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The road to ruination is paved with, well, cars · 30 May 06
I have spent some of this evening, and indeed the last few days, wandering around the apartment complex where I live gazing speculatively at cars. Not, as some jealous owners might think, with an eye to absconding with one that particularly takes my fancy (well ok, that was serious poetic license, no-one who sees or meets me is ever inspired to think anything other than that I am as trustworthy as the day is long). Rather, I am in the market for a new (to me) car, and I’m trying to get a feel for what make and model might suit me. There is really a surprisingly broad representation of the car market round here, a fact that in itself has left me wondering.
For I live in what, as far as I can figure, is the cheapest apartment complex in town. Outside of the projects of course. But protected council housing aside, this is in fact the case. Not, I should emphasise (you never know when my mother might read this), that this is a slum. The properties are well maintained and the place even stretches to a couple of swimming pools and a multi-gym, though the latter is admittedly more of a token gesture. Enough to allow me to waive this year’s gym membership without any pangs of guilt, but not a whole lot more than that. This complex is unofficially linked to the university (the name UHeights is a bit of a giveaway) and has some of the associated delusions of grandeur, but not, fortunately, any of the pergolas and columns. A few friends voiced misgivings when I moved here, due to the slightly unsavoury perception of some of the tenants – “You know it isn’t entirely made up of University people, don’t you?” But as far as I’m concerned that’s part of why I moved here. Because this is not a gated apartment complex, and the tenants are not vetted to ensure they fall within an acceptable cross-section of occupations. And not really surprisingly, the least friendly of the tenants are of course the students. The most likely to be surly, unsociable neighbours, making noise at all the wrong hours and leaving trash to moulder outside their doors for days.
And the demographic represented by the cars is equally interesting. About 50% of the cars are fairly old, serviceable vehicles. Well looked after but been around the block a few times, many years ahead of them with judicious nursing. Then there are the real stunners, the brand new sporty hatches and SUVs. At this very moment there are three brand new cars facing onto my patio, cars that I would love to own, though it’s very unlikely that I’d ever choose to afford them. Who can afford these round here, one might wonder? The answer is simple. Not the students of course, indeed in that sense not anyone ‘round here’, but their parents. The parents of the very self same kids who are incapable of showing respect to those around them. From politeness and social hygiene through to pretty much any other branch of common civility you can think of. I can’t help feeling that this is a sample of cause and effect. Not that I’m trying to claim that I’ve lived through hardship and suffering and am far the more worthy person for it. But I never belonged to that class of student and I am eternally thankful for it. I can’t think of any single better way to ruin a person, teenage pregnancy included.
If you want to truly see a slum, go wander round the district with the frat houses in it. The sorority houses making a distinctly slovenly attempt to be diamonds in the rough. Of course the cars are all ever so shiny.
The road to hell is, in fact, paved with lawyers, not automobiles. While it is true that lawyers drive cars, the road itself is not paved with their bavarian chariots.
What do you need a new (to you) car for anyway?
— Adrian May 31, 09:17 #
Throw in a couple more jokes and you could do this for a living. There is a grace to your writing. Makes me wanna puke :-)
— AJS May 31, 19:40 #
i’ve often noticed that there is a correlation…i’m sure it can be quantified in some sort of algorithm…between the cost of the car and the rudeness of its user…not absolute, there are exceptions, but more often than not, the one not using his/her turn signals or driving in a way that implies ownership of the road comes from cars worth $50k or more…i should write to tom and ray magliozzi and see what they think
imy xoxo
b
— barry Jun 1, 20:48 #
There are an awful lot of rude, arrogant and awfully spoiled children out there. The have very strong feelings of entitlelment and believe that they do not owe the world anything, but that the world owes them everything.
What kind of car are you looking at???
— Dan Jun 14, 20:40 #