Guido, let’s talk about cars! How many vehicles have you owned to date?
I had two that belonged to me, and I had several others at my disposal. My companions were a Seat Ibiza 1.7i in gallant white, an Opel Kadett Caravan 1.6i in common white, a Lancia Delta 1.9 Mulitjet Twin Turbo in a fantastic blue, a VW Passat Kombi 2.0 5V in a pretty green and last but not least a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 2.0 in a classy Billet Silver.
You recently sold the Jeep. What prompted you to do that?
Despite the fact you have absolute freedom, there’s a flip side to the coin: for me that was having to look for parking spaces in Zurich. Even hundreds of kilometres away from home I could often feel the stress of having to find a place to park in the blue zone. And so as it turned out, the Red-Greens in Zurich managed to get me to let go for the last time. The freedom now no longer lies in owning a car, but in choosing one how and where it suits you.
How long did the process take in total, i.e. from the first time the idea occurred to you until you made the decision?
Roadworks, the constant shortage of parking spaces, tyres with the air let out (but fortunately not damaged) etc.: those were all things that made the decision easier for me. By nature, I’m someone who travelled the world by various means of transport during my “car time”, so the process didn’t take very long.
You have experience of letting go. What advice would you give people who are questioning whether they really want to own a car but haven’t managed to let go yet?
It’s difficult to give advice. Cars have an emotional appeal, and in my case they were also associated with a certain lifestyle. It’s not that I don’t travel any more! For me now, letting go starts at home. I manage to fit everything into one bag/backpack when I take the bike, for instance, so I feel lighter and more independent when I’m on the road than I did in the days when I owned a car. I no longer take two enduro bikes with me, but one bike of my choice.
What do you think is the nicest/most practical/greatest thing about having a car of your own?
It was that sense of unrestricted freedom that you feel when you reach adulthood: friends, sports – everything that promised “boundless freedom” was possible due to having a car. A camper you could sleep in, a woollen blanket – and the world was mine. Choose the routes you want to take and go wherever your fancy takes you.
Can you imagine having a car of your own again one day?
Cars have a certain fascination and an emotional appeal. The things you do in a car feel unique. I doubt whether I need a car of my own to feel that. But who knows what the future holds?
What is your life like without a car of your own? Do you feel like you’re missing something?
(Laughs out loud) No, unless it’s raining cats and dogs and I have to transport a computer monitor. But seriously: it works really well. And get to benefit from services such as domestic baggage drop-off and car hire. Of course there are some things that are easier to manage if you have a car of your own on the doorstep. But I get around just fine thanks to the range of Mobility cars in the neighbourhood – some of which are easier to get to than the nearest blue zone. Mobility cars are most popular on Saturdays – that’s the only day I have to plan ahead if I need a car. Otherwise, boundless freedom is no longer necessary!
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