Personal post. Buffer image for your safety.
My father-in-law passed away yesterday. As much as we were expecting this, and as much as we’ve tried to prepare for it, the death of someone close hurts.
My father-in-law was generous to a fault, warm and friendly, and an amazing father/grandfather/father-in-law. He was also the absolute antithesis of Oppositelock - the ultimate non-car guy. (Unsurprisingly, my wife and her siblings are all the same.) Cars are just tools, necessary means of transportation, and he wouldn’t use them for fun or amusement or as a clever way to waste money. His cars would get maintained enough to keep them serviceable, and then he’d hand them down to someone else in the family who needed a farm beater or a second car for short errands.
He was also a very responsible non-car person. In January 2015 I took him for a short ride in my 4Runner. This ride ended with 4x4 powerslides in an icy parking lot in front of his house. That was the first and only time in his entire life he had ever been in a vehicle that had done donuts, burnouts, or any other inappropriate silliness. I think he enjoyed it maybe a little bit, as it was the subject of conversation for the next few visits to the house, but I was never asked for a second ride...
I also know he used to ride a motorcycle: He was on two wheels when picked up my mother-in-law for their first date. But I believe without doubt that he never did anything on that bike but the speed limit, in a most safe and careful manner.
I needed to share this with someone, so thanks for listening.
If you like, post a picture of anything you like. If you have a story about a non-car person you love, share it here. And if you don’t like, don’t share anything. I don’t mind at all and my feelings won’t be hurt.
It just feels good to yell into the void and know that you’ve been heard, even if no-one answers back.