Feb222007

Does Seattle want me to buy a car?

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I’ve been in Seattle for three weeks now

For the past few weeks I’ve been tossing up whether I need to buy a car to live in Seattle.

Washington state driver’s license? Yes; I definitely want one of those. But a car? I’m not so sure.

At first I thought, Nah, I don’t need one! I’d be driving alone everywhere and pumping all these carbon dioxides into the air! Al Gore would be angry at me! Also, there’s a lot of cost in leasing or loaning and I’d like my money to do some walking rather than falling into the trap of thinking certain luxuries are “necessities” of twentysomething living.

I don’t speed on purpose, I just follow traffic.

Then, a little while later, I thought I saw the light. I cruised along the highway at a leisurely 65 mph (the speed limit is 60 mph) and I watched in awe as Lake Washington revealed itself as the city of Seattle danced on the horizon. I crept through forests and felt like I was driving through a nature calendar; the highway felt like a rope bridge across the otherwise untouched splendor that God intelligently hand-painted some 5000 years ago. Internet, I caught a glimpse of the American love-affair with the open road.

So this week I have been thinking. On one hand, I do not want to hurt Al Gore’s feelings or spend too much money too quickly. On the other hand, I do want that feeling of being able to go anywhere on Earth as long as it’s next to an interstate highway. Also, it would be easier to hang out with potential friends.

Note: I am using American spelling now.

Then. Then, after all the bullshit, I realized the real reason I don’t want a car. I am a bad driver. I almost went down the wrong side of the road. I turned in front of a car I didn’t see. I cutoff a very angry van driver. I get really sleepy behind the wheel.

I don’t want to deal with the consequences of my bad driving. I don’t want to deal with the stress of being lost. I hate parallel parking. In short: even if I had a car, I’d never drive it until I absolutely had to.

I’m going to get my goddamn driver’s license. And then I’m going to catch the bus.

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7 comments »

Lachlan

You’re not that bad a driver dood, only reason you are is coz of your inexperience! You need to do more driving :P
karan

What Lachie said. Going down the wrong side is just what you’re used to, and all those other things? That’s not bad driving, that’s just average driving. Get GPS, get a car with parking sensors, and if you’re very worried about emissions, buy a hybrid (it’s cheaper than here.) America is car oriented; saying you’ll walk everywhere could be viable in Europe, because other people do it, but America is a wide land and the car is king because people have put it there.

Or hop on a bike? Not that I’m one to talk.

I’m a huge fan of driving, and while I’m conflicted with the whole global warming issue (I’d buy an electric car tomorrow if I could), I still think they’re brilliant devices for getting around, especially in places that suit them. And the west coast of USA? Gorgeous place for a drive.
karan

(yes, before anyone says it, I don’t drive a manual, but that’s more about love of driving-as-activity than love of driving-as-experience)
Jerry

This car (http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/f150/) will get rid of all your problems!

Well… maybe not Al Gore…

You can always wait couple of years and get this (http://www.glumbert.com/media/bugatti)
Mike

Sure you suck with four wheels in your control, but what about two?? Get a motorbike!!!!! Extreeeeeeemmmmmeeeeee
andrew

i think my work computer is broken in a funny way. It says your original article was put up 4 minutes ago. apparently i can also see the future because mikes post was written 10 hours from now
Daniel

My impression was that Seattle was reasonably walkable, as long as you’re downtown and not in the boondocks. The generalisation that you must drive a car in the US obviously does not apply to NYC or San Francisco, to name just two cities. Lots of US cities are increasingly bikable, even if they’re not walkable.

The open road is delicious, but for day to day living, a car is too much. I reiterate: car-sharing for short trips, rental for day trips or overnight. When you’ve got the urge, you have access to a Prius or whatever, without having to bear the full cost (and environmental inpacts of construction, which are signitificant) of owning your own car.

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