Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!nysernic!itsgw!steinmetz!sunup!welty From: welty@sunup.UUCP Newsgroups: soc.singles,alt.flame Subject: Re: Fast cars, big engines, and even bigger mouths. Message-ID: <7932@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP> Date: Sat, 21-Nov-87 01:29:09 EST Article-I.D.: steinmet.7932 Posted: Sat Nov 21 01:29:09 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 24-Nov-87 03:10:45 EST References: <1054@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM> <2421@im4u.UUCP> <2177@homxc.UUCP> Sender: root@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP Reply-To: welty@sunup.UUCP (richard welty) Followup-To: alt.flame Distribution: na Organization: Amalgamated Association of Morons (Local 6 7/8) Lines: 80 Xref: utgpu soc.singles:11035 alt.flame:599 Summary: we all need to contribute to the noise now and then ... I probably should edit this down, but I won't :-) (This has been cross posted to alt.flame, and followups have been directed there) In article <2421@im4u.UUCP>, suhler@im4u.UUCP (Paul A. Suhler) writes: > Extension, indeed. They guys on a survey crew I once worked on referred > to sports cars as "cock cars." They knew what it was all about. In article <2177@homxc.UUCP> ldm@homxc.UUCP (the wharf rat) writes: * As, I take it, you think _you_ do. Listen here, pal, has it ever *occured to you that some people might appreciate a machine that offers *precision, performance, and elan ? Maybe some people aren't comfortable *(in a vehicle that takes 300 feet to come to a stop from 60 MPH. Maybe some *people don't like to have to worry about going off the road if they don't *take corners in first gear. Maybe some people like to be able to get out of *there own way on the road, huh ? * Of course, there are those who are perfectly happy driving a 1975 *Ford Maverick with an automatic transmission.... After all, it's _just_ *transportation. No reason why daily life should be fun, or even interesting. *They make Yugos for folks like you. *ps- bet ya drive 55 too. ("It's the *law*!!!) (or as the _modified_ bumper sticker in the garage at RPI says, ``55 -- It's not a good idea -- it's just the law'') BTW, if you've ever ridden in a Chevette at 65mph, you'd understand why you rarely see them go very fast while under control :-) Now for the serious part of the posting: There is always a distinct tendency amongst human beings to try to categorize things in an effort to deal with them. Such categories can be useful in a general sort of way, but when taken too far, they become problems (The three most obvious examples of this today are sexism, racism, and nationalism.) When Paul Suhler makes his comment above about cock cars, there is a little truth to it, just as there is often a little truth in many of the categorizations in which we indulge ourselves. There are a lot of pricks who drive Porsches and Ferraris, I don't deny that. But should that constitute a basis for declaring that all people who drive fast cars and enjoy them are pricks? I don't think so. It is just a convienent way to describe a group of people who happen to be identified by their cars; and once you have a simple description, you can apply it unthinkingly to anyone you happen to come across. No thought required; it's easy and it's fun. Everyone ought to try it. Me, I'm one of them thar road rallyists; I drive too fast, I belong to an anti-55 lobbying group; and I drive one of those cock cars. So never mind the fact that I probably spend more effort on concious thought about driving during a single days commute than many slow drivers spend on their driving in a year -- obviously because of the car I drive and the speed I drive it at I'm an asshole. So what should I do? Here are the choices: 1) slow down to 55, become bored and distracted, and start thinking about 3d geometry and image prossing problems on the way to work instead of concentrating on my driving 2) stay at 70, and keep aware of all the cars on the road and their (current and possible future) trajectories while planning my path (the option of going 55 and staying aware doesn't work for me -- I've tried it, and it degenerates into option 1 in about 3 minutes every time. Also, before I get torched over things like bouncing and weaving in traffic, I don't do that sort of stupid stuff anymore. I would just like to be able to pass on the left when I overtake slower traffic, without making a big production out of it.) -- Richard Welty Phone H: 518-237-6307 W: 518-387-6346 Internet: welty@ge-crd.ARPA Usenet: uunet!steinmetz!crd!welty ``I know what I'm giving people for Christmas -- some of them there GE toenail clippers''