Isn’t Traveling by Car a Hassle?

Recently, I found myself thinking again, “A car isn’t just a means of getting from point A to point B.”

This realization came from a casual conversation where someone said:

“Isn’t traveling by car pretty tough? You have to find parking near your destination, and then you spend time walking from the parking lot. With trains, you can check your phone or reply to emails during the ride, but when you’re driving, you can’t do that. Your hands are busy the whole time, so it’s a lot.”

That’s absolutely true.

If you think about it normally, using public transportation like trains is definitely better.

The fare is cheaper (for example, going from home to Osaka costs way less by train than by ETC tolls), and you usually arrive at the station on time. It’s convenient because you’re guaranteed to reach your destination once you’re on the train.

On the other hand, with a car, you can get stuck in traffic and lose track of your arrival time, which can be stressful, and sometimes there’s no parking near your destination. Also, with the Taycan being a large vehicle, you might find yourself circling around looking for a spot.

So, when you think about it, traveling by train or public transit is overwhelmingly better.

But when I ask myself, “Why do I still choose to travel by car?”, the answer for me is this:

The time I spend driving is precious “me time” where no one can disturb me.

With three kids to raise and work to handle, my days are hectic, always juggling multiple things at once, thinking, “Next I have to do this, then that…” — my mind is always busy.

Plus, unexpected things happen all the time (just the other day, my eldest daughter’s friend suddenly stayed over at our house, haha),

so even if I want to be alone, it’s hard to find that time — except when I’m driving, where I can be by myself.

Even if it’s just for 30 minutes, having a physical space that’s just mine is incredibly important and precious to me right now.

Two Essential Points

To truly savor that alone time in the car, there are two points I absolutely can’t compromise on:

① Driving and handling feel natural and enjoyable
② Driving lifts my spirits

Even if I’m driving alone, if I find myself thinking, “Hmm, the handling here isn’t quite right…” or “I wish the brakes had a bit more bite…”, then I get distracted by those thoughts and can’t fully enjoy my precious alone time.

Having a “oneness between car and driver” with no awkwardness in the driving experience, and feeling good behind the wheel is a very important point.

The second point is that driving should boost my mood.

“Wow, this acceleration is amazing!,” “This lane change feels fantastic!!!,” “My Porsche looks so cool reflected in the tanker ahead!” (laughs)

It’s not necessary to feel pumped up all the time.

Most of the time, I want to drive calmly, but on days when I want to really enjoy driving, it’s great when the car responds perfectly to that desire.

It’s important to experience that “Yes! This is it!” kind of smile-inducing feeling.

Looking at it from these points, Porsche is the car that fulfills these needs. I’m currently driving the electric Taycan, but the essence of driving is pure Porsche. Even if it’s not a sports model (whether it’s a Cayenne, Macan, or Panamera),

you can still enjoy the Porsche experience — and that’s what makes Porsche so wonderful.

Enriching Life

I think there are many things in life that can’t be explained by logic alone.

There’s a part beyond “efficiency” and “rationality” — a realm of feelings and senses that words can’t fully capture.

It’s hard to put into words, but things like “liking,” “enjoying,” and “smiling.”

A life surrounded by even just one of those things is surely a rich life.

In today’s world, where we’re chased by time and numbers and risk losing sight of what’s truly important — at least for me (haha) —

I want to continue cherishing a life with Porsche.

I still have a loan to pay off, so I need to work hard to maintain it properly!