Things Time has Forgot

As I was driving around in my motorized robot, we used to call it a car, I suddenly realized things that made me happy when driving had disappeared. The responsibilities of captaining these mighty vessels down the concrete ribbons bore a more respected admiration. First of all I miss the mighty horn ring, it was accessible from any point on the steering wheel and easily pressured emitting a sound like a wounded Pamplona bull. Next the ever classy steering knob, enabling us to wheel those metal monsters with one hand without power steering. These coupled up with a floor shift knob with specific designs declared who we were, or at least who we wanted passengers to think we were. At least the upper body still gets driving workouts. Where is that dimmer switch for our headlights so skillfully operated by our left foot and 2 of my cars actually had starter pedals, you know, turn on the ignition switch...CONTACT! How about those wonderful dashboard clocks that never worked and those compasses attached to the windshield that whirled endlessly. Where is that big antennae that stood proudly declaring we had a radio and in times of trouble could be ripped from the fender (preferably from some one else's car) and used as a weapon. No more do most of us have to drive with our foot on the gas for hundreds of miles on the highway or wonder where we should turn, it's all done for us. We've lost the wonderful magic of teaching how to shift 3 on a tree or how to unlock bumpers of 2 vehicles and what's the trick of using the bumper jack so the car doesn't fall off. It is a complex simplistic world we live in, "Tell us more Grandpa" It won't be that long before we more experienced humans will not have to worry about losing our driving skills we'll just get in our vehicles and tell it where to go, much like some young folks do us now.