Thursday, June 18, 2020

Dwindling Knowledge, Dwindling Value

Taking the VW Bug for its weekly outing, I left the keys in the ignition when I stopped at Starbucks for a blackeye.

All was well upon returning. A 2016 survey revealed that only 18% of Americans know how to drive a stick...and I suspect that most of the skilled are over 50. So there was little risk in leaving the keys.

Periodically one hears of a car hijacking that is foiled because the thief can't operate a manual transmission.

Other advantages of driving an ancient automobile: 1) no GPS for Big Brother to track; 2) A terrorist EMP attack would cripple newer cars only; 3) No biennial smog check.

Like the fancy bamboo slide rule my Dad gave me, the Bug has value only to someone who knows how to use it.

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