An Automotive Enthusiast's Nightmare

[knightfan26917]

Given the constant rise in gas prices, can you imagine a world in the not-too-distant future where cars are despised, abandoned, destroyed?

That was my nightmare the other night. Due to some personal issues, I've been having trouble sleeping as of late and this nightmare certainly didn't help matters. In the nightmare, gas prices were nearing the $10/gallon mark, and people with cars averaging less than 25 mpg were terrorized and threatened, while their offending vehicle(s) were beaten up and set ablaze before their very eyes. That included me ... I was forced to watch all 5 of my MCs "burned at the stake". Oddly, the radio on in the background was not playing music ... but a baseball game. The game? Game 7 of the World Series...Cubs winning.

It was then that I woke up.

But...I wonder:

If gas prices continue to rise, is it possible that we could become a society that hates the automobile ... that the hobby that makes me tick becomes a hobby that is despised and ridiculed?

Luckily, automobiles aren't the only hobby I have...but the Monte Carlo certainly is a big part of my life, and I don't see that changing anytime soon....

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"I'm walking down the lonely street of dreams, going down the only road I've ever known" ... Whitesnake ... 'Here I Go Again On My Own'

[cletus8269]

thats my biggest fear, someone maliciously attacking my vehicle. mainly cause i fear what i would do after i became irrational with rage. i cussed out 5 football players in the high school parking lot cause when i came out they were leaning on my 69 impala. it wasnt a cherry paint job but they didnt even really know me. i do fell however that less than 25 mpg cars are going to be looked upon like wearing a brown belt with black shoes one day.

[Camino LS6]

If so, I will be the most defiant human you have ever met.

And, I will be armed - no joke.

[CARBIZ]

I already had that experience once, about 17 years ago when my 3 week old '91 Caprice had 3 holes punched in the hood around the hood ornament and a beer bottle smashed across the hood, causing $1,500 damage. A brand new Accord and a brand new Escort were on either side and they were untouched. It made no sense to me at the time why two other new cars were unscathed, while my big American boat was vandalized.

Frankly, living in any urban area these days you are bound to have your car broken into, stolen or vandalized. In the 11 1/2 years I've lived in downtown Toronto (supposedly Toronto the Good) my cars have been broken into 3 times - the last time only 10 days ago. The police just shrug it off as the cost of living in the big city!

There will always be those who are jealous and vengeful out there, but have no fear about personal transportation - in whatever form, going away. The eco-loonies will grandstand and have their say, but the silent majority is still a significant majority. What we are seeing now is just hysteria. Undoubtedly, gas prices will stay high, but I am not worried about being a Mad Max scenario where vehicles are abandoned in the streets and street wars break out over fuel.

[Camino LS6]

I already had that experience once, about 17 years ago when my 3 week old '91 Caprice had 3 holes punched in the hood around the hood ornament and a beer bottle smashed across the hood, causing $1,500 damage. A brand new Accord and a brand new Escort were on either side and they were untouched. It made no sense to me at the time why two other new cars were unscathed, while my big American boat was vandalized.

Frankly, living in any urban area these days you are bound to have your car broken into, stolen or vandalized. In the 11 1/2 years I've lived in downtown Toronto (supposedly Toronto the Good) my cars have been broken into 3 times - the last time only 10 days ago. The police just shrug it off as the cost of living in the big city!

There will always be those who are jealous and vengeful out there, but have no fear about personal transportation - in whatever form, going away. The eco-loonies will grandstand and have their say, but the silent majority is still a significant majority. What we are seeing now is just hysteria. Undoubtedly, gas prices will stay high, but I am not worried about being a Mad Max scenario where vehicles are abandoned in the streets and street wars break out over fuel.

That's why I will never live in an urban environment.

[CARBIZ]

That's why I will never live in an urban environment.

If the eco-freaks have their way, you may some day not have a choice either, my friend. I just read about one of the last remaining farms within the boundaries of Greater Toronto that has been in the same family for 175 years and the farmer is being forced to plant trees on some of his cropland because it falls within the watershed of some stupid river.

I can see the day when we will be banished from National Forests because people hiking is bad for the undebrush and the Eastern Prairie Wetland Arborial Snow Beetle. There are already so many friggin' rules in most parks that they aren't worth visiting any more.

[Camino LS6]

If the eco-freaks have their way, you may some day not have a choice either, my friend. I just read about one of the last remaining farms within the boundaries of Greater Toronto that has been in the same family for 175 years and the farmer is being forced to plant trees on some of his cropland because it falls within the watershed of some stupid river.

I can see the day when we will be banished from National Forests because people hiking is bad for the undebrush and the Eastern Prairie Wetland Arborial Snow Beetle. There are already so many friggin' rules in most parks that they aren't worth visiting any more.

If that comes to pass, I had better already be dead.

I will not live among the urban throng - suburbia is bad enough.

[zhawk]

If any comes to damage my cars they'll leave in a lot of pain, if they leave under their own power at all.

I have had the "why do you drive a gas guzzler" conversation at work, only to prove that my Vette got better mileage than what they were driving. When one of the guys pointed out that I could only fit two people in my Vette, I asked them how many rode in their car to work. Of course, the answer was one.

I get about 28MPG in my Vette and the longest I am up to 50MPH or above is about 6 miles, that's in a 27 mile commute. We average about 23 right now in the 95 Z/28. We haven't had Tammy's new Vette long enough to know what kind of mileage it will get in the long run. The 1st tank averaged about 22MPH (that included a bunch of having fun and Tammy learning shift points, both for economy and power).

I don't think that it will get as bad as your dream Cort, unless gas shoots up to $10/gal incredibly fast, like this year or next, and the economy falls into a real depression. Even then, most of us enthusiasts will turn to more economic vehicles for our daily drivers. Our 'toys' will become a reminder of better days.

As for choices in living locations, I am pretty happy where I am. Most of this area has a zoning rule of 1 house per 5 acres for new construction. Our place has a rule of no subdividing and all of the plots are around 1 acre. We have 1.1 acres ourselves. I know that zoning laws can change but even the eco-freaks don't want it more crowded out here. This way there are lots of trees and green zones. It makes for a nice balance and living conditions. Personally, I could not live comfortably in the city or in any of the new housing developments I see springing up around Tacoma and Seattle, the houses are too close together. Might as well build condos with excellent common facilities.

[PurdueGuy]

Yay Idaho BLM. Public land FTW.

[Robert Hall]

I'm happy in suburbia, and will probably buy a house in a gated neighborhood sooner or later (my condo in Denver is in a gated complex). But when I want to get away from it all (and enjoy the old cars that are there), I still have the family farm--150 acres in Appalachia, about an 1hr from Pittsburgh, that I visit occasionally.

Edited June 11, 2008 by moltar

[SuperSport623]

Cort, if a day like that ever happened, i pray to be dead.... if i was alive, id be in jail for snapping and spraying bullets to those who come near my car

[XP715]

If it ever comes to that, I think I may have to sacrifice my '70 DeVille and turn it into something akin to the Deathmobile from Animal House. Nobody will ever take me or my toys alive!

[Sixty8panther]

From my cold, dead hands.

That goes for firearms AND my 'Merican made, 8-piston internal combustion devices.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

From my cold, dead hands.

That goes for firearms AND my 'Merican made, 8-piston internal combustion devices.

Damn straight!!!!!!!! Nobody tells me what I can and cannot drive. I bought and paid for them. Not these people.

[knightfan26917]

I will not live among the urban throng - suburbia is bad enough.

*nods*

Yep. Especially as they KEEP FREEKIN' BUILDING...homes and businesses. Sometimes, I wonder where the people get the money for the new homes being built. They aren't small homes, either. Or, if they are, they are condos/town homes that cost big bucks anyway. Grrr.

It used to take less than 10 minutes to get to Plato Center, where my older 4 MCs are stored. Now, it is DOUBLE that ... because of all the building they've done between Elgin and PC. AND...MORE building is going on now. Arg.

I don't think that it will get as bad as your dream Cort, unless gas shoots up to $10/gal incredibly fast, like this year or next, and the economy falls into a real depression. Even then, most of us enthusiasts will turn to more economic vehicles for our daily drivers. Our 'toys' will become a reminder of better days.

I sure hope you are right...I don't want it to be that bad. If it is, I'd better be dead.

I don't know that I could buy a more economical car for a daily driver. I LOVE having NO car payments and less insurance costs. And, sorry, after owning a 1997 Corsica/malibu and a 2000 Celebrity/Lumina/monte carlo, I will never own another FWD vehicle. Yeah, I like the Dodge Charger and the Pontiac G8, but I don't see me owning anything but a Ch#$r%*et...and that company isn't making anything real that I want right now. Older cars just appeal to me more ... RWD, less insurance costs, no car payments.....

*shrugs*

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

If so, I will be the most defiant human you have ever met.

And, I will be armed - no joke.

True that...

I don't think it will ever get this bad though.

1) We will have alternative fuels. 2) MOST people see classic cars as a part of our history that need to be preserved, even if they disagree with them being driven every day. 3) We could *gulp* always convert them to electric. 4) It's not like the cars are our main source of transportation anyway.

But alas, there are 3 things in this life that I take very seriously. My family & friends, my animals and my cars. If anyone ever messes with any of them, I will become violent and I will make sure the job is 'done' if you get my drift.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

*nods*

Yep. Especially as they KEEP FREEKIN' BUILDING...homes and businesses. Sometimes, I wonder where the people get the money for the new homes being built. They aren't small homes, either. Or, if they are, they are condos/town homes that cost big bucks anyway. Grrr.

Funny thing is... My GF is an architecture major and she says that BUILDINGS account for 85% of our pollution. yet, the automobile is being attacked instead. And why? 1) Because Detroit must die and 2) Because it gives us too much personal freedom.

I don't know that I could buy a more economical car for a daily driver. I LOVE having NO car payments and less insurance costs. And, sorry, after owning a 1997 Corsica/malibu and a 2000 Celebrity/Lumina/monte carlo, I will never own another FWD vehicle. Yeah, I like the Dodge Charger and the Pontiac G8, but I don't see me owning anything but a Ch#$r%*et...and that company isn't making anything real that I want right now. Older cars just appeal to me more ... RWD, less insurance costs, no car payments.....

*shrugs*

I don't think it's an issue. If anyone says anything, just bust out some knowledge and make them look like a fool. Then tell them to eff-off in as insulting of a way as you can.

[Robert Hall]

If gas goes up really high (say $7 - $10 a gallon), I'll get something more efficient (something like a Mini? Diesel Jetta? I'd like to see a diesel A3...) . Keep the oldies for the occasional summer drive, keep the Jeep for winter, and have a late model performance car for the occasional weekend drive. For now, my Jeep gets averages about 20 mpg...

[mustang84]

I've thought about this before too, especially after all the stories a while back about eco-terrorists going to dealership lots and setting big SUVs on fire.

I'm not a violent person, but I would get violent really quick if I saw someone doing something to my car. I would hope that society will not deteriorate that badly, but it's possible seeing how screwed up people become when they are in fear or panic.

Although, if gas prices ever got high enough that hysteria ensued, I could see parking garages becoming secured facilities with armed guards.

[Intrepidation]

Next person to hit or vandilze my car will be put in a coma.

Edited June 13, 2008 by Dodgefan

[knightfan26917]

Funny thing is... My GF is an architecture major and she says that BUILDINGS account for 85% of our pollution. yet, the automobile is being attacked instead. And why? 1) Because Detroit must die and 2) Because it gives us too much personal freedom.

My goodness. I knew buildings accounted for more pollution than vehicles, but my goodness....didn't realize the percentage for buildings was THAT much. Aye. That REALLY ticks me off that cars are the ones getting the bad rap .

I don't think it's an issue. If anyone says anything, just bust out some knowledge and make them look like a fool. Then tell them to eff-off in as insulting of a way as you can.

*grins*

I'm sure I'll think of something . he he

[2005 EquinoxLS]

I have done it on occassion. These are likely the same people that keep their heat set at 80 degrees in their house and think nothing about it.