There's always this idea (vision)(illusion) painted by films and tumblr about friends going for late night drives and talking and talking. It's a nice idea. It's dark, so you can talk more freely. It's a very romantic vision because it's very isolating for the people in the car. Maybe there's a mix tape playing. Maybe the passenger has their feet on the dashboard (bear in mind I will kick someone out of the car if they do that).
I just don't love it as an image. I can't talk freely and openly and emotionally when I'm driving because I'm concentrating on my surroundings. I stop listening at roundabouts and hill starts. So you don't get that intensely personal dialouge. Also, normally, I am stressed out when driving at night because I live in the countryside where street lights are practically non existent and the probability of killing an animal is really high.
I just think it's much nicer to be curled up near a radiator (that's on) talking with a friend, maybe with a cup of tea. Or a sleepover, where you lie on your back and discuss your fears and relationships (or philosophy if you've both been drinking).
I guess I romanticise different things. Maybe we romanticise ideas that have been based on our own experiences. I live in the UK which is pretty tiny so road trips are never really considered so we don't romanticise them. And as a result I have never glamourised driving as an emotional experience. I love it, but not because of that. I love it because I like the freedom it gives me, I liked driving to Legoland with Miranda playing Phil Collins' Disney hits on the motorway, I like it on the long straight down towards my village where you can safely hit a good speed without having to worry, I like the fact that my windscreen heats up and my CD player changes colour and driving to friends houses picking up pizza on the way. But the one thing I will never value, it is talking about my feelings driving at night. It's not for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment