Independence and Freedom: My First Car

Thirty-some-odd years ago, the excitement couldn’t be contained as I was “graduating” from my learner’s permit to preparing to take my drivers license exam.  Growing up on farmland and a rural setting in Somerset County provided an interesting back drop for driving lessons with my dad.

At the time, the two household vehicles we’re a both manual transmissions, a late 1980s Ford F-150 and a Honda Accord.  We would practice all over the dirt roads of the farmland.  At some point, I graduated to in-town Somerset driving.  This meant dealing with traffic and learning to start (from a stop) with that manual transmission on a hill.  At that time, there were no hill assist features with a manual transmission.

Boy was it ever a memorable time.  My friends and I couldn’t wait to get that taste of independence and freedom.  I was so jealous of older licensed friends that I had to rely on for transportation until my big moment arrived.   When it arrived, I drove everywhere rolling down the windows, music playing on a Pioneer detachable face CD player purchased from Crutchfield Electronics, and the gentle breeze blowing in the middle of nowhere—there was no feeling like it.  Eventually, I was old enough to get a job and save enough money to afford my first car, a 1987 four-door Chevy Spectrum (pictured) in a champagne color.  It wasn’t anything special, but it was mine and that felt pretty darn good!

What was your first car and a favorite driving memory from that time?

Enjoy the ride,

Eric