A New Car Brings A New Perspective

I recently said goodbye to my big, gray minivan and bought myself a sleek, new hybrid. It was due time I retired the van. Each time I looked behind me to back up, it seemed like a football field stretched between my rear window and me. All of the empty space drove me crazy. The terrible gas mileage made me resent the van even more. And oh, the trash that could accumulate.

My new four-door hybrid sedan gave me what it promised—much better gas mileage and less room for clutter. What surprised me is it also improved my driving. No joke. I’m a better driver now than I was two months ago.

You see, the hybrid has several little gauges that tell me how much energy is being consumed at each moment. I know the miles per gallon with every ounce of pressure on the gas pedal – no more long division at the gas pumps. I pay close attention and watch the digits shift from 31.5 to 31.6 mpg. At a glance, I can see how many miles I have left to drive on a tank of gas.

In two months, my gas mileage has improved from around 27.5 mpg to 33.7 mpg. Trust me, it adds up. In the hybrid, I take my time and drive a more constant speed. I also find myself accelerating less rapidly, coasting up to traffic lights. I’m much less inclined to race, even when I’m running late.

The hybrid shows in gas mileage, or in life, when I put my mind to something, I make great strides. Just like with my new car, there are unanticipated, positive benefits. I’m making a difference for the environment and lowering my gas bills—who could have imagined I would be lowering my blood pressure, too?!

Maybe what we all need in life is a hybrid’s dashboard helping us evaluate priorities to slow ourselves down. Many women, like me, tend to have a hard time shifting into a lower gear. We move at a rapid pace, bouncing from responsibility to obligation, filling in every spare moment and striving to use our time as efficiently as possible. We are racing through life, accelerating into the turns and burning ourselves out. Now that I drive a hybrid, I’m beginning to challenge the “live fast” model.

I’m driving steadier and calmer, and yet I don’t seem to arrive any later than usual. I find this lifestyle refreshing because the benefits to myself, and those around me, are remarkable. Take your time deciding.  

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This blog also appears as part of my regular column on ShareWiK.com.