TIPTRONIC?

[Roger M. Woodbury]

Most people do want an automatic, and I am one of them, for general purpose
driving.  I used to think I ONLY wanted a stick, but only for the fun of it,
and only in some specific types of cars would I even consider one now.

The cell phone/coffee image brought up a memory.  I was driving up to the
former Loring Air Force Base to a meeting aobut three or four years ago.  It
was early spring, and a very overcast and showery day.  I was driving my
granite green Porsche 928 (whose engine was much like the engine in my V8
Quattro:  mandatory Audi content).

Anyway, the interstate between Bangor and Houlton Maine, is wide open and
has very little traffic especially before the tourist season.  I confess to
giving in to the urge to let the car "have its head", and was cruising along
at something to the right of 120 miles per hour.

I saw a large semi pull out to pass another about a mile in front, and
before he pulled back into the travel lane, I was slowing down to overtake
him.  I knew that looking in his rear view mirrors, he had not seen the 928
against the gray road and dull, pre-spring landscape.

A bit further on, I overtook a Dodge Caravan or one of those.  The van was
plodding along at around 60, and I went past at about twice that.  As I
passed, I sneaked a quick peek to see the driver.  He was holding a coffee
cup in his right hand and was sipping, and lying on the steering wheel was a
newspaper.

In my rear view mirror, he took most of both lanes in the 928's wake.  Had
he beentrying to juggle a cell phone at that precise moment, he probably
would have ended up in the willywags....

I am much calmer and more refined in my driving manners now, of  course!

Roger