Recently, 13 young men were joyriding in some very expensive high performance vehicles. The police stopped them and did a great job in preventing some serious injuries. To teach them a darn good lesson, they were each fined $196, they have to pay the towing and storage fees, and the cars will be impounded for seven days.

Really, do any of us think that if 17-year-old boys have access to $150,000 automobiles to play with, that a $196 fine is going to be some sort of deterrent? Obviously, whoever laid out the money for the car will be paying the fine.

I want all of you from my era or older to imagine yourself saying this: 鈥淒ad, I was caught speeding in the family car, I need $196 and by the way, you won鈥檛 have the car for a week.鈥�

Yes, these are definitely different times. I doubt if any of those boys actually worked to save money to buy those cars and when something is given with no strings attached, it doesn鈥檛 really matter if is taken away.

Take a minute and think about the first car you owned 鈥� one you had saved for and bought with your own money. It was your car.

Remember how your car keys felt when you held them in your hand? They were like keys to a prison cell, and they were going to unlock the door of a whole new world.

No more asking for the car and explaining why you needed it. No more waiting at work or school for someone to pick you up. No more walking home in the rain or crowding on the bus. Just put your keys in the ignition, and you were on the road again.

I recall a co-worker buying a new car for his wife and telling me I could have her old car for $100. I had the money, even enough for insurance, and in two days I picked that car up.

It was a faded maroon and pink 1956 Plymouth with a three on the tree and a V-8 engine. It leaked oil everywhere, the front seat was torn and the rust poked through in many places. It was truly a beautiful thing.

I got my insurance papers, and put them in the little plastic pouch that snapped on the steering column. I washed it and waxed it, put in some gas and with my arm out the window and my sunglasses on, I was a regular James Dean.

I didn鈥檛 have to get a ride to work with my sister or wait for her to pick me up. I no longer had to call one of my buddies and ask him to come get me. I didn鈥檛 have to sit in the jury box and swear to tell the truth about why I needed Dad鈥檚 car and what time I would be home.

My cars got flashier and more expensive as I could afford them, but each one I bought and paid for myself. There was not another car sitting in the driveway if I lost mine, and certainly no one was going to pay my fines. If someone got a speeding ticket, that was big news at the A&W.

All of your first cars will be on display in downtown 91原创 at the Cruise-in this Saturday, and all your memories will be displayed right there with them. At least that鈥檚 what McGregor says.