Cars as a Medium

More often than not, the car one chooses to drive says a lot about that person.  This is something we've all noticed at one point or time; whether it be driving behind the Buick doing 45 in a 65, or the heavily tinted Honda Civic swerving in and out of traffic.  I believe that we all choose our cars accordingly- as to how it fits our personality.  To make this claim, I am relying on many generalizations.  I agree that they are up to debate, but that is why it is merely my opinion.

To illustrate my point, I'll show a picture of a car and their typical driver.

Toyota Corolla. The epitome of bland. Drivers of these cars are typically very average people with average lives.  There is absolutely nothing special, or interesting, about drivers of a Toyota Corolla.  They have come to terms with their ordinary life and embrace it completely.

Mercury Grand Marquis. The median age of those who drive a Grand Marquis is 107, and I am not kidding. I run red lights and drive through stop signs when I see the possibility of getting stuck behind one of these.

A minivan. The make or model is irrelevant, because they are all as equally hideous.  Drivers are typically 40 year old soccer moms with one or two children, yet find it necessary to purchase a vehicle with seating for 8.

Late model Honda civic, typically with an unfinished paint job and 20" rims. Drivers of this vehicle firmly believe they are driving a car much faster than they actually are driving. Although they are not skilled at driving cars with manual transmissions, they insist on revving their engines at every stoplight to initiate a drag race with the Camry next to them.

The drivers of these vehicles think about the stereotypes associated with them before purchasing.  While purchasing the vehicle, they are in a sense agreeing to be associated with these stereotypes.  For example, a humble middle-aged man will typically choose to purchase a new Toyota Rav4 over the used Cadillac Escalade.  The Escalade may provide superior comfort; however, it does not correctly represent the lifestyle of the average family man.

In this sense, the cars we chose to drive are a medium for ourselves.  We are communicating to others, through our automobiles, about our personalities and the way in which we live our lives.