are you measured by the car you drive?

Question

in many societies, especially where i live at the moment (rather not say so i dont offend anyone), you tend to earn respect by the kind of car you drive .. if you have an expensive car, no one tailgates you, no one honks at you .. people stare at you in awe as you hop in your vehicle .. you get a nice huge smile at a drive-in .. however, if you drive something 'cheap', you tend to get judged, no one hesitates to tailgate you, etc ..

in your society, is that how people measure you?

Answer 1

Yup, I used to have a beat up saturn and got stopped for DWP (driving while poor) in my neighborhood. I now have a Benz and it's not a problem.
Also, cars are ego expressive; the prius and the F150 owner spent the same $$, but are making very different statements.

Answer 2

i never noticed this until I switched cars,

I used to drive an old beat up pickup with an ugly canopy, a real eyesore, and I thought nothing of the way other people drove, then I started driving a car that blended in better, just a 90-something compact sedan. after driving it for a while I ended up driving the truck again and noticed that people were always tailgating me, passing me any chance they got (dispite the fact that I drive the same speed as I do in my car), I could tell that people were annoyed if I pulled out in front of them etc.

I guess people just assume that if the vehicle is 20 years old it can't go fast enough so they are anxious to pass it.

Answer 3

Hey there!
I grew up in a town where the car you drove did not matter, in fact it was rare for someone to spend a ridiculous amount of their money on a luxury vehicle.
But the past two cities where I have lived seem to be very conscious of car choice. If you have a nicer car, it somehow makes some people view you in a more positive light. I personally don't measure people any differnet based on their cars, or even if they don't own a car, but the majority seem to do (esp the younger generation). I know plenty of great people who don't drive at all!
It's just in a more image conscience society, how we appear no longer is the only thing that matters- but now our cars, cell phones and other things start to "reflect" us.....

sad if you ask me!

Answer 4

It's sad but true that we are judged be the car we drive. And don't believe anyone who says they don't judge others by their cars. They are either lying or have recently landed here from another planet. I know, I was such a liar until recently.

Carmakers don't even need to try to tell you that. Each one of us buys into the image whether we admit it or not. In my society, the one called Southern California, image is everything, and you car is the biggest and most obvious image statement you can make.

I did not want to believe it at all. I always drove dumpy cars, but ever since I got my recent car, a hot, two seat, german number, my popularity has soared. I refuse to believe in the connection, but it seems to be true. And I kid you not, more people want to talk to me, strangers on the street, co-workers who didn't give a sh-it about my exisitence, even the stupid anti-car people. I have had to get tinted windows to regain some sense of privacy.

Also, no more tail gaters. Just a lot of dorks who want to race.

And here is the worst part, I'm totally into it.

Answer 5

Its' a sad statement but a true one, people will judge others on their material "things".
I probably am judged by my car but if this is the case, no one has ever said so. Also I know I am judged when I drive my truck. I get lots of honks and "thumbs up". I guess its' because a chick is behind the wheel of a large, beautiful truck. Guys must think its' sexy!!

Answer 6

Sadly, society nowadays tend to look at the car we drive. I experienced this when i changed my car from a bigger to a smaller one.

We live our life the way we feel it is right and make us happy... honest and with alot of kindness and love. Not by the way how people look at us. Being materialistic will only make one greedy and not contended with what we have. . There are many underpriviledged people in this world.... in worn torn country, not a roof over their head, always hungry, deprive of love etc. Count our blessings and be thankful.

Dont let others control your life.

Answer 7

Well when people can only look at you and not get to know you, they see the car, but people don't pay attention to it as much as you think. I drove my brothers beater car for a while and ya I got wierd even discusted looks. I drive my friends nice car and no one seemed to notice. I get gawked at anyway, no matter what car I drive. Me personally, when I see a nice car, I think,"They must be in debt up but have the nice car. I am 100% debt free and to me they have a nice car that they do not own. If they quit making payments, who would own the car? lol It's a matter of perspective. :-) I know wonderful guys with beater cars, yet they manage their money well and are clean cut and look sharp. Cars aren't everything.

Answer 8

Yes it happens to me. I was driving a 98 used car and normally nobody looked at me. With hard work, I was able to buy a red convertible and now I had to put dark tainted in the windows of my car because I felt uncomfortable with people looking at me, honking to get my attention, saying things, even getting out of the car to give me their business car. But I guess that happens in all societies (with cars)

Answer 9

People judge for no reason at all, just because someone is different of may appear to have more or less of something material. I just got rid of my piece of crap chevy and bought a shiny new car. I feel great in it of course but the same idiots are still cutting me off, I get treated the same. If someone is dumb enough to judge me without talking to me or because of something shiny I own,. well, I don't really care what they think because their emotional thinking is out of whack. People just judge for no good reason. Sad part is they can really overlook something good and cut themselves short in the process of judging.

Answer 10

Car manufacturers WANT you to think that people measure you by the car you drive! They want you to out-spend your budget to announce to the world, "I am an important person!" If we want to spend our resources to impress people around us, then it's a pretty shallow existence!! That is often important to the young and immature. As a person matures, other matters become much more important!! Life and finding and making good friends who value me for who I am--not what I earn or what I drive!!