Where I live I can NEVER engage cruise control. There aren’t any long stretches of country road and the city streets and highways are constantly packed with traffic. Where I live it can take two and a half hours to drive less than 30 miles.
On an daily basis I drive these roads just like all of my other neighbors who need to get to work and pick up food at the grocery store. Every day I take a deep breath, turn up the radio, roll down the windows, (weather permitting), and drive. I’m used to this pattern, but I still find myself craving an open road.
I grew up in the country, where you could engage cruise control on a daily basis. There were few traffic lights and stop signs and you could take your foot off the pedal and roll almost all the way to school before encountering another car.
If you’re a regular reader you know that I own a home in North Carolina. What you don’t know is that I take my foot off the pedal the moment I hit the North Carolina border. I sit up a little taller, dig a little deeper into the seat and feel all my muscles relax.
Deep inside I wish for a world where I could engage cruise control on a daily basis. A world where I can roll down the windows, turn up the music and let the wind rush past my face.
If I could do that on my way to work I would just keep right on driving.
Heh, I had cruise control once, when the ice was so thick on my handlebars that the throttle stayed where I put it. Alas, now I live in the city, only five blocks away from work. With five stop signs and two crossing guards to pass through.
@Jake – city living is a whole other thing. I lived in DC for two years after college and loved living a life without my car.
Heh, well, I'm talking about a 25k city, so wheels are still pretty important. Until I get out of debt, though, I'm stuck with only 2 wheels.
I'm totally on cruise control with my finances right now and it's a little boring.