Back in the late 1970's early 1980's gasoline prices went up significantly, I can still remember the first time I paid more than $1 a gallon, at the Gulf station at US1 and Knox McRae in Titusville, Florida (the last I knew there was a bank on that corner.) I was driving a massive Oldsmobile, that was traded on a smaller one, that still only got about 25 miles to the gallon on the open road. I was driving down Interstate 4 in Orlando one evening, and a VW Rabbit Diesel passed me, and I thought, he is getting 50 miles to the gallon and he passed me. That looks like fun. I stopped at a VW dealer on my way home. And another one the next afternoon, and I bought a diesel powered VW.
People hated the diesel. It sounded funny, and if you put your foot to the floor it would put out a puff of black smoke (I enjoyed doing that if someone was driving to close behind.) GM attempted to sell diesels, Issuzu was probably the most successful.
I loved the little car. It was a little slow to get going, but once I got it wound up it would go 80 miles an hour, and get 50 miles to the gallon. And people hated it, because it was different, it was change.
I am getting a steady stream of postings on FB of people who hate the idea of an electric car. Electric cars are different, they are change. They sound different, they work differently and people are hating on them.
I think electric cars are here to stay. They are fast, in fact the Ferrari pictured above is a rechargeable electric. Electric motors have an advantage on acceleration coming up to full speed almost instantaneously. Hydro, wind, geothermal, electricity can be very clean and renewable.
People hate change, they always have. One of my grandfathers farmed with a team of horses until World War II, he had a dozen reasons why he hated tractors. Why he resisted change.
Change is inevitable, how we react to it is up to us.
I've never liked diesel cars, as against machinery and heavy vehicles. Diesel here used to be cheap but it is now so expensive and becoming unpopular as a car fuel. I am not sure what people might have against electric cars. I wish we had a practical charging system in our car park and I would then buy one.
ReplyDeleteIs your building investing in car charging?
The condo installed 8 charging stations about a year ago. They will probably double that number in a couple of years.
DeleteThe diesel cars I've been in have been noisy and, as you mentioned, smokey. My brother-in-law had an extended -ab diesel pick-up truck that sounded like a plane taking off. So I’ve never been a fan. I do like electric cars (we have a hybrid) and have been pleased to see more charging stations. Their lack of availability is the only thing making me resist buying one. Well, that and the fact that our 2016 Prius still has under 20,000 km / 13,000 miles on the odometer.
ReplyDeleteAt the rate we are driving, our cars will outlive us.
DeleteA friend of mine had a diesel VW. I didn't care for it.
ReplyDeleteI loved the rattling sound it made. The 80's one's were low RPM diesels, the newer ones are high RPM, they rattle and smoke less.
DeleteWe're all just creatures of habit. Most times I like change because it's new and different and I like that idea.
ReplyDeleteI have never owned or even driven a diesel engine car, but have driven hybrids and electrics.
I have not driven a hybrid or electric, but I would and will someday.
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ReplyDelete"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." — JFK
Great quote.
DeleteI can see myself getting a hybrid so I have fuel options when I travel. I'm hoping my 2007 Hyundai Elantra lasts as long as I do so I don't have to spend the money on another car.
ReplyDeleteIt is likely that our cars will outlive us, unless we start driving a lot more.
DeleteI think it's our human nature to want to keep things the way they are. My long career was in the banking industry. I learned that change was a good thing working in that ever changing industry. Cool car!
ReplyDeleteAnd post covid, banking is undergoing major changes.
DeleteI have a hybrid, and I have gotten used to how it is different from a gasoline powered car. I don't think I will ever own a regular gas powered car again.
ReplyDeleteThe future is now.
DeleteI would hope that ALL electric cars are "rechargeable electric"! My son has one and I would love to own one because we have to get away from oil and gasoline but at the moment the north of England does not seem ready for the revolution. There are a lot more public recharging points down in London. There are six on my son's street.
ReplyDeleteWe have friends in Muswell Hill with a rechargeable and they are usually able to charge on thier street.
Delete"Muswell Hillbillies" was the title of the tenth studio album by The Kinks.
DeleteI recall my parents paying like twenty cents a gallon.
ReplyDeleteI can also. The rise in the late 70's was rapid and rather shocking to people.
DeleteI don't hate change, I just hate changing :-P
ReplyDeleteSassybear
https://idleeyesandadormy.com/
Once you start the new thing, it is hard to go back
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