This past year has been one of the most automotively draining for me.

People will do terrible things to the vehicles you love, not knowing how much they mean to you. Most are careless accidents, where if someone was paying an ounce more attention to driving, it could have been avoided. In the city especially, vehicles are seen as a soulless creation of metal and rubber. In the past week, in addition to the above link, my once pristine '87 535is was the victim of hail damage. 4 days later it was side swiped by a cab driver. 5 days earlier, my motorcycle was knocked over.

People will often respond to accidents and theft with posed sentimental statements like, "At least you're all-right, it's just a car/motorcycle." You'll nod blankly in agreement, knowing inside that you're not all right. A part of you died with that vehicle. You can't buy those memories back. There isn't a used car lot that specializes in Blood, Sweat, and Tears. But you'll keep shut, knowing that their grasp of your situation is beyond attainable.

The point being that not enough people understand that you can create a bond with a car the same way you can with a person. There's a level of empathy there that's missing in most people. If everyone drove and behaved as though they loved their vehicles, think of how the driving experience would change.

Depth of Speed - The Bond