Today Precedent launches a new online column, Moving Violations — musings on the world of cars by Paul Rand, a Toronto-based in-house capital markets lawyer with a lifelong passion for all things auto.
As a kid, I’d stare at their rear-ends. I loved watching the curves go by on the street. Questions would flood my mind: “Would I ever have one of my own?” … “Is that junk in the trunk?”
That’s right — I loved cars.
Now, I’m all grown up. I finished law school. I’ve worked as counsel, out-house and in. But one thing hasn’t changed. When it comes to cars, I’m still a kid. So, hop in the DeLorean and we’ll go back to when I was eight. This was a time before regulator’s requests, or opinion letters. It was a time when Nena’s ‘99 Red Balloons‘ floated in the summer sky, and the Jedi were returning. For me, it was a time when my passion for cars was ramping up.
Eight-year-old me would spend hours looking at car magazines, committing every detail to memory. Eventually my family took to testing my knowledge on the streets of Toronto. As we drove along, I’d be asked: “What’s that red car?” “That — ahem — ‘red car’ is a Porsche 944 Turbo.” “What about that?” “A Toyota MR2.” “That?” “A Volvo 240DL. It’s glorious.” I’d then rhyme off arcane details about model histories, and technical specs.
These car quizzes brought a feeling of parental approval. I enjoyed sharing information about something I loved. It didn’t occur to me that my Rain-Manesque performances might have been more a source of amusement for them than admiration. In any case, it’s in the spirit of sharing information about a subject I love that this column comes to you.
Unlike eight-year-old me, I now have a driver’s licence. I can drive the cars I once only stared at. Consequently, this column promises insights and reviews of how cars stack up, both on paper and on the road. I’ll also talk about car ownership as experienced by friends and colleagues in the legal profession. Think topics such as: “Now that I can write off a lease, is it time for a super deluxe car?” “How to keep it real in a mini-van,” or “Cars that no lawyer should be caught dead in.”
While this column is being written by a lawyer, it won’t focus on motor vehicle law. Of course, legal topics will creep in from time to time, but there won’t be extensive coverage of the Insurance Act (which is probably a good thing).
So there you have it: a bit about me and what I hope to achieve here. Welcome to Moving Violations — buckle up, and full speed ahead!
Paul Rand is an in-house capital markets lawyer in Toronto who loves cars. At the time of publication, he has no demerit points on his licence.