CuriousGeorge
Well-Known Member
Was chauffeured about yesterday in my colleague's new hybrid Kia mini-van, which led to some discussion of automobiles. Then, drove to and back home from work today. Reading a thread online and thinking about it all, I don't believe that there was one instant of my ~25 minute drive home that I wasn't engaged with/enjoying my SE.
How quickly do I want to accelerate away from this light? Oops, light just turned red, will regen be enough, or will I need to use the brake pedal? Light at end of exit ramp is green, how fast can I make the ~100 degree left hand turn? Crap, after turning the car in front of me in that lane is pulling away slowly from the light on the other side of the underpass... do I slow down, or change lanes and punch it to pass them? (I will let you guess my choice.) Oooh, next light is green, but the one beyond that hasn't changed yet - how much do I have to modulate my ankle to avoid slowing down too much then having to accelerate again? Okay, time to dodge right - left - right - left - right around the manhole covers to spare the suspension. (Not really necessary, but why own a go-kart if you don't drive it like one, at least sometimes?) Go, go, go...aah, the light is green, but can I make the ~120 left in front of incoming traffic, and how fast? Yes, made it, now zip quickly up to the rough railroad tracks so you can take them slowly without holding up the car behind you. Quick ~100 degree right - again, how fast without getting sideways? - then it is a straight shot for a little over a mile to get home. One-pedal time the last light (phasing the crossing idiot who went through after their light turned red... good thing A) I anticipated that they might do so, and B) the SE has great brakes), one-pedal stop at the four-way intersection, and a minute later and a couple of turns later I am pulling into my garage, whereupon I plug in to charge overnight so I can do it all again tomorrow (or at least so says the weather forecast, which predicts it will be warm enough for my summer tires).
The best part? I was never more than a couple of miles per hour over the speed limit at any time, yet thoroughly enjoyed the drive (as should be obvious). Who needs a third pedal and/or hundreds of horsepower to have fun in a car?
How quickly do I want to accelerate away from this light? Oops, light just turned red, will regen be enough, or will I need to use the brake pedal? Light at end of exit ramp is green, how fast can I make the ~100 degree left hand turn? Crap, after turning the car in front of me in that lane is pulling away slowly from the light on the other side of the underpass... do I slow down, or change lanes and punch it to pass them? (I will let you guess my choice.) Oooh, next light is green, but the one beyond that hasn't changed yet - how much do I have to modulate my ankle to avoid slowing down too much then having to accelerate again? Okay, time to dodge right - left - right - left - right around the manhole covers to spare the suspension. (Not really necessary, but why own a go-kart if you don't drive it like one, at least sometimes?) Go, go, go...aah, the light is green, but can I make the ~120 left in front of incoming traffic, and how fast? Yes, made it, now zip quickly up to the rough railroad tracks so you can take them slowly without holding up the car behind you. Quick ~100 degree right - again, how fast without getting sideways? - then it is a straight shot for a little over a mile to get home. One-pedal time the last light (phasing the crossing idiot who went through after their light turned red... good thing A) I anticipated that they might do so, and B) the SE has great brakes), one-pedal stop at the four-way intersection, and a minute later and a couple of turns later I am pulling into my garage, whereupon I plug in to charge overnight so I can do it all again tomorrow (or at least so says the weather forecast, which predicts it will be warm enough for my summer tires).
The best part? I was never more than a couple of miles per hour over the speed limit at any time, yet thoroughly enjoyed the drive (as should be obvious). Who needs a third pedal and/or hundreds of horsepower to have fun in a car?
