Car? What’s that all about?

It’s hellish, I can’t remember the last time I DROVE to Edinburgh. I thought that it’d be sensible, I need to find some shelving / hooks / hangers for my garage. For my bike gear. Some other bits and bobs which to be honest will just not fit into my rather generous Givi top box.

My brand new, 6 month old CRV has a stunning 2,300 miles in the clock. Yeah. Bonkers, eh? How many miles on Smoggy?

I wasn’t a happy bunny tonight, leaving home behind the wheel of a car. I did ok until just after Lochearnhead, when I caught up with a line of traffic. I realise now part of my brain was obviously still in ‘bike mode’. You know, that moment when you think, “Great, twisties, traffic; fun!” Not. Car, oh.

I got that wake up call. Big lardy lump of metal with 4 wheels and not much personality. Not my nimble, speedy (in comparison) Smoggy. I may want a bigger, more powerful bike, with more oomph than Smoggy has, however, tonight I would have traded. Queue.

KILL ME NOW! Traffic & I’m in a bloody car. 🙁

Sigh.

You know, only 2,300 miles on the car. Most of those miles have been done by Ed. It was about time I started to find out what my car could do. The darn thing can lift its skirts though, I was marginally impressed, as much as you can be given it’s the most BORING Honda I’ve owned since 2003. Better get used to D-tec, I might have it for a while. I did nearly manage to red-line it twice. Of course I was observing the speed limit, you have to find out the limit of your vehicle, surely?!

As you, my reader knows, my rather ample backside has been attached to Smoggy for a lot of months & miles. I have to say its amazing how riding rubs off on driving. Tonight I had a WTF moment when I realised I was doing rather thorough near-side observations when I was entering roundabouts. Wow.

Don’t get me wrong, as much as I did my Advanced Driving test in 2005, I had my driving assessed this year. It was established that I haven’t lost my touch. It’s my observations that have improved and rubbed off onto my car driving. I virtually gave myself a shake when I realised what had happened. Nice. That can only be reported as a good thing!

So, too comfy. Nearly bored. Lots of buttons to press. Oh, the excitement when I realised I could play the music on my phone via a couple of buttons on the steering wheel.

It’s a lazy car. Set cruise control. Dum dee dum…. *whistle a bit* oooh, brake a bit…. Dum dee dum….. Steer (helps) … Dum dee dum…. Wipers: automatic. Lights: automatic. Rear view mirror: anti-glare. Main beam: automatic….NO SHIT?!?! My last Honda had 4 wheels, a crap stereo and a superb engine. NOW I HAVE AUTOMATIC MAIN BEAM!

Oh, there’s lots of buttons, all supported by a War & Peace manual. Given my ‘learning style’ it will remain un-read by myself. Ed ‘might’ read it. Bugger that, I’ll find out by poking buttons. It’s going to take years to find out everything the car does.

It’s smooth, averaging 43mpg (not bothered), reversing camera is pretty but not required by someone with my parking ability, Kenny. Only handy if there’s a red squirrel in the way… SQUIRREL!!!!! (Rory)

All in all a great piece if kit. Can’t wait to see what it’s like getting that intelligent 4 wheel drive activating. Horns out when the first snow falls at home?

Still want to be on my bike though!

There. A car report, especially for Alan. Did I say it’s a lovely shade of purple? It’ll even look purple when I get home and wash it! (It’s first wash by me!)

Oh, not forgetting I still have to publish ‘Tyndrum to Tuzla part 2’.