The AtoBers

I realized a while back that car enthusiasts are a bit different from regular car owners, or as they will be called from here out AtoBers.  This difference has sort of been sort of emphasized for me over the last couple months since for the first time I'm in a office with no fellow car enthusiasts, it is a bit odd to say the least.  AtoBers aren't concerned 0-60 times or power to weight ratios, they focus on making it from point A (home) to point B (the office, store, or etc).  AtoBers aren't likely to drop it down a gear or two just to hear a turbo spool or feel the acceleration, their focus is on reliability and mileage.  AtoBers don't care that Toyota no longer offers a Supra, MR2, or Celica; they are good just as long as Toyota keeps the Avalons, Camrys, and Corollas rolling off of the assembly lines.  AtoBers aren't interested in Saving the Manuals and they don't care that Inside Line was rolled into Edmunds.com.  There are no Cars & Coffee meets to attend early Saturday morning, no apexes to enjoy on an empty on or off ramp, or even just spending hours at a little place on the interwebs called The Car Lounge.

Although there is not what I would call a shortage of entertaining cars right now, it is a bit depressing to read that most teens/kids aren't even interested in driving now days.  I still remember drooling over the E36 M3 in my dad's Car and Driver magazine or my excitement when Subaru finally announced that the WRX would be available stateside.  I have two little ones now and I would be lying if I said that I didn't want my kids to feel the same way I do about cars.  My little guy can already identify several car models and I plan on teaching both of my children how to drive stick when the time comes.  With the decline of the manual transmission, rise of hybrid/electric cars, and self driving cars on the horizon it appears to me that I may be the last of a dying breed.  Honestly, I'm kind of saddened by it all. However, I'm going to go those meets, shows, races, cruises, and anything else I can do to make sure enthusiasts like me don't go quietly into the night.