The other day, on my daily commute to the office, I pulled up to an amber light. As I slowed down a complete stop, a black Mercedes pulled up beside me on the left side. The stranger, a handsome dark-haired man, gave me a warm smile and lifted two fingers off of his steering wheel in a friendly little “Car Wave.” I smiled back and raised my fingers in response. He motioned to my car, “Zippy” a black Nissan Cube, and nodded approvingly. The light changed. The stranger moved forward to turn left and I carried on to work. I felt a little different after the unexpected encounter. “Zippy” seemed to have acquired a little extra “Zip” if you will. I guess you could say we both had a little extra spring in our step.
The Cube is an acquired taste. It certainly isn't for everyone. Like Key Lime Pie, you either love it or hate it-- I love both! My neighbour thinks “Zippy” is ridiculous, I think it suits me to a “T.” I am used to the giggles and comments of friends and colleagues-- though most of them will ease up after going for a ride in the surprisingly roomy funny little 'cartoon car' with no backend. When a perfect stranger took the time to commend me on my car and motioned to indicate that it suited me, it made my day! I think that this type of 'car camaraderie' should be more prevalent in our society. Many of us drive for hours a week and bond with our vehicle-- but do we share that bond with anyone else?
Honda's “Civic Nation” and Scion's “Scion Nation” both speak to a desire for this kind of community. I think that generally speaking, the tuning world is, forgive the pun, more attune to the relationship between cars and lifestyle. Ultimately, vehicle choice is a personal choice, an expression of self-- whether you trick your ride out or not. I challenge you to smile and give the “Car Wave” the next time you see a vehicle and driver who compliment each other. You never know, you just might make someone's day!
The Cube is an acquired taste. It certainly isn't for everyone. Like Key Lime Pie, you either love it or hate it-- I love both! My neighbour thinks “Zippy” is ridiculous, I think it suits me to a “T.” I am used to the giggles and comments of friends and colleagues-- though most of them will ease up after going for a ride in the surprisingly roomy funny little 'cartoon car' with no backend. When a perfect stranger took the time to commend me on my car and motioned to indicate that it suited me, it made my day! I think that this type of 'car camaraderie' should be more prevalent in our society. Many of us drive for hours a week and bond with our vehicle-- but do we share that bond with anyone else?
Honda's “Civic Nation” and Scion's “Scion Nation” both speak to a desire for this kind of community. I think that generally speaking, the tuning world is, forgive the pun, more attune to the relationship between cars and lifestyle. Ultimately, vehicle choice is a personal choice, an expression of self-- whether you trick your ride out or not. I challenge you to smile and give the “Car Wave” the next time you see a vehicle and driver who compliment each other. You never know, you just might make someone's day!