Sunday, February 26, 2017

Whoosh, whoosh, beep, beep?

Husband bought an electric car.  I didn't know he was going to... I should have, after he'd commented about it a few times.  He had also sold his vehicle beforehand.

I had come home from Faire last year, wiped out, stinky, sticky, and tired, and went in the house.

Next thing I know, Husband is calling for me to look out front, there was a car there. My first thought, Oh, G*d, visitors, I smell like an ill-used cow barn!  I looked, and didn't recognize the car.  He kept grinning.

Did I mention I was very tired?  He walked me out, and I was mortified, who was here?  Would I have to be polite, and not fall asleep, when we invited them in?  Who owned this odd-looking car, anyway?

Then, glacially, the light dawned.  "You bought a new car?"
The man was nearly giddy.  Yes, yes, yes, and there was nothing but I was to drive the thing, right then...

Which wasn't my finest moment.  It has no gearshift.  Oh, great, automat...

Where are the keys?

He points at a button on the dash, and hands me this little fob that looks something like a half a dark chocolate biscotti.  I finally get the idea that it is a push button start.  Okay, what now?  This little bell looking thing on the doghouse... Uh... So?

It is the "gearshift". Sort of, anyway.  So, after the instruction to take it out of "P" and put it in "D", we start.

Did I mention I don't drive automatics?  To wit: when Husband and I were first married, I managed to throw him over the top of his truck, as I had put the gas and the break on at the same time... And then nearly had a stroke on the spot, thinking I had killed the man.  He was not happy, getting up from in front of the truck, but realized that I was more than losing it, thinking I had done him damage, he ended up calming me down!  And when I had to take Dad's truck home from the hospital, it was the only bit of humor in the situation, I, quite literally, sat on my left foot, and every time I came to a light, repeated, "this is an automatic, you don't have a clutch, this is an automatic, you don't have a clutch..."

So, this took a bit of convincing that this new car was going to work for me.  I drove it a bit, slowly, and then we returned home, whereupon, I managed to stop it... With both the parking and standard brake.

Sigh.

http://images.hgmsites.net/med/2013-nissan-leaf_100414473_m.jpg
We have had this car (which is an electric vehicle) for a bit now, and I must say, after the learning curve, I am beginning to enjoy it.  In fact, I think I drive it a bit more than Husband does.  We have dubbed it "Junebug", (it was originally Leaf Hopper, as it is a Nissan Leaf, but the license plate has June, more or less, in it, so Junebug caught on, and stuck.)

I have found it's quiet, to the point, I have to be conscious that even wild animals, like Walmart customers, or deer, might not hear me coming up on them.  I have even followed wild turkeys up the driveway.  I didn't spook them, until they heard the gravel under the tires and actually saw me.

It has a few interesting features that I've not dealt with before, like a back up camera (love it), GPS (okay, but still getting used to, but she talks more than I do), and various notifications, (ranging from serious to silly.  Junebug dislikes cold weather even more than I do!  I think it notifies me about cold weather because it lowers the range the car can go, but I am still amused when I see this little snowflake on the dash, with "Low Temperature" on it. 38 degrees?  Cold?  Junebug, you are more cold blooded than I am!)  

It is now the mild amusement of the gent I buy feed and cedar from.  Cedar and feed go in the very back, and then I have all the groceries in the center seats.  It looks like a very modern version of The Grapes of Wrath... But it works.

One minor thing, it has this Bluetooth app, where your phone can connect to your car to make it hands free.  This is a good idea, in theory.  But, when you drive in with this on, and Husband is making a business call, it will be just as happy to connect to HIS phone, as yours.  Which makes the gent who was talking to Husband, and is now talking to Cat, extremely confused.  Actually, so was I, until I figured out what happened.  Bluetooth is now not used when I am in the car.  I can pull over, so I do.

So, as we get all Jetsons around here, I am wondering, what we will have next... Robots for the house?  Hologram garden help?  Maybe a cybernetic laser implant to burn weeds?

Meh.  I still haven't even mastered the phone yet, maybe I'd better hold off on the rest...  Knowing how I do with the learning curve, who knows what might happen!

11 comments:

Sharon said...

Do you love it now? How long did it take to get used to it? I used to be able to drive either type of transmission, but couldn't count on it now.

stephen Hayes said...

Try a holographic fireplace. They're wonderful.

messymimi said...

Enjoy the car! It sounds like fun.

stephen Hayes said...

I've never driven an electric car so you're much more technically advanced than I am.

Cat said...

I do indeed get a kick out of it now... I still have a big problem remembering there is no "stick", as I am randomly grabbing at the air at a stoplight. But other than that, I am pretty good with it now. The only problem is when I do go back to a stick for some reason, I have to remember to use the clutch!!!
Cat

Cat said...

There ya go! Get one for my craft room! :D
Cat

Cat said...

I am! :)
Cat

Cat said...

Well, I haven't been too many places in the world, so you are more geographically advanced, how's that? :)
Cat

Click said...

Sounds like it's taking a bit of getting used to but I think you're doing a good job so far (you've not bounced anyone off the front of the car yet, at least!) ;-)

Cperz said...

I can't tell you how impressed I am that you can and do drive vehicles with standard transmissions. I struggle to the point of failure when I am forced to get in anything that isn't automatic.

Our new car also is also handing me some of the same learning curves. The fob still feels like I am forgetting my keys and the not hearing the engine causes me to second guess if I turned the car off. I, too love the back up camera. I haven't had the problem with the bluetooth switching to my husbands phone but I find it annoying when he receives a call in the car and I am forced to listen in to their conversation. Our car isn't electric (although supposedly fuel efficient)and that is nice. I see some of the electric cars around town at the various recharging stations.

liza said...

nice post