Beware the Small Bore Automobile

Road Trips and Rental Cars. Whether you are in a foreign country or just the Southern United States of America, you want to have a car that fits the mission.

This story goes back to a day a few months ago. . .

I have arrived at my hotel, my home for the week. I'm amazed, not only that a human being can cover hundreds of miles in a few hours but that I did half of the trip time in a car that was about the size of a 9 mm cartridge.

I had no choice, business requires going "compact" when I rent, to save some $$. Sometimes the compact is actually a normal sized car, depending on what the rental car company has on hand by the time I roll in. But not on my return to this city where I am convinced the car rental agencies there have a special little "Brigid" wing of the garage where they keep the gutless wonders. I am also certain they keep them parked nose down on a ramp so that my special Brigid edition rental car can simply roll down to the check out area and appear to have an engine in it, until it is past those spikes in the pavement that prevent me from bringing it back.


There it was, clean, bright, all four doors open as if the clowns had to get out in a hurry. I gulped and asked the rental agent "what kind of car IS that?". I swear the agent said it was a "Hyundai Accident". Perhaps that was "Accent". On second thought, I think the first was correct. But Dad's second car (his first being a 1984 Chevy Truck) is a larger Hyundai and he loves it for zipping around town on errands. So with a blue sky, a tailwind and a conference where all I have to do all week is stand up in front of people and sound intelligent, I was determined to enjoy the drive.

As I accelerated onto the ramp for the freeway, trying to edge in front of this semi that looked JUST like the one in Dual, I remembered all the talk about how the human body can actually FEEL acceleration. I've pulled some G's in a swept wing. I know what it's like. And this car, well this car could do that. Right? As I floored it, watching the semi truck come up rapidly on my car, the entire body of which would fit UNDER his bumper, I realized that I could actually feel a physical force, that of my body aging as the car slooooowly went from 35 to 60.

After watching everyone blow past me with the look, I wanted to get a sign for the back window that said I own a 4 wheel drive TRUCK, THIS is a rental. I got it up to 72 on a long stretch though. But at that point, the transmission started moaning like a disinterested hooker and the whole frame started shaking like one of those paint mixers at Home Depot.


But I made it, only checking once to see if the floorboards rolled up so I could put my feet down, yell Yabba Dabba Doo! and pass someone.

On the blog I talk of perspective. Being thankful for all we have. And I am. I arrived here in one piece. It's 82 degrees, there's an ocean within walking distance, lapping at the shore with the faint patina of molten silver. My room looks out onto Spanish Moss covered trees as old as God, where somewhere above, a Pine Warbler calls, a plaintive and tremulous song that rises above the sound of the sea. I found Yeungling beer at a grocers that was a short drive away and if my brakes give out on the way back to my hotel I can always bring the car to a dead stop by turning on the air conditioner.

Life is good. Wherever your road leads you.

Love - Brigid