Like in every family, mine has its share of people passionate about cars. One of them is my uncle Charles, « Chuck » for those who know him. But not only is he passionate about them, he has worked in the business of making them during his entire working life. He started his career at Ford, in a Detroit plant, to later come and work in Québec for General Motors.
He was (and still is) our « Yankee » uncle. The American who fell for my father's little sister. Lucie, and then later ended up falling for our quiet country.
Over the years, he has told us many stories about his world. Some funny, some amazing or incredible but none boring. And today, I will tell you one of his stories to illustrate a point.
Once upon a time...
Let's go back to the sixties...
During the period when he worked at Ford, he had the opportunity to be on a team that assembled an exceptional car. That car, known to the world as the Cobra, was as rare and exceptional for the men who worked on them as it was for the public that dreamed about it and could see it pass by occasionally.
During that time, my uncle was asked by some of his men for a very particular favor. That favor was simple: They wanted to have the opportunity to be working at the end of the assembly line to pick those Cobras and drive them to the parking lot. But not only were they willing to do it after their normal shift, they were also willing to do it for free! That car inspired such passion that some people would do this, not to go on the track, not to drive for hours in Detroit, but simply to drive it to the parking lot...
That being said, none of the workers ever did do it for free since it went against company policy. So all the people that did that 'difficult' job were paid.
What does it tell us? Well, many things.
First, that the people working in these plants are often passionate about cars. Then, that a car like the Cobra can inspire such passion it would make people do things they wouldn't normally do.
To have worked in the film industry for years, I can't tell you how many times I have seen people willing to work for free just for the chance to be on a movie set.
Passion has this power, and more.
Reason
Then, out of the blue, comes along a guy like me.
I cannot help but feel like a party pooper towards many readers that are passionate about cars. I am well aware of the fact that some of my articles, like the one on speed limits or the attitude at the wheel, must be hard to swallow for the 'speed demons'.
Of course, they are in no way obliged to read them but, like Shakespeare said: « To be or not to be...a pain in the butt ». That is the question that has bugged me for a while.
So I've decided to be.
Because I believe that, like me, others can be passionate about cars while being more conscious, more informed and maybe more responsible towards the planet. Whether we like it or not, this is the only one we have and if all the people on the planet were to consume like we do, we would need the resources of at least three planets like ours.
So this is not the time to simply think about changing our habits anymore, it's time to act.
He was (and still is) our « Yankee » uncle. The American who fell for my father's little sister. Lucie, and then later ended up falling for our quiet country.
Over the years, he has told us many stories about his world. Some funny, some amazing or incredible but none boring. And today, I will tell you one of his stories to illustrate a point.
Once upon a time...
Let's go back to the sixties...
During the period when he worked at Ford, he had the opportunity to be on a team that assembled an exceptional car. That car, known to the world as the Cobra, was as rare and exceptional for the men who worked on them as it was for the public that dreamed about it and could see it pass by occasionally.
During that time, my uncle was asked by some of his men for a very particular favor. That favor was simple: They wanted to have the opportunity to be working at the end of the assembly line to pick those Cobras and drive them to the parking lot. But not only were they willing to do it after their normal shift, they were also willing to do it for free! That car inspired such passion that some people would do this, not to go on the track, not to drive for hours in Detroit, but simply to drive it to the parking lot...
That being said, none of the workers ever did do it for free since it went against company policy. So all the people that did that 'difficult' job were paid.
What does it tell us? Well, many things.
First, that the people working in these plants are often passionate about cars. Then, that a car like the Cobra can inspire such passion it would make people do things they wouldn't normally do.
To have worked in the film industry for years, I can't tell you how many times I have seen people willing to work for free just for the chance to be on a movie set.
Passion has this power, and more.
Reason
Then, out of the blue, comes along a guy like me.
I cannot help but feel like a party pooper towards many readers that are passionate about cars. I am well aware of the fact that some of my articles, like the one on speed limits or the attitude at the wheel, must be hard to swallow for the 'speed demons'.
Of course, they are in no way obliged to read them but, like Shakespeare said: « To be or not to be...a pain in the butt ». That is the question that has bugged me for a while.
So I've decided to be.
Because I believe that, like me, others can be passionate about cars while being more conscious, more informed and maybe more responsible towards the planet. Whether we like it or not, this is the only one we have and if all the people on the planet were to consume like we do, we would need the resources of at least three planets like ours.
So this is not the time to simply think about changing our habits anymore, it's time to act.