Chicks ‘n Cars
Originally published at Nika Dixon. You can comment here or there.
This week hubby had a few days of work in Toronto. Because he would be gone for 4 days with our truck, I needed wheels to get to and from my 2 contract jobs. Instead of trying to rent, we borrowed a car from one of our relatives.
Miata Convertable
A little white Miata two-seater convertable.
Lemme tell you, going from driving a 4×4 crew-cab pickup truck to that tiny little thing, is rather like switching from a cube van to a go-kart. But it’s fun. Oh, ladies is it fun!
There’s something about zipping around in a little white sports car that made me think I needed to wrap a scarf around my head and don some oversized sunglasses like a Hollywood diva. Which got me thinking… what do cars say about our characters? What stereotype are we trying to fit, or break, by assigning certain vehicles to our hero or heroine? Are there pre-conceptions we should take into consideration when describing what kind of transportation our characters are using? After a little research I disovered not only does the vehicle choice make a difference, the colour you choose also has something to say. Who knew!?
According to popular perception, here’s your vehicle says:
Sorry - had to throw in a shirtless Daniel Craig. Just cause.
Sports Car:
They’re President, CEO or planning to be. Super spy’s and rockstars. The vehicle is only a two seater so they are likely unattached - or a playboy. (It’s hard to make room for kids when you have only one spare seat.) An older character in a convertible is probably retired (kids have moved out), or having a mid-life crisis. Sports cars are also seen as a penis extension, so they are most likely driven by men (alpha-males or wanna-be’s).
When you do see a woman driving a sports car, the perception shifts according to her attire. Dressed casually or sexy, the woman driver is perceived a rich bitch (Daddy or Hubby bought the car for them) who has never worked a day in her life. Dressed for business, she’s a corporate exec with her eye on the next promotion.
Sedan:
Reliable. Practical. Dependable. It’s the most common vehicle choice of mid-range personalities. They work for families, mid-range incomes, and regular people. There’s no sas with a sedan. No flair. Nothing to make your character stand out. On their own they’re really rather boring and plain.
SUV:
SUV’s are big and brutish. They tell others your character likes to be in control, and they prefer to know what’s coming at them. SUV’s are above the road (at a height) letting the driver see over cars. They’re like a cocoon-well insulated-which suggests a bit of snootiness. They are driving in comfort and don’t have to deal with the others.
But lately SUV’s have also become widely popular with housewives. Where else can you comfortably haul kids in booster seats, snacks, sports equipment, groceries and just about anything else that comes up in the daily transportation needs of a mom on the go? Plus it gives moms the added assurance of a safe vehicle for her children.
Pickup Truck:
If you’re a man - you’re country. If you’re a woman - you’re country. Just kidding!
For men, Pickup’s say either “cowboy” or “independent”. They’re also the first sucker your friends call when they need you to haul something around for them. A popular guy. Friendly. Laid back. Always around to help a friend move, and they usually have a cooler of beer readily available. They’re also good with mechanics and intelligent-but they won’t show it off.
Women in pickups are busy, active, and fiercely independent. They’re also usually athletic. They’re also more laid back than other women. Mellow. More likely to go with the flow than get upset when something goes wrong. They’ll drive with the windows down and the stereo cranked and couldn’t care less who can hear her off-key singing. But they’re also tough, so don’t piss them off. That back window just might be sporting a shotgun rack.
Well used trucks-dusty, beat up-suggests someone who does manual labour for a living. Construction. Roofing. Farming. Ranching. A job where having a 4×4 pickup is part of the job requirement, and not just a way to commute.
Compact:
Compact cars like the Honda Civic are great for commuting and city life. One thought is that they’re fun, spunky, and vivacious. Another thought is that they’re for poor people or college students. Compact cars are the kind of vehicle you can beat to death and drive into the dirt. They’re like the Energizer bunny-they just keep on going.
Lately the compact has become the first choice of street racers who beef them up with accessories and powerful engines. So that can also suggest speed and money.
Minivan
Two words. Soccer Mom.
Anyone with a mini van is not in control of their lives. They are someone who’s conceding victory to some other element-usually kids and pets. According to Sandra Kinsler of Woman Motorist, a minivan says “It’s OK when juice boxes explode in here. We’ll beat the living daylights out of this thing and have it for eight years and hope we don’t need another one.”
Motorcycles
Motorcycles are fast, fun and dangerous. They are a brutish power being controlled by the rider. They suggest an unbridled freedom. No ties. Nothing to keep them in one spot.
Ryan Reynolds and his Ducati.
Men on motorcycles are perceived as the bad boys. The ultimate alpha-male with a don’t piss me off or I’ll kick your ass to hell and back attitude. Yes, bike riders can be lone-wolf types-but they also know how to travel with the pack. It’s a known fact that bikers stick together. Bike riders come from all walks of life so you need to define the type of bike and the attire as well.
Expensive sports bikes suggest money and prestige. Street racers are fast and exciting. Harleys and cruisers lend to more of a bad-boy image. Standard black leather isn’t that expensive any more, but it is still pricy. Coloured leather racing outfits can be very expensive and usually suggest an avid biker. Racing outfits are for street bikes and ‘crotch rockets’, never a harley. Denim is cheap and easy to mark up and add bike club logos.
For some reason there is still a narrow minded perception that women who ride motorcycles are either slutty bitches, or lesbians. I have no idea why. Women riders are becoming one of the fastest growing markets for motorcycle manufacturers, to the point of having bikes keeping seat heights lowered so more women can touch the ground while seated on the bike.
Women on bikes are adventurers. They want speed. They want control. They want freedom.
Now take all of the above with a grain of salt. You can use this info to help decide what you want your character’s vehicle to say about them, or you can decide to go against the norm. Just keep in mind that if you are moving outside the normal vehicle for your character’s job or station in life, you need to tell the reader why it’s that way. There’s always a story in there somewhere!
Hugs!
Nika