Drivers out there, what’s your dream place to cruise? Humor me while I paint this picture for you: you’re in your whip, jammin’ to the latest hits on FM 98 WJLB with more beautifully smooth lanes ahead of you than you could ever imagine. Your song comes on as you’re approaching the next stoplight, so you turn it up to sing along, and then glance over to notice that someone else is bumpin’ to the same tune right next to you! You smile, affirmed that you’re totally meant to be in this city. That’s Detroit. That actually happened, and it was awesome.
One of the exciting things I looked forward to in moving to Detroit was that I could finally justify buying a car. Since moving here, my silver Toyota Yaris Coup, “Tangerine”, AKA “Yari (pronounced “Yah-Ree”) and I have had plenty of time to bond. What does this mean? You guessed it: another empathy instance for us millennials. Honestly, beforehand it was hard for me to understand people’s love/hate relationships with their cars. Now, I love opportunities to ride with friends, or even cruise solo through the streets and highways of Detroit.
Not to mention, I cannot tell you how many times Detroit drivers will wait patiently for my google maps to re-rout (again) just to let me through to exit or change lanes. Coming from New York City where cars can be pretty obnoxious, this has definitely been a positive change for me.
I guess it boils down to this: I love driving here because people are actually kind. And what better place to be driving than in the Motor City? The uniqueness and beauty of the city is reflected from the kindness of its people, right down to the layout of the streets, with so many wonderful things going on in different communities from Grandmont Rosedale down to Belle Isle.
So I encourage you take a walk while the weather is still nice, and perhaps later take a drive to other parts of the city. Notice how accommodating the street layout and the drivers are on your way. I guarantee you won’t regret it.