MYRIDE- Carol Harllee <span class="s1">2001 Subaru Forester</span>

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PHOTO BY DANIELLE UNGER

The open road is host to all kinds of drivers– speed demons, show-offs, and drivers who just want to arrive at their destination in one piece. Cautious driver Carol Harllee chose her 2001 Subaru Forester because of its reputation for reliability.

"It has all-wheel drive, and that makes me feel safe," she says.

As a Spanish teacher at JMU, Harllee commutes over Afton Mountain a few times a week, where adverse road conditions often force her to utilize that feature.

"I had to drive over to the Valley when it was snowing hard." she says. "It handled very well."

Although Harllee's a satisfied Subaru driver, her particular model has a downside: "It's considered a small SUV, so insurance is higher," Harllee says. "It frustrates me to no end."

The  Forester might be considered a small SUV by insurance companies (although it looks like a standard station wagon), but Harllee claims that the "fantastic" sunroof feature of her car "makes it almost like a convertible when you open it up." 

In addition to reassuring her on her commute, certain features of the wagon help Harllee with her avocations. "I garden a lot, and I can put stuff in the back like mulch, soil, and plants," she says.

Driving around town in her Forester has made Harllee sensitive to how many of them are cruising the streets: "I don't know why, maybe because they're reliable or cheaper than Toyotas."

Harllee says that with Charlottesville's sea of Subarus, "I must fit some type of demographic– maybe the university crowd."

Carol Harllee
PHOTO BY DANIELLE UNGER

What drives you? Call 295-8700 ext. 239, then pull up in front of Hook headquarters at 100 Second St. NW, and tell us why you love your ride. Each week's featured driver will receive a free car wash courtesy of H&H Quality Car Care.

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