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The Automobile & our Changing Times.. Food for though.

Started by chetbrz, October 20, 2017, 12:51:59 PM

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chetbrz

I read an article awhile back which was commemorating the 100 anniversary of the Model 'T'.  The author brought out a point that none of us truly have experienced first hand.  Sure many of us have lived through the "See the USA in your Chevrolet" and paid 17 to 23 cents a gallon but none of us truly understand the real impact of the automobile on daily life in the early 1900's.   The author proposed that the automobile gave people something that they didn't have prior and that was leisure time.   How you might ask with all the early maintenance that need to be done to keep these cars road worthy.   Well when you think about it prior to the automobile you had a horse and possibility a wagon.   If you only used it to go to town once a week you still had to feed and care for your horse daily.  The car on the other hand only needed gas when you used it so thus a whole new era of leisure time was created.

The author proposes "Sadly, as with everything, when something slips from current events into history much of its significance becomes lost.  Since we don't have a direct recollection of the times, we cannot (even with vivid imaginations) appreciate what a difference it made in people's lives."

The author was Jay Klehfoth  CEO of the Model 'T' Ford Club of America in 2008.

The article struck a cord with me in that I recall from my summer drives how people would react to my car and probably most would appreciate the age but all would walk away thinking how primitive those early cars were.  The reality is quite the opposite.  Our old cars are marvels of human ingenuity which have survived 80 years of wars, politics, hard economic times, the elements of nature, and the rising price of gasoline.   

So don't hate garaging the old girl for the winter, appreciate the fact that you don't have to go out to the barn every day to feed and clean up after her.  Well maybe a few drops of oil on the floor but in the great scheme of things not bad at all.  I wonder what people will think of my laptop 100 years from now ?

Chet...
http://www.1948Plymouth.info           Web Master - Forum Administrator - AACA member

frankp

Insightful comments.  I suppose I should check price of oats and the stable before grousing about $$$ spent on winter storage!

Chet,   Thanks for sharing.   frank
frank p