Is there anything more liberating than that first set of car keys in your hand? That’s the question the people at Subaru asked the other day while telling us about their new firstcarstory.com website.

For most of us, that’s the day when the world’s possibilities become real. The horizon is suddenly well within reach. I know that was the case with my first car, which wasn’t a car at all, but a massive Dodge Maxi-Van.

By the time I was handed down driving rights to our family’s late 70′s battle cruiser it had suffered unmerciful poundings by way of our family of eight. Of course, its massive size didn’t bother me. Nor did its dents, scratches or even the holes in the floor. The bed in back was perfect protection for my surfboards, and the ample room made it possible for me to extort gas money from all my surfing buddies.

There was just one problem. I earned my first driver’s license when I was a towering 5’3″ grommet weighing in a t115 lbs, which meant I was barely visible to those peering up at me, including the police. Getting pulled over became routine as a result. No amount of pillows or phonebooks could change that.

While this became a pain at times it was always enjoyable watching the cops react. And really, for my freedom I wouldn’t have cared if I got pulled over everyday.

That’s my first car story. The people at Subaru want you to tell yours. If you do, they’ll send you a cool little animated video of your story shortly after. Above is mine.