Dad never said much about my interest in cars, only commenting when I made the faux pas of referring to my chauffeaur as 'Mr'.

In another era he could have said, "Done that." Here he is in the family's "electric," even Bobs (the dog after whom the boats were named), looks unimpressed.

It's funny when you think how Americans have "outgrown" electric cars, electric trams, and lots of other sensible things, to end up choking in smog and running out of natural resources.

Not really very funny at all.