The Spirit Of The Car

I drive a 1995 Ford Crown Victoria. It's prior owner was the Utah Highway Patrol. This car can move. It has some serious get-up-and-go.

But it also has a certain spirit about it. It still has the suped-up engine and even the extra hand light mounted outside the driver's side window. But there is something more.

My wife likes it because when you step on the gas, before you can even think about how fast you are going, you are half-way down the block.

But we both feel something - some sort of connection to the car's past.

Often when I am driving on the freeway or even down my street, I feel like I am on patrol. I drive slower and keep a watchful eye out for things I don't even know what to look for.

I feel more wary, intense, and observant just driving down my street. It's almost as if I am patrolling my own neighborhood. And the car, with it's shiny silver hand light, usually gets some extra attention.

I am more likely to smile and wave at my neighbors as if I was the friendly neighborhood patrol man. And I like to give the kids a firm scowl as if scolding them for playing in the street and then a brief smile to let them know I am just watching out for them.

It's almost like putting on a different set of clothing or a uniform and putting yourself into the role.

It's not all serious though. Driving it on the freeway can be very entertaining. Many people mistake it for an undercover patrol car. But as they approach closer, the two car seats and children's books in the rear window give it away.

The most fun comes when driving in the middle or right lane of the freeway. No one wants to pass me. I have slowed traffic down to 10 miles below the speed limit and still no one will pass or even pull ahead.

Until some brave person notices that I am not really an officer and this is not really a patrol car. They speed off in a huff and my cover is blown when I don't chase them down.

Then the magic ends and every one I was able to back up continues on their way. Some give me a nasty glare as if I tricked them, others just smile with amusement. But either way, my passengers and I have a good chuckle over the situation.

When someone realizes I am not a patrol car and dashes off in a huff or if I see someone dangerously change lanes or tailgate, I really do have the urge to chase them down, flash my brights and pull up right behind or to the side of them. My car is still patrolling the highway.

And I'll admit that every once in a while when getting on the freeway, I drop the hammer and let that car fly. We can get past freeway speed before we even leave the on ramp. That car sure likes to run.

And I'll also admit that once or twice I have tried playing the part. One incident in paticular that was very amusing happened a few days ago.

I was driving on the freeway and my exit was coming up in a couple of miles. I was in the left lane and watching my mirror so that I could move into the right lane to get off the freeway.

While watching my rear view mirror I saw a sports car rapidly approaching. The car was weaving in and out of all three lanes in a desperate attempt to navigate through a maze of traffic.

I decided I would have a little fun.

I pulled into the center lane in front of a large semi-truck where I was sure the speeding sports car would not see me. I slowed down a bit to match the trucks speed and waited. My trap was set.

The sports car came speeding up on my right. I was doing the speed limit at 65 and this sports car must have been doing close to 90 it was approaching so fast.

The right lane was clear behind and in front of the sports car for about ¼ mile. We were also approaching a freeway exit, the one before mine.

As the sports car sped past me, I quickly swerved into the lane right behind the sports car and rapidly sped up to come close to it's speed.

About a second later as I was approaching it doing about 75, the driver swerved onto the off ramp a split second before it was too late, probably hoping I would not be able to follow.

I grinned a mischievous grin and continued on my way to the next off ramp where I got off the freeway. I really don't know if that actually was that sports car's exit or if I just chased a dangerous driver off the freeway, but I like to think the latter, and grin.

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© Simple Joe, Inc.
David Berky is president of Simple Joe, Inc. a marketing company that sells simple software under the brand name of Simple Joe. One of Simple Joe's best selling products is Simple Joe's Money Tools - a collection of 14 personal finance and investment calculators. This article may be freely distributed so long as the copyright, author's information and an active link (where possible) are included.