Tim Hastings - NonHostile (because there's no need)

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Its more bad news about the Freelander.
She's on her way to The Great Car Park in the Sky.
My insurance company have been in touch and their plan is to write her off after last week's accident.
One day last week, I went to collect my belongings and say goodbye.

It was really sad. I have been driving around in the Freelander since I was 21.

Like a time capsule for the last seven years of my life, the glove box and deep door-pockets contain countless reminders, quite literally. There were dentist appointment reminders for my wisdom tooth extraction, hotel bills for long weekends spent in the Lakes, ultrasound pictures of Abigail and dozens of pay-and-display tickets for trips long ago and loads of other stuff.

I took some photos of the damage, but have decided not to post them.
Instead, I've dug out some other photos as a happier and more fitting tribute.
Below are some easy to find digital ones, there are some prints in the loft, but it'll be a while before I get round to those.

July 1999, Second Year Camp.
July 2002, The day after our wedding day.
100,000 miles!
August 2003, whilst in Cornwall, we had a spillage of double cream in the boot.
As it was a really hot summer we had to clean it really well or suffer the sour-milky smell!!
January 2005, we needed some help.
May 2005, Four days before Abigail was born. Clare and me had got a bad case of cabin fever.
So we went for a picnic on the sea front, complete with sarnies and a flask of tea :-)
A brand new passenger!

Other memories without pictures
Good times and bad:
- We took Lucy to the vets when she broke her leg.
- Took mum to the Preston hospital when she fell off her beer scooter.
- Razzing to the Vic when Clare went into labour.
- Weekends in the Lakes at the Caravan.
- Trips back and forth from Lancaster University.
- Journeys down to Reading.
- Three jobs
- Two houses
- The start-to and end-of every work day for years...

Mileage and Time Spent in the Driver's Seat
Over the last 7 years, I've managed to clock up about 125,000 miles in the Freelander.
Each working day for the last seven years, I've spent about 2 hours a day in the driver's seat. That's an hour there, and an hour back.
By my reconing, that's 7 years x 220 working days/year x 2 hours = 3,080 hours = 128 days = 18 weeks.
Oh my God.

91 comments, Blog, Saturday, October 22, 2005 22:29

Timeline Navigation for Blog posts
Murder at Mullster Castle (made 1 week later)
Happy Freelander Memories (this post, made Saturday, October 22, 2005 22:29)
Abigail is five months old (22 weeks) (made 6 days earlier)


Comments
Really sorry to hear the news Tim.

Although on the one hand you could say it is only a "thing", on the other hand cars move, they have little querks and behaviours, and as you pointed out they form an integral part of your memories.

I was taken aback earlier this year by how upsetting it was having to sell Chie's car - I thought it would be meaningless, like selling the washing machine or the vaccum cleaner... but I guess it had sort of become part of Chie's identity or something, it was her first car, and I was really sad to see it go.

She only had that car for two years, and it wasn't exactly a "dream car" in the first place - just something cheap to get from A to B.

So I can understand it must be a really scaled up version of this for you - you'd had it for much longer, and it was a car you really wanted when you first bought it. Plus I suppose there is the added sting of it being involuntary - you didn't actually choose to get rid of it, it has been taken away from you...

So anyway, I really feel for you Tim. I guess all I can offer is what my Mum always used to say whenever I lost or broke something - all good things come to an end.

Posted by: John on Sunday, October 23, 2005 10:25
Ciao Tim,

I guess that you have to see the "good" sides of this story. Nobody was hurt in the accident, to destroy a car so that the insurance company wants to write it off it means that the crash wan no joke.
You can buy a new car, ok, many memories are attached to this machine, but as you well know, technology and mechanical things are there to be replaced by their jounger and better versions. Though it doesn't always work with cars I think that the new one will carry excellent memories too, like Abi's first day at school or somethign like that...

Still, it is clear that it was a good car, and bottom line is that it's always sad to see something like this to go, especially because this item was very much integrated to the daily routine and life...

Posted by: Lox on Sunday, October 23, 2005 10:54
May I just add a happy Freelander memory of my own (please excuse me if I paraphrase slightly):

I think it was the summer of '99, and we were "on camp". We were driving along the track in the Freelander, heading away from the campsite, with Windermere behind us.

Then I said "So Tim, what exactly is the benefit of having four wheel drive?"

You didn't actually say anything, but thought for a second or two, and then turned the steering wheel sharply to the right. We flew off the track, went up and down ditches, over bumps and into hollows, through the rough, and then, still silent, you eventually steered us back onto the track and carried on as though nothing had happened.

"I take your point", I said.

Posted by: John on Sunday, October 23, 2005 23:53
Thanks guys. You're on the money as always.
I'd forgotten all about that John, cheers :-)

Posted by: Tim Hastings on Monday, October 24, 2005 09:28
I'm impressed you had the FL so long, dsp. A good advert for the marque. Now, I have to ask.... What's with the Audi TT ?? :)

Posted by: Nigel on Thursday, October 27, 2005 09:07
Ah Nigel, your eye is as keen as ever.
That would be my step-mum's old car.
More of which can be seen here: http://www.pbase.com/earthling/farewell&page=all

Posted by: Tim on Thursday, October 27, 2005 09:43
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