***The OFFICIAL Weekend Singles Thread*** April 25-27 - The Car (a liberal's enemy)

April 25, 2008 | WFTR

[WFTR]

Americans like the freedom to travel. That trait makes sense. This continent was settled by people who were willing to travel in order to make a better life. One could say that the association between freedom to travel and prosperity is in our genes. The old GM commercial said, "It's not just your car. It's your freedom." Movement has always been a defining part of our culture. Today, we have cars. In the past, we had horses. In either case, the means of travel was personal and represented a private possession. Our heritage and history are not oriented towards mass transit.

People criticize our obsession with this freedom and vehicles that have given us this freedom, but the car has done some great things for us. I believe that the car has played a big part in advancing the standing of employees in relation to their employers. Without transportation, most of us would be forced to work for any employer we could find within walking distance. We'd be forced to accept whatever he paid and however he treated us. With convenient transportation, we have choices. If one employer doesn't treat us well, we can move to another job.

Of course, some of that freedom is being curtailed today by high gas prices. We can't always afford to go just anywhere as we once did. We don't know how high the prices will go or how much they will raise the cost of everything we buy. Undoubtedly, the situation will change some of our decisions.

With this in mind, the discussion this week is vehicles. What do you drive now? What was your first car? What was the favorite that you have driven? What will you drive next if things go according to plan? What would you drive if cost were no option? What would you drive if we could have $1 per gallon gasoline as we once did? What changes do you wish the car companies would make?

Do you think that your self-image is tied to the vehicle that you drive? Have you ever been embarrassed to drive a particular vehicle or by the thought that you might have to drive some particular vehicle?

When you go shopping for a vehicle, what's the primary consideration? Do you typically spend more than you had planned?

Do you use mass transit? Do you like using mass transit? Have you ever lived where you could walk to work every day? Did you like walking to work?

On a more serious note, what do you think should be done about oil costs, supplies, and related issues? Should we drill in ANWR and off the coasts of Florida and California? Should the government ease regulations if necessary to allow the United States to develop oil shale and oil sands?

[3D-JOY]

Guess I just got here before the discussion began!

[3D-JOY]

Oh the embarrassment, having to drive a pea green Studebaker that looked the same from the back as the front!

Luckily my father hit his own mid-life crisis and bought a red convertible by my senior year!

[WFTR]

Friday Night Singles
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Bonus Questions

1. A long, lost uncle leaves you 100 acres of land near the Louisiana/Mississippi border. You're walking around the land with a camera and take a picture of the biggest bird you've ever seen. When you return home and do some checking, you realize that you have a perfect picture of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker, a species for which the last verified sighting was fifty or so years ago. Do you publicize your picture and the sighting knowing that your land will be crawling with bird nuts, that you might be forced to sell the land, but that you might be able to make some money and fame for the picture, or do you keep the find quiet and hope to be left alone? Why?

2. Which would you rather have, a child who wins the Nobel prize or a child who wins the Super Bowl MVP?

3. Have you begun planning a vacation this year? If so, where do you think you might go?

[WFTR]

Your timing is perfect.

[NoGrayZone]

“Should we drill in ANWR and off the coasts of Florida and California?”

Drill baby drill!!!

[WFTR]

I don't remember the old Studebakers. My folks had a dark green Plymouth Valiant, but I loved that old car. It wouldn't win any prizes for being sexy or exciting, but it held the stuff I needed it to hold and gave me good service while I was finishing college and going to grad school the first time.

[WFTR]

I agree that we should drill in those locations.

[WFTR]

For anyone who notices, I'm thinking about trading my 1993 Mazda pickup truck and getting a “crossover” SUV. My favorites so far are the Nissan Murano and the Hyundai Santa Fe. If you have any advice about these or others, I'd love to hear.

[GOP_Raider]

Which would you rather have, a child who wins the Nobel prize or a child who wins the Super Bowl MVP?

I don't know if I would want to have my kid have an award given by elite socialists. Preferably following in the footsteps of the great Jim Plunkett in Super Bowl XV would be great--although there is a great case to be made for Rod Martin getting that MVP honor. Oh, well. Ring is a ring.

[GOP_Raider]

Should we drill in ANWR and off the coasts of Florida and California?

With oil prices going past $100 per bbl, it's asinine NOT to. Did you know that when Texaco finally extracted the oil in Mexico, after exploration, red tape, drilling, distribution costs, etc. they spent well into 10 figures getting that oil on the world market?

[tet68]

Sadly, you don’t tell a soul. If you do your 100 acres will be turned into a national bird sanctuary

[LSAggie]

I lurk on the single’s thread every weekend, but, being an old married (35 years) woman, have very little to contribute. On cars, however, we bought me a new vehicle to replace my 1985 Pontaic STE last year. I was seriously looking at the Murano ‘til I discovered it took premium gas (I couldn’t go there). We bought a Hyundai Tucson V6, and I really love it. It’s smaller than the Santa Fe, but has the safety features we wanted. I have gotten up to 24 mpg on trips, but around town I get about 20. It’s still being broken in, though, I only have about 4500 miles on it.

[GOP_Raider]

While I'm at it, anyone seen these new Smart Cars on the market recently?

Apparently these go carts disguised as cars are the wave of the future. I saw one of these things while driving home at a dealership and I'm like "who would drive one of these things?" Am told these are all the rage in Europe, but we may need snugs' observation to see if this is indeed the case.

[radiohead]

I drive a red Hyundai Santa Fe (small SUV). This is my first car. I’m one of those east coast city slickers who took public transportation and cabs everywhere and never learned to drive. I only got my driver’s license in 2006 in prep for a move to the midwest.

I’m fortunate that I live in a college town with a great bus system, so I can take the bus to campus and use the car for shopping mostly. I love ‘Big Red.’

I plan on driving Big Red into the ground, so I’m not thinking of a new car, but I do like the commercials for cars that park themselves and can pick up which way you’re looking from the mirror. Cool. The only thing I wish my current car had is heated seats. This past winter I rode a lot in my son’s Santa Fe, and the heated seats were great. Enough winters like this past one, and I might trade in Big Red for a newer model w/warm seats.

My ego isn’t tied up w/my car. I’m more concerned w/safety features and cleanliness than what the car might ‘say’ to others.

DRILL ANWR. This is America. It’s huge; as much as I’m a friend of public transportation, it just doesn’t work everywhere. Shoot, drill in my backyard, if that would help.

[GOP_Raider]

Do you use mass transit? Do you like using mass transit?

When I'm on vacation, I do. I have a lot of friends that live in very liberal enclaves (Portland, the Bay Area, Seattle, Chicago, and so on) and they consider their light rail and bus systems as though it was something invented by Neils Bohr.

I live in a place that doesn't have that kind of mass transit and it's something I would never want to use on a daily basis. It works in a place like New York--or at least in Manhattan--but everywhere else it's not only an elitist "oh we'll let the commoners live in the utopia we've created for them", but it's a way for a much more authoritarian government to spy on it's own citizens.

[Hot Tabasco]

1. a perfect picture of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker, a species for which the last verified sighting was fifty or so years ago.

Shoot it, they taste like chicken and your property is safe...........

2. Which would you rather have, a child who wins the Nobel prize or a child who wins the Super Bowl MVP?

That's easy! Show me a Nobel prize winner who had chicks knocking on his door at all hours of the night.......since its my kid, I'd be answering the door!

3. Have you begun planning a vacation this year? If so, where do you think you might go?

Being retired, I'm stuck here at home due to no excess finances. However, I do have a cousin who moved to Panama last fall and has invited me down but after my last stay with him in Ft. Myers a few years ago, I can stay home, save money on airfaire and still be bored to tears..........

[DeLaine]

With this in mind, the discussion this week is vehicles. What do you drive now?

I drive an 02 Buick LeSabre and I LOVE IT. Love it, love it, love it. I’m thankful that I have it, did I mention that I love it?!
This is definitely my favorite ever, but I did love driving that Jeep Wrangler we used to own. And the Plymouth Acclaim (Black cherry color, that was the best color) But that was then and this is now.
If I had my choice...hmmm. A Ford Taurus. (grin)
If gas cost were no option, then ...the same.
I wish car companies would give us cars that looked good and still got double the gas mileage we get now.
My self image? Yes. I suppose it is tied to the car I drive. I feel special in my car. :D
My first car was an avocado green Ford Falcon.

I think we should DEFINITELY drill anywhere we can and reduce our insane dependence on foreign oil!!!!

[RikaStrom]

Hi WFTR, sorry for the long absence. Had a big formal "to do" 2 weeks ago, a chance to play dress up and my mom was down last weekend to help put the new house to rights. I have a Handyguy coming out tomorrow to give me an estimate on stuff. Darn vaulted ceilings, I cant reach the lights!!!

What do you drive now? 2000 Chevy Cavelier
What was your first car? Dodge Escort
What was the favorite that you have driven? Dad's Toyata Tundra.... WANT
What will you drive next if things go according to plan? Dunno Yet, need to research
What would you drive if cost were no option? A pickup truck!
What would you drive if we could have $1 per gallon gasoline as we once did? A pickup truck (I really want one)
What changes do you wish the car companies would make? Hmm. I don't think I know enough about cars to give a good answer

Do you think that your self-image is tied to the vehicle that you drive? No Have you ever been embarrassed to drive a particular vehicle or by the thought that you might have to drive some particular vehicle? Wood paneled station wagon. Oh the horror!

When you go shopping for a vehicle, what's the primary consideration? Do you typically spend more than you had planned? Economic and fuel efficient. No! (Well, not since the first time.) :-)

Do you use mass transit? Do you like using mass transit? Not in Houston, it's scary!

Have you ever lived where you could walk to work every day Did you like walking to work? No and maybe

On a more serious note, what do you think should be done about oil costs, supplies, and related issues? Should we drill in ANWR and off the coasts of Florida and California? Should the government ease regulations if necessary to allow the United States to develop oil shale and oil sands? DRILL!

Never tell about the bird, let it have a sanctuary, maybe by the time it is figured out, there will be more.

Ehh.. are those my only two options?? MVP I suppose, any child I raise will not be a snot if he became a famous football player

Yep, Cozumel Mexico for diving. Whole family is going, except minor children, of which I have none. Actually, I have no children at all, unless you count the psycho dog.

[Allegra]

1. A long, lost uncle leaves you 100 acres of land near the Louisiana/Mississippi border. You're walking around the land with a camera and take a picture of the biggest bird you've ever seen. When you return home and do some checking, you realize that you have a perfect picture of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker, a species for which the last verified sighting was fifty or so years ago. Do you publicize your picture and the sighting knowing that your land will be crawling with bird nuts, that you might be forced to sell the land, but that you might be able to make some money and fame for the picture, or do you keep the find quiet and hope to be left alone? Why?

I'd grill the bird and make some snail darter sauce to complement it. ;-)

2. Which would you rather have, a child who wins the Nobel prize or a child who wins the Super Bowl MVP?

The Nobel Prize, I suppose. I love NFL, but I wouldn't want to watch one of my kids getting banged up like that every Sunday in the fall. Well, unless maybe he's the kicker.

3. Have you begun planning a vacation this year? If so, where do you think you might go?

I'm on vacation. I came home to the US. And it's GREAT. :-D