R. Mutt | 04-10-2014 02:43 PM | I'll say this much, the island I'm from in the Caribbean is pretty third world. Traffic laws are rarely enforced and people do everything from DUI to driving on the shoulder to skip traffic. We saw a lot of rain their too and the road weren't well paved either.
While this made driving very frustrating there was a flip side. You never had to worry about a VI or being pulled over. I used to do some dumb shit when I lived there too...driving a Hyundai Elantra, of all things, at 180km/h for longer than I should, handbrake turns in residential areas....the most asinine things you can think of....because I knew there'd be no consequence to my actions. I'm lucky I didn't kill anyone or myself. In general, people pretty much drove at whatever speed they wanted without the consequence of losing their vehicle, licence or facing jail time. That's not to say everyone drove at ridiculous speeds...most stay around 100-130km/h on larger motorways and slower in the city.
I wanted an Evo since I was around 15 or 16 years old, and always assumed I'd get one while in living back in the Caribbean so I could enjoy it (all vehicles are RHD and subsequently we drive on the left side of the road). I've had a somewhat paradoxical life in the sense that's I've experience both meager and affluent lifestyles while growing up. Even when my family was pretty well off back home I was never given things simply because we could afford them, I was taught to earn what you wanted, take care of what you own (be it cheap or expensive) and never stop educating yourself. Even so my background couldn't come close to the level of wealth I see here in Van.
So years later after all the education and subsequent job, I finally have my evo. I'm much older, but the obsession and love of speed is still there but I live in Vancouver of all places.
Now that I have what I want after years of studying, working and patiently saving, you have no idea how frustrating it is to not be able to drive the bloody thing the way I want. It's like having your dream woman, legs spread begging for it and you're stuck behind an invisible wall. You can't see it but you know it's there and you better not fuck with it.
I'm older now and with experience comes maturity and knowing there's a time and place for everything - (IE I'll wait for autocross, trackday or street legals@Mission). The secondary reason that I don't speed or fuck around is because I know nothing would suck more donkey balls than losing one of the things that is most precious to me after all the years. Consequences to ones actions...that is very important and the real reason why most young drivers don't disobey laws. On the contrary, had I not waited, worked and saved; had the said vehicle been "given" to me then I think there'd be a much higher chance of not giving a fuck and speeding when I felt like it.
I remember one time I came home pretty late from work (2 or 3 am). I pulled into the underground parking for my building and could hear loud revving. Young car guy in me was like, "Ooo that sounds good I wonder what it is", adult in me was like, "What fucking clown is revving around the garage setting off alams?"
Sure enough a young male (looked no older than 21) was driving a white e92 m3 with volk wheels and with an aftermarket exhaust racing through the parkade, slowing down, revving and then racing some more. 3am...nothing better to do. Don't you have class the next day? Or work? No? Hmm....and therein lies the problem.
I like living in Vancouver despite it being a bit boring when compared to other places I've lived, but there's a sense of order and legitimacy to the way things work and how they get done. I suppose my appreciation for Van is a bit biased having come from a 3rd world country.
Regardless, things like this will continue to happen as long as people (irrespective of age and race) have little appreciation for the value of materialistic things. |