I don't know who drives it, but I can make a few guesses. I'm guessing he subscribes to the theory that bigger is indeed better. (It's gotta be a "he" - women grandstand in a different way.) I'm guessing his truck is a big part of the image he wants to portray to his fellow Americans. I'm guessing he's a "git 'er done" kind of guy. (And he must earn a halfway-decent living, because what does a truck like this cost? $40K? $50K? And once you sign the papers, what does it cost to move it down the road? It probably costs $200 to fill it with gas, which I bet it burns with astonishing enthusiasm.)
If you asked him why he chose this particular vehicle, would he deny that he's trying to impress others, or would he gladly acknowledge it?
He'd probably declare that he needs all that capacity to haul stuff, or to tow his boat. Or to go on 4-wheel-drive adventures. (Good one, huh?) But on most days, it probably moves him and his briefcase.
He'd almost certainly wax patriotic - citing his freedom to drive whatever the hell he wants to drive.
And indeed, that freedom is a great thing.
People are free to make all sorts of stupid decisions. And those decisions frequently have an impact on others.
Think of the space it takes to park a beast like this, in private or in public. (It probably won't fit in a conventional garage. You could likely park 20 bicycles in the bed of the thing!) Think of traffic congestion... a big problem in this booming community. If everybody chooses a twice-as-big vehicle, traffic congestion is doubled. Think of how it impacts the fuel supply/demand ratio.
You might say, "Ah, Bike Nazi - you're just envious."
Hmmm.
Would I trade my bike for his truck?
Only if I could immediately turn around and sell the truck, buy a sweet new bike and pocket the difference. If I had to trade modes of transportation, and the accompanying expense and baggage... no thanks!
(I ride a bike for the "macho" image. I don't want to harsh his truck-buzz, but it seems to me Mr. Git 'er Done in his giant pickup is just a girly-man. Criminy! My momma could drive that big ol' truck, if she could climb into it!)
11 comments:
(PSSSSST. He's compensating.)
(http://tinyurl.com/2g6o2w)
;)
The truck is "macho" because "macho" is about money, not actual physical prowess. It's about the BLING, baby!
Here's the real reason trucks like this get bought:
Now Everyone Will Know
Here is my new truck.
http://tinyurl.com/3y57x2
What am I doing wrong? I'm pasting you guys' "tinyurl" URLs in, and "The Web site cannot be found."
Dunno, try this and Git r dun.
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/conion1/xtracycle/?action=view¤t=0522071704.jpg
I bet your employer blocks certain websites or redirections.
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/conion1/
xtracycle/?action=view¤t=0522071704.jpg
oops try again or just go to my album and go to the xtracycle folder
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o192/conion1/
Huh, they are working for me. For mine, you might have to go to Salon.com's main page, let it play the little ad, and then navigate to my tinyurl link. Sorry this posed a problem.
Anyway, Jamie and I posted the exact same thing, but he knows something I don't know - how to post an active link in a comment!
(I am definitely starting to covet an Xtracycle. Damn you, clancy.)
Sometimes I too am envious, but I think it's of the blindness and bliss many folks have while I work hard at a "better" way. Don't worry, as fuel prices continue to go up, vehicles will get smaller. Even if they guy makes good money, he's still going to get tired of spending a couple of Benjamins a couple of times a week filling it up.
Regarding my inability to link... indeed, the office network is choking on the "tiny URLs" because it worked fine in my humble hovel.
I thought you drove a red Corvette if you were "compensating" - hahahaha!
One thing I know for sure, he is making up for something he lacks. You can decide what it is... Only in America, sigh. I'll stick to my bikes thank you very much.
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