Passing of Time
I have always been a sports car lover, but when my family increased in size to the point that finding a sports car that would meet my needs would be almost impossible, I decided to consider a minivan. While a sports car was an unrealistic possibility, giving it up would not be easy. The sports car and the minivan would both fulfill the basic requirement of reliable transportation, but I had to consider the differences among size, maneuverability and affordability.
Stepping into a minivan for the first time was like looking over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Unlike sports cars that sit only inches off the ground, here I was sitting so high I felt as if I would get a bloody nose. Since I had brought the baby with me on this excursion, I had to move the car seat to the van. I was amazed with the easy access to the back seats made possible by the rear sliding doors. It was a sharp contrast to the bending, stooping and twisting it took to get the baby, and the car seat, into and out of the back seat of my sports car. Score one for the minivan. However, when the baby lost his bottle and I reflexively reached back to fumble around the floorboard in search of it I realized I could barely touch the backseat floorboard, let alone retrieve the bottle.
The test drive further emphasized the differences of the van. Trying to pull out of the parking lot, I felt like there was a bullseye painted on the side. The sports car was very responsive, one quick stomp on the gas and I would have been out in front of the traffic that had just begun to proceed through the intersection; not so in the van. Sitting on top of the world with what felt like a tractor-trailer following behind me, I was not going to be able to make any such moves. A slow, more dignified maneuver would be required. After all, I was driving a "mom-mobile." Sitting on top of the world had its advantages. The visibility was great. I could not only see the back of the vehicle in front of me, the only view afforded a sports car driver, I could see through its windshield to the traffic in front of it. I would not have to rely on the judgement of the person in front of me to determine how quickly the traffic was slowing; I could see it myself.
Then there were the cost issues to consider. Although the van costs about the same as a sports car, the insurance costs were less. I'm guessing the insurance underwriters think that if you are carrying your children with you, you would be less likely to "stomp" on the gas to beat the traffic. Repairs and maintenance were also equal, but gas mileage was not as good in the van.
The real struggle with giving up my sports car was an emotional one. It took me a long time to deal with the reality that moving into a minivan was another "rite of passage." I was moving into a new phase of my life. I was leaving the "yuppie" lifestyle behind and embracing the "responsible parent" stage of life. While I was thrilled to be a parent, the image it conjured up was not how I envisioned my self. When had I changed?
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