting closer to G*d than I am.

What's troublesome is that I can't see what's in front of them. I have no idea how much distance they have from the car ahead. It may sound petty, but it makes a big difference when I want to change lanes to pass them. It also makes a huge difference if they opt to make a quick stop (and don't have good tail light lights). This has happened more than once... and with illegally tinted windows in said vehicles I shudder!

Of course, when people see me and my car there is a whole host of imagery that goes through their mind. "Poor fool. Doesn't have enough for a new or newer car," "That car is a safety hazard," or "A convertible! He must be having fun."

My car doesn't pick up people for sex. Most folks don't want to go in it unless they have never been in a convertible. It has no air, no radio (as previously mentioned) and only has one working windshield wiper. Sometimes there are holes that reappear on the floorboard and if it drives through huge puddles, well... you figure out what the result is.

I like my cars. I don't love them. I don't think I'd want to be without one... even though I do dream of living and working close to each other. It's all part-and-parcel of living la vida Californiana.