When I was a young lad, before I was 16 years old, I used to dream about the day when I would finally be able to get behind the wheel of a car and drive it.
To my chagrin, the first “car” I ever had to drive was my parent’s Toyota Sienna Minivan. At the time, that was OK… After all, I was finally behind the wheel of something that was roadworthy.
I don’t say that I had to learn to drive, because really,driving an automatic transmission vehicle is as simple as getting into the driver’s seat, putting the vehicle in drive, and pressing the gas or brake pedal at the appropriate time.
I had intently watched my parents operate a vehicle hundreds of times before. It was easy. For me, “learning to drive” was more about reading through the manual, picking up some extra knowledge about the laws I hadn’t learned, and getting comfortable behind the wheel of something bigger than I had ever operated before.
Of course, learning to manipulate a vehicle through different situations that a passenger doesn’t encounter is part of it as well,but all of this was a great adventure, something new and constantly changing. Having to think on my feet was something not encountered as a rider.
Learning how to drive a stick shift car was the next step and a bit more difficult than just pressing the gas and brake. That came after I got a little more comfortable with the van, and it was then that I also graduated to an actual car– a 2004 Volkswagen Passat turbo with 4Motion all-wheel drive.
I had finally got my license and had learned how to drive a car, a lifelong goal!
For most people, that whole experience is different than it used to be, and certainly different than mine.
On top of cars and trucks being different, the attitude and mindset of those coming of age to drive have completely changed.
It baffles me to think that somebody wouldn’t have any desire to ever operate a car!
Sure, it’s dangerous. I’m not saying it isn’t. It is a step in the direction of adulthood, at least, it was to me. It is no longer a rite of passage into that next phase of life for those able to legally earn a driver’s license.
I would love to learn exactly why that is, apart from the obvious, “times have changed along with societal norms” reason that most people assign such thinking.
Nevertheless, I do have a few theories, not all of which are specifically focused on societal norms and shifting cultural trends, which may contribute to why this has become the case.
Phones and similar technologies have replaced cars:
Phones, tablets, and the like are by no means a rite of passage into adulthood. It’s certainly not uncommon to see a 5, 6, or 7-year old grab their parents’ phone to play a game or even to have their own tablet.
Phones and other devices have eliminated the need to become independent, because phones are now much cooler to have than a car. Because they allow their users to do anything they need to and be as independent as they want without ever leaving the room,cars aren’t as necessary to do almost whatever anybody wants to do while not ever going anywhere. That’s what Face Time is for, right?
Cars and trucks mean something different than they used to:
While a vehicle was the ticket to go out and see the outside world, cars and trucks have almost become too dangerous – at least they are painted that way – to just take out anytime of the day or night. Parents are much more hesitant to allow their kids to just go out and do something, even if it doesn’t involve a car. That spills over into this observation.
In reality, the attitude of everything being so dangerous has somewhat contributed to my theory, creating a viscous cycle. People don’t want to learn to drive because it’s dangerous, therefore they don’t, which means they don’t practice, and as a partial result, our roads have become much more unsafe.
Many don’t appreciate cars and what they are:
Many parents and older generations grew up working on their own cars simply because they could. Many did it because a service shop wasn’t handy or available. And, many more did it as a hobby.
Because vehicles have become so much more complex in their design, up-and-coming adults have broken away from learning how to work on cars, parents can’t teach their kids anymore due to their own lack of understanding, and the overall appreciation of vehicles has waned.
Shops are much more readily available than they used to be too. Add the fact that cars have become more complicated and sometimes even require special tools, and do-it-yourself is becoming a thing of the past.
Cars and trucks have become too expensive:
The average cost of a new car is over $36,000, which is staggering. This has driven used car pricing through the roof. Even a “beater car” can cost several thousand dollars, and if it doesn’t, you will be sure to pay that much in repairs just to make it run again.
Couple that with insurance and taxes, and everyone has a costly additional expense that many just don’t want to deal with. Because new drivers aren’t pushing to use their parents car, they can’t afford one themselves, and they just don’t care,that’s a perfect excuse for many parents who won’t have to worry about helping out with costs.
Cars aren’t cool anymore:
Unfortunately, some of the coolest cars available today are too old and well-used to be safe and reliable, or they are just too expensive.
Regulations and a distinct lack of character in cars today really hamper the “cool” factor that adolescents seek. As ubiquitous as this lack of character is,there is still a market for those who do appreciate a good car.
But, the market is too large for what manufacturers are willing to produce. As a result, with few exceptions, the most fun, best, and characterful cars are hard to find.
We are looking at the decline of the car as we know it. This trend will continue unless that sense of excitement, joy, and pure anticipation of driving is reached again.
Sadly, I don’t see that happening. Perhaps somebody wiser, smarter, and more influential will and prove all of this wrong.
Not all is lost though! There are still those who share my sentiments along with many involved in the car community, and neither I nor anybody else is going to shy away from taking an opportunity to explain the true joys of driving a car anytime soon.
