Why I never owned a truck ?

After living for 43 years in America, I’ve never owned a pick-up truck. This could be seen as un-American, but it’s a fact.

It’s true however, than when I first came to live in the United States, I kind of liked the little Datsun and Toyota pick-up trucks I saw everywhere in California when I visited that state.

In fact, I couldn’t own one in New York where I lived, because for some arcane reason, pick-ups were classified as commercial vehicles and I would have been barred from the Parkways that I used for my daily commute.

Aside from that consideration, though, I would have been hard-pressed to buy a two-seater truck and went for a small station-wagon instead. Then over the years, the typical American pick-up truck put on some weight, gained huge volume, stood progressively higher up and became a “macho” mode of transportation.

As I moved to the mountains, I wanted four-wheel drive and back in the mid-80s, any truck offered that kind of traction, so this was another reason why I missed on the truck experience.

Later one, extended-cab, all-wheel drive and comfort features offered by these big vehicles were not attractive enough to sway me away from the SUV. Besides, I didn’t approve of their gas-guzzling behavior, enormous size and heavy weight.

This is simply why pick-up trucks and me passed each other during my American lifetime without even making any intimate and lasting contact.