Wheels
That’s right, wheels…meaning a car! And yours truly will have her own (hopefully tomorrow), my very own car! I kid you not, I’ve dreamed of this day for years, well there was a time, ages 16-18 where I gave up on the license/car thing and was totally fine with it.
While all of my friends/peers were taking driver’s Ed and passing, I was home busy watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Molly Ringwald in her Brat Pack days. The reason I was totally fine with not being one of the many was because of the annual- Don’t Drink and Drive video. I became terrified with being behind a wheel and just brushed off the idea of ever driving myself to school. Not that I hadn’t thought about it, I would day dream from time to time of walking from the parking lot to my class and leaving campus for lunch. But then the fear set in and I just accepted the fact of not bringing that day dream to life. But then after 18, not having a car became extremely aggravating. I didn’t even get my license until I turned 23, and even though I had that tiny piece of plastic that proves my age and says I can drive an automobile it doesn’t magically make one a confident driver. Which passing the driving test should be enough confidence needed but sadly for me it wasn’t/isn’t. I am a very timid driver and haven’t driven in forever! At least it feels like it.
I don’t drive. I never had a car to drive so that part makes sense. I’ve been using metro since 2010 and even though I’ve grown accustomed to the waiting and then the BO I wouldn’t mind if I never had to ride another bus ever again. But of course my fear is still very much present when it comes to driving. So here are some pros and cons I’ve been feeling with my impending car ownership approaching.
Let’s get the cons out of the way, because I want to end with the good stuff.
CONS
- parking- I am absolutely horrible at parking, and Houston isn’t exactly known for having great parking. Most of my favorite places have crap parking and I’m a bit worried about that. Not to mention parking in my apartment’s lot, there are so many reserved spots, that I hope to be able to find one for my car! It’s an extra 15 bucks a month and that may not sound like a lot, but it will be once my rent goes up in December. Plus, campus parking! I haven’t decided if I’m going to be using the car for school yet, that is a lot of money.
- Gas- one big thing, it costs money. -.- I always get frustrated when I haven’t added money to my Q-card can you imagine how annoyed I’ll be when I need to fill er up?
- Driving at night-My eye sight is terrible, and driving at night is scary and I really need to learn how to be more observant.
- Driving at all- I will be the one behind the wheel. Me! I will be responsible for my life, and my passengers and the lives of my fellow drivers.
- Detours/construction- Having to be quick and read road signs and be able to navigate around detours. -.-
PROS
- Fellow drivers- I will be a part of the driving club. Yes, there is a club and I will get to be a part of it!
- Keys- adding another key to my key chain. Every time I saw people holding their car keys, I thought they held a power, you know that club everyone seems to be a part of. The keys are the key. ^.^
- No more waiting- Minus the waiting for red lights or dealing with traffic in general. I’d take waiting in the comfort of my own car, compared to waiting hours for a bus in hot/cold/rainy weather in the daytime or night.
- Grocery shopping- And just shopping in general. I’ll be able to go grocery shopping and not worry about not having to carry heavy items.
- Visiting family/friends- It will be a lot easier to get around, I’ll even be able to go home and visit my parents
Seeing as I’ve never owned a car before, I haven’t realized all of it’s pros yet, but with time I’m sure I will. I have several friends that have mentioned how they couldn’t live without their cars. And I’ve done alright without one, it makes getting from point A to B a bit complicated but I’ve had to make it work.
That’s all for this post, I’m working on my Halloween costume and I’m hoping to have it done in time. More on that in the next post, until then…
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Alice B Said:
on October 25, 2014 at 1:52 am
congrats on getting your own car! i’m 19 and i still haven’t even gotten my license yet. i’ve learned how to drive but yeah, my parents still think i’m not up to it, that i’m still not prohibited to drive. =__= what a killjoy. i’m afraid that i might forget what i’ve learned so far, sigh. i probably won’t go out a lot even if i have a car and license because i’m a hermit like that but yeah, it’s assuring if i get a license…you know? it’s a lot more convenient and assuring to possess a license and the permission to drive..
i remember being taught how to park by my dad and man, i hate it. lesson learned: don’t ever, ever drive or asked to be taught on how to drive by an impatient dad. it’s annoying. he scolded me LOL and he was like “you can’t even do that simple thing properly!? why are you so lame” -__- true story.
in where i live – indonesia it is – people who can buy cars drive and they will. others ride motorcycles. i mean for some of us, it’s not that we don’t want to board public transportation; it’s just that the public transports or even the roads here tend to be filled with….well, unworthy people. i know i hate walking because i don’t feel safe, thanks to all the locals who wolf whistle at us, chinese who reside in indonesia. sigh. put me in, say, hong kong for example and i don’t mind walking and riding the bus every day to college if that helps.
so yeah, i feel the tension when you’re behind the wheel. driving is scary. but i personally think that people learn how to drive properly after making mistakes haha and whether i like it or not, i have to brace myself to take control of the wheel. don’t even mention parking to me… it’s the scariest part of driving.
anyway, good luck on driving 🙂
Kimmy Said:
on October 29, 2014 at 12:15 am
@Alice B, Yeah, my dad wouldn’t have had the patience to teach me. So my mom and older sister had the job of teaching me. >.< It took me a while to get my license and now I'm just recently using it now that I have a car. It's not as bad as I thought it would be and my confidence in driving has improved in just a few days. I didn't think it would, but by some miracle it has. XD Now I'm spoiled and hate waiting for the bus even more. I am still using the bus to get to school because parking there is a nightmare and I would rather avoid it. Thanks for reading and commenting. :3
Jenny Said:
on October 28, 2014 at 12:01 am
The other drivers are what scare me the most! Some people get really bad road rage…….. ;_;
but congratulations and good luck driving! ^_^
Kimmy Said:
on October 29, 2014 at 12:18 am
@Jenny, I know! That’s what worried me the most. I’m a very timid driver, everyone else just seems to always be in a hurry and that’s how accidents happen. I’m trying my best to remain observant while behind the wheel. But my confidence has improved and I’m getting spoiled by having my own car. Waiting for the bus has become even more annoying now that I know that I could easily drive myself to school. But I’d rather not have to deal with parking on my campus. Plus, it’s rather expensive.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Kristen Said:
on October 28, 2014 at 9:19 am
I saw your pic on Instagram, congratulations!
Kimmy Said:
on October 29, 2014 at 12:21 am
@Kristen, Thanks so much!
I’ve been enjoying it, but I’m trying to be responsible and not get too carried away. I want to be a responsible driver, not a stupid impatient one like a lot of the people I see on the road. I’m still very timid but I have noticed a big improvement in just a few days. Strange how easily the confident settled in. XD
I want to start sending mail again!!! I’ll try to get something ready for when Christmas comes around. <3<3
Kristen Said:
on October 29, 2014 at 9:30 am
@Kimmy,
Oh, I’ve been such a horrible pen pal! I moved again, so I’ll send you a facebook message with my new address. I’ll start getting a Christmas package ready!! 🙂
Leah Said:
on November 6, 2014 at 1:06 pm
Congratulations! Yeah, not having a car as an adult is really frustrating, which is why I am finally getting one soon too. No wonder I haven’t seen you on the bus lately 😛
Parking is definitely a concern I have too, but I figured if I get a tiny car, it won’t be such a big deal. Also, good luck on finding a spot at our apartments. I have never lived somewhere with so many reserved spots in my life. It’s actually ridiculous.