Jefferson Dixon

Why Don't Our Cases Have Wheels?

As I was shopping for luggage to use for the upcoming school year, I came across a variety of wheeled options —some "spinners" and some "pulled." I'll be traveling from NYC to Atlanta, Georgia to attend Georgia Tech, and one of the pieces of luggage I'll be taking with me for every plane trip is my violin case.

Then I asked myself, "Why doesn't my case have wheels like my other luggage?" It's even taller than my carry-on and just as heavy. Those cellists get wheels, and I can't think of a good reason why we shouldn't. I'm tired of lugging it around even with backpack straps, especially when it's packed with music.

I don't know, it's just an idea, but those "spinner" wheels seem perfect for a violin case. They enable you to drag the luggage along your side instead of pulling it behind you, which seems like a good idea to prevent others from kicking your case. I just can't seem to think of any really good reason why we shouldn't have wheels. The few drawbacks I could think of were insignificant compared to the benefits of saving your neck, shoulder, and back.

Maybe someday our cases will be as good as my new Samsonite carry-on. Until then, I'll have to watch how much music I put in my case.

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