Tacoma Stalking, er...uh, Spotting, with Charlie™ (1st Gen Edition)!

Taken before I even had a damn learner's permit, much less a Tacoma!


June 2008:

Virginia Beach, Virginia (Sandbridge)

 

For those who are interested, I was living in Virginia when I turned 16. In Virginia, the minimum age to get a learner's permit is 15½, and 16 for a junior license. I started studying for my learner's permit in late 2004, when I was just a few months before I turned 16. This was about the time my dad got an offer to work at NAS Willow Grove, and we decided to move back to Pennsylvania. There was really no point in me getting a license in Virginia since I had no real need to drive myself anywhere. We moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania in July 2005, and I took and passed the learner's permit test on the first try in December 2005. My dad was going to give me his near-mint 1996 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4, which probably had less than 90K miles on it at the time, as my first vehicle. He started giving me driving lessons, but while I did fine in parking lots and on back roads, I did not do so well on busier roads. Highways? Fuggedabowdit! My dad bought a 2002 BMW 325Ci convertible from his brother in May 2006 and started letting me drive that too, and I also drove my mom's 2004 Honda Odyssey.

What my parents and I neglected to realize was that a Pennsylvania learner's permit expired one year from the date of issue. While it was possible to keep renewing the permit indefinitely for as long as it took to teach the new driver, it was rendered null and void upon expiration and one had to take the test over in order to apply for a new one if it was even one day past the expiration date. I did not realize this until I happened to look at my permit in April 2007 and realize it had expired in December 2006! My parents had just bought a brand new house that was being built, and we moved from our rented house in Doylestown to my Grandma's house in Bethlehem, where we would stay until the new house was done. It was hectic! We ended up visiting a DMV location somewhere in Lehigh County (I think Nazareth), and my worst fears were confirmed. That was NOT a good day. Before we even made it to the front of the line, the fat prick DMV employee saw me drinking a bottle of water and singled me out, deciding arbitrarily enforce the "no food or drink" policy and summarily chew me out in front of the whole DMV. It did not help that this fat fuck was the same guy who told me I would have to retake the learner's permit test. I ended up storming out of the DMV in a huff, and I would not get a new learner's permit for more than two years...

Why did I wait so long to finally get my license? Mostly laziness. Contrary to popular belief, it had nothing to do with the fact I have Aspergers Syndrome, nor did it have anything to do with my vision issues (more on this in BS later). It was just laziness. I didn't have much of a social life, and the tech school I was attending was literally a mile from our new house. I relied on my parents and the school bus to take me everywhere. Even the idea of eventually getting the title to the Pathfinder in my name wasn't enough to entice me!

In January 2009, I joined the Coffeehouse Center of Bucks County, a club of sorts for young adults with Aspergers. I made some friends, got a social life, and finally realized that I needed to get off my ass and get a driver's license. After failing the learner's permit test twice, I finally got a learner's permit in August 2009. One thing I quickly found was that I was no longer panicky on the busy roads like I'd been back in 2005-2006, and I was much more comfortable.

However, the 1996 Pathfinder had aged considerably since then. It still ran great, but it had over 100K miles by then. It had failed an emissions test in 2007 due to a hole in the muffler or some bullshit, if I remember correctly, and it seemed like every year it needed something repaired or replaced when we brought it for inspection. It also got shitty gas mileage and required premium fuel. In September 2009, my dad traded it for the 2010 Tacoma that I am still driving.

I took the driving test in the Tacoma three times in April and May 2011, passing on the third try. I have had a few fender benders and been pulled over a few times for stupid shit, but I've maintained a clean driving record and have never lost my license in more than eight years of driving, so I must be doing something right...

 

This one has an aftermarket backup camera!


September 10th, 2019:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

December 22nd, 2017:

Norfolk, Virginia

 

Anyone know whos truck this is? I feel like getting a 5 lug and dropping it lol

 

September 16th, 2019:

Warminster, Pennsylvania

 

I parked next to this one at the Raceway Park Fall Swap Meet; I believe I may have taken pictures of it last year...


September 28th, 2019:

Englishtown, New Jersey

 

September 28th, 2019:

Englishtown, New Jersey

 

I can't believe someone put El Cheapo Plastico wheel covers on a Tacoma!


September 28th, 2019:

Englishtown, New Jersey

 

I previously took pictures of this 1995 RC 4x4 at Raceway Park last year, but it wasn't backed into the spot, so these pictures are better!


September 28th, 2019:

Englishtown, New Jersey

 

September 28th, 2019:

Englishtown, New Jersey

 

October 7th, 2019:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

2004 V6/auto with over 250K miles and original frame!


October 10th, 2019:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

October 11th, 2019:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

October 28th, 2019:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

Where was the car show? I'm guessing near you?

 

I generally don't drive all the way out there unless it's a really big show...

 

October 19th, 2019:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

September 29th, 2017:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

November 10th, 2017:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania