Cruising Around

 I spent last evening being driven around Cheltenham in a McLaren racing car. It is not how I usually spend my time, nor would I want to.   It was noisy and springless and not meant for England's' less than perfect roads, not to say the many potholes.  everyone was felt.  It seemed out of place on an English suburban road.  Neither is it a great deal of use travelling at a speed of less that 230 mph.  It felt like a harnessed tiger trying to break free, and sounded more than angry with it.   The engine was almost on my back, pistons firing off in my  left ear. (all 750 of them).  The boot was at the front.  And the two exhausts were almost on top of my head, outside the rear window.  It was low on the road and on the motorway it would have been totally overcome, even overwhelmed, by the gargantuan lorries that now dominate the highways.  The two doors opened upwards.

But then, this was no ordinary car, with an ordinary use.  It was meant to shine on no ordinary road, but on a race-track, where its sleek lines and low chassis enhanced its speed.  At 30 or 40 mph it was wasted -  even lost, and out of place.  Its function was singular and single.  It wasn't even good to look at. 

 In the wrong environment it was, unfortunately,  like taking a thoroughbred race horse out on a hunt or a canter,.  Wasted.   I actually felt sorry for it.  In Cheltenham's suburbia, it's main saving grace was that it was white and not canary yellow.

As one blog reader commented: "Noisy and springless" well describes my first car- a Morris Minor, vintage 1952. How things have changed!  Indeed!

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