Rob's Obs 2

They don't make cars like they used to.
I wish we still had it today.
The love we first tasted,
The good love we're still living:
We owe it to that old '57 Chevrolet.
Billy Jo Spears 1977

I love old American cars, the '59 Chevvy was better than the '57 but they didn't write a song about it.
I can't say the same for the new models though. I haven't driven a decent one in years.

At present we've got a Dodge Avenger which is brand new (357 miles on the clock when we took it over). It's OK but I wouldn't buy one. It's worst feature is the trunk lid which empties all the rain water that has accumulated on the lid into the trunk if you don't remember to open it very carefully. As we have encountered very infrequent rain, my brain cells have usually expunged that information from the memory between showers. It never fails to get me.

They are used to having big cars here but with the pressure of global warming, carbon emissions and rocketing fuel prices they are making a brave attempt to make smaller cars to match the foreign imports.
What they haven't managed to do yet is make smaller engines!
We see any number of foreign cars on the road, seemingly identical to those we get at home, Toyotas, Hondas, Subarus, VWs etc. etc. etc. but they all have one thing in common. Nothing less than a 2 litre engine. If a 1600 engine is good enough in Europe, why isn't it good enough here.
My guess is that it's in their culture that the engine is a phallic symbol and we all want a big 'un.
Today we went up to the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park via SR 78. At one time we had two trucks, one either side of us. When I say trucks, I'm not talking about lorries, I mean big pick-ups with a double cab and enormous wheels, which seem to be the weapon of choice for a great number of drivers. I have no idea of the size of their engines but their exhaust sound was awesome. For a start I was going to say that they burbled along but then I realised that they weren't burbling, they were gargling. Gargling neat gas and spitting it out at an enormous rate.
I bet that the majority of them never carried much more than a couple of bikes in the back. I'm sure that every man Jack (or Jill) of them had a perfect excuse as to why they needed one but that very few could come up with a convincing reason.
Everybody is complaining about the price of gas, which in California, is now above $3.00 a gallon. My contention is that although they complain, they don't yet take it seriously enough to do anything about it.
Val is an inveterate fuel price spotter both here and at home. She hates herself for doing it but she can't stop comparing prices. Hence we have a pretty good handle on the fluctuation in prices so you can believe us when we tell you that we have spotted prices at filling stations on road junctions, that vary between $3.08 on one side to $3.59 on the diagonally opposite corner. (Loretta calls that 'kitty-cornered'. Isn't that sweet?). Now, if everyone really cared about the price, the expensive site would be out of business, toot sweet. But they're not. The lines (queues) are just as big on both sides of the road.
Our cheapest gas yet has been in Fullerton and when we told H&S about it they laughed. Apparently Mr. Bob always goes to Fullerton for his fuel for that very reason. (Mr. Bob is one half of Bob & Jane who we are lucky enough to have as very good friends). There you are Bob, exonerated.
Today we were overtaken by that abomination of a vehicle; the Hummer.
I don't care how dangerous people imagine the streets to be, there is no excuse possible for private ownership of one of those monstrosities. Following closely behind it was an even worse example of the genre but I couldn't spot it's make.
Soon as I do, I'll put one up on here for you to see.