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Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2002 20:27:05 -0400
From: Robert Levandowski <macwhiznopsamcop.net>
Subject: Re: I bought one of those as well......


In article <aelk7a$s1b$1nopsamg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Phil Born" <philbornnopsam.fsnojunknet.co.uk> wrote: > Am I missing something here? If I want to drive, I get in my car, if I want > a drink, I go to a cafÈ (or a pub). This is fine in a country with less land area and a higher density of quality cafÈs and pubs. :) In the States, we've got a phenomena called the "limited access toll highway" that makes the cupholder far more valuable, especially when combined with the size of the country. For example: to visit my parents, I make a 330 mile trip. As possible trips in the U.S. go, this is a moderate length one -- it takes five to six hours, depending on traffic and your degree of adherence to the almost-universally-ignored 65 MPH interstate speed limit. This trip is on the New York Thruway, a limited access toll highway. You have to stop and obtain a toll ticket to enter the road, and you have to stop, surrender the ticket, and pay a toll to exit the road. This process often entails a wait in queue, unless you're one of the few who has signed up for an electronic tag -- and so long as the queue for the manned toll booths hasn't ground all traffic to a halt for a mile back up the road. Exits are few and far between -- except for cities, usually 10 to 25 miles between exits. There are "rest stops" along the way, but these are spaced out too, and because they have an effectively captive audience, they charge outrageous prices. For example, a small bottle of generic spring water costs about US$0.65 in a grocery store, but the Thruway rest stop will hit you for US$1.25 or so. Most stops at these "rest stops" are for, ah, biological relief, which thankfully is free of charge. One might even buy moderately expensive fast food. Stopping just to pay an outrageous markup for a drink...? No thanks, I'll bring my own. :) On a long trip, where opportunities to stop are inconvenient, rare, and pricey, it's very useful to be able to have a sip of something every now and then. Having that drink held securely in an easy-to-reach place is just plain safety. :) I suspect the distance issue, and the nature of America's Interstate highways, are why Americans like cupholders -- and why Europeans are bewildered by the need for them. Rob

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