We Are What We Drive?


I drive an older model Subaru Wagon. It has the roof rack, ski box, and bike attachment, so yeah, I know I look like a yuppie kid. It doesn't get very good gas mileage (just under 30 mpg), but is still better than most SUV's. I also wish it was diesel so I could run it on veggie oil. Still, the car has met my purposes; everything from traveling the mountain roads of Idaho, a cross-country journey to New York, living in it for a summer (I can actually sleep in the back of it), and hauling my giant rototiller around. Moh drives, or well did- we left it at my mom's in Illinois, a beat-up old Mazda (above), which gets awesome gas mileage.

One thing I never thought about was how my car spoke of my political philosophy. Then the other day, while filling up at a local gas station, I pulled up behind another green Subaru. While standing at the pump, an older gentleman came out of the station, took a double take at my car, perhaps at my anti-war and anti-free trade stickers, and then approached me. He told me that he has always been conservative politically, but ever since he sold his big truck and bought a Subaru, his friends call him a "goddamn liberal". He told me the story very light-heartedly and jokingly, but it made me think. Do we associate our autos with political philosophies? Volvo's have always been regarded as a lefty yuppie car. I can't imagine a green progressive driving a Hummer or even a Cadillac. BMW's are for rich Republicans right? Beats me. We need one of those online quizzes for our answers. What does your car say about you?