What lessons did you learn from your first car?

Rebecca Hamburger, Medical Student, Central Michigan University College of Medicine

“Baby Blue” was my first car, inherited from my father who acted as if he begrudgingly gave it up, but was truly more than thrilled to get a shiny new car out of the deal.

My well-meaning older brother borrowed my car the day before my first day of 11th grade, the first day I would drive myself to school, no longer hampered by the mom-van carpool. Unfortunately, he mistakenly filled the tank of my Volkswagen Jetta diesel engine with regular gasoline after he was led astray by a gas station attendant who claimed pump 6 was diesel (in truth the station did not sell diesel on any pump.)

At this point both my brother and I were ignorant to the mistake and I successfully drove the car to school, as enough diesel remained at the bottom of the tank to fuel the engine. By school’s end the car failed to start, at that point I assumed a dead battery. I was stranded and embarrassed, not the best recipe for the social ladder that is high school.

In the end I got a lesson in communication, fuel mechanics, learning to live down embarrassment, and ultimately that you only get out of life (or car) what you put into it.

Mike Crocetti, MD, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

My first car was a 1981 Monte Carlo. I learned with the new found freedom that a car brings it also comes with a lot of responsibility.

I had to manage my money in order to pay for gas, recognize that passengers were my responsibility and to drive accordingly, and focus on driving, which was tough even before cell phones.

William Greenough, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

My first car was my father’s cast-off 1938 green Ford with an aluminum engine block.  I learned that I could keep it going with #70 heavy oil despite the huge smoke screen out the exhaust—but it made many trips.

I learned that (before the days of concern about the environment in the 1940s) one could keep an old car active and useful with the right oil (medicine.)

The same is true of geriatric medicine in some instances. I made many delightful trips in this aged Ford despite the oil consumption and the smoke screen. Fortunately the medicines that accomplish this in us elders do not create a cloud of blue smoke to poison the environment!

Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Blue ’93 Chevrolet Corsica.

Lesson learned: Reliability isn’t fancy, expensive, or trendy.  Reliability is earned with each mile in the journey together, right up to the final one.

Sam Kant, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

My Mitsubishi Lancer carried me through many phases of life—undergrad through medical school. It was my only constant as life changed tremendously over the years. It always helped me marvel and connect the dots of life every time I looked at the “rearview mirror.”

Laura Hanyok, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

My light blue Ford Escort station wagon taught me that getting things done is more important than how you look while you are accomplishing them.

Randy Barker, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

My first car,  shared with twin brother Billy, was a pale blue Model T Ford cop with a rumble seat. It was given to us by our Montreal-born serious-scientist uncle who thought we would take the engine apart and learn about the internal combustion engine.

That’s not what happened and that’s not what we learned from it. We drove it all over our uncle’s farm fields in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, learned how to use a stick shift and crank a car to get the engine started.

Lessons reflected on now: Give young people something with a lot that goes on, and even if what you intend does not happen, rejoice in what they find challenging about it.

Dave Kern, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

1961 Oldsmobile Cutlass F85.

Never try to outrun a car tailgating you, especially if it’s a police car. Look around before you act.  Don’t make assumptions.

Scott Wright, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

I had a “very used” 1976 Plymouth Volare.

This car’s design gave it a very large blindspot. This was a handy excuse for my accidents and many near accidents. My Volare made me understand that I too had big blind spots (related my character, skills, and approaches) and that I needed to seek out and listen to feedback from others.

Mike Fingerhood, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

I grew up in New York City without a car and didn’t get my first car until I was 24. I paid for my 1984 Toyota Corolla with cash I had saved from summer jobs over the previous 8 years.  I regarded it as a luxury, took really great care of it, and drove it 200,000 miles.

Colleen Christmas, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

My first car was a hand-me-down sedan with 120,000 miles on it. I learned about patience and the ambiguity involved in-end of-life care.