Guys and Cars

[Virgil]

what is it about guys and cars?

I don't know if it's just males. I have seen females in fancy cars. It depends on what they earn. I have a female cousin with a spiffy little BMW. I have known women that are fairly aggresive drivers. Sure there are more men than women but I don't think it's exxclusively a male phenomena. I don't drive aggressive and I don't drive a sports car. Perhaps men do seem to get some male oriented thrill from driving like James Bond, but you know, there are women who like it. When I was young, guys with fancy cars had girl friends. Many guys who didn't have a car (like me ) didn't have a girl friend. The question can also be asked, why are some women attracted to James Bond types?

[Pensive]

I don't know if it's just males. I have seen females in fancy cars. It depends on what they earn. I have a female cousin with a spiffy little BMW. I have known women that are fairly aggresive drivers. Sure there are more men than women but I don't think it's exxclusively a male phenomena. I don't drive aggressive and I don't drive a sports car. Perhaps men do seem to get some male oriented thrill from driving like James Bond, but you know, there are women who like it. When I was young, guys with fancy cars had girl friends. Many guys who didn't have a car (like me ) didn't have a girl friend. The question can also be asked, why are some women attracted to James Bond types?

Yeah I too would have rather put it as 'What's it about girls and guys with fancy cars'?

[Sapphire]

What's it about girls and guys with fancy cars

Maybe the thought goes like this: "If he can afford such a fancy car, he must have enough money to provide for a girlfriend, he might make me feel comfortable in a material way".

Just guessing though I can say I like nice cars, but I like the cars - the person in it has to be nice on its own if he wants to take me for a ride in it And if a guy is nice and does not have a car at all, that is all fine with me. So I guess I am not the typical "girl likes guys who drives like James Bond" Though I am quite a fan of James Bond movies, especially that one part in the Quantum of Solace where the girl has just been kidnapped and Bond runs out of the casino/hotel and you see that one tire spin. That one second is the best of the whole movie
Ow, and Gone in 60 second. And Fast and the Furious. And Bullit. And...

I've never driven James Bond style myself - I do not trust my driving capabilities enough to ever try it. And I think it would ruin the tires...

[Pensive]

[color="blue"]Maybe the thought goes like this: "If he can afford such a fancy car, he must have enough money to provide for a girlfriend, he might make me feel comfortable in a material way".

Well yeah, even though I accept people can have different ways of thinking, and their thinking can be as much respectable as mine but I have a trouble relating with the way people make material to be so big a deal myself.

Personally speaking, aesthetically, I am not the one for cars. If you lived in a populous country like mine you would realise how much of space they take (especially the big fancy cars). Also the consumption of fuels that goes with them. I am alright with public transport and the best date in my eyes can be you and your significant other riding on a bicycle to a quiet corner in some park nearby!

[Sapphire]

the best date in my eyes can be you and your significant other riding on a bicycle to a quiet corner in some park nearby!

Sounds good. Rollerskates would also be a good idea Or a skate board ... I still want to learn how to ride a skate board, though it might look a bit silly now.

And yes, I agree that cars can be a bother in a populous country. Where I live, I can get around easily by public transport - and being a student it is even free so I would be quite nuts to go for an expensive petrol slurping car, no matter how much fun I think driving is.
However, in the parts that aren't this densely populated you can not go out after 22h, because public transport shuts down about that time - if you're lucky enough to have public transport that far. And, as it isn't so populated it might become far to go by bicycle: 25 km to find a place to dance ... not sure I would ever do such
But I guess going to a bar is a bad example, for when you drink alcohol you need to let the car be anyway. It is strange, how I would never drive a car while I had just one glass of beer, but easily jump on my bicycle after 5...
But hey, that's another subject.

[papayahed]

James Bond is running away from bad guys, of course he looks cool driving like a maniac but the average guy driving to the restaurant just looks like a ****** driving like a maniac.

[Virgil]

James Bond is running away from bad guys, of course he looks cool driving like a maniac but the average guy driving to the restaurant just looks like a ****** driving like a maniac.

Aha, so even you think James Bond looks cool!!! You're feeding the stereotype.

There is something to the notion of a car signifying a good provider. Why is that women get attracted to guys with money?

I don't doubt that a man's machisimo is psychologically connected to the car, but you know that feamle cousin of mine with the little BMW drives around like she's James Bond and it so happens that she happened to be in my car last night (we were at a birthday event for our uncle) while I was driving and she was making fun of me driving like an old fart.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

I might be mistaken, but I think you know every episode by Top Gear by heart

I'm a Top Gear fan too, but not so much because of the cars they go on about: It's more thanks to the three hosts. They really make that show worth watching.

And driving in snow... I did have snow on my examination day, but luckely it only lasted for 5 minutes and was quickly gone from the road.

I did all my driving prior to the examination in winter conditions...

As for cars in general: I require them to transport my bottom from point A to point B in reasonable safety and comfort, with minimal fuel consumpton and fuzz....

On the other hand I don't take the car very often. I use the bike much more.

/Claes

[Sapphire]

Aha, so even you think James Bond looks cool!!! You're feeding the stereotype.

Nah, that is not stereotype - that is just a fact. James Bond = Cool. Fact.

While I was driving and she was making fun of me driving like an old fart.

As long as the guy puts on some nice music while driving this way, I would definitely prefer that above "crazy maniac driving" - it might be less exiting but it might be safer And I would not get sick! I had not thought about that yet, but I just saw this clip and I am afraid that - though I really like cars and driving - this might happen to me. I get easily car sick
Journalist gets sick during test drive

I did all my driving prior to the examination in winter conditions...

Also the examination itself, or did you take that in spring/summer? That must have been a change then

And yes, bicycle is better for the environment and probably better for your health, but I guess after 20 years of only being allowed to ride a bicycle I like riding a car a lot more It is still new and exiting to me

[papayahed]

Aha, so even you think James Bond looks cool!!! You're feeding the stereotype.

A dapper man in a tuxedo = cool.

feeding the stereotype? Which stereotype? that handsome men dressing nicely in a nice car is pleasing to the eye??? I'm not sure that's a stereotype, more of a fact.

There is something to the notion of a car signifying a good provider. Why is that women get attracted to guys with money?

Why do you always bring it down to men vs. women? Your statement is pretty stereotypical isn't it? Isn't it true that men who make a lot of money tend to be confident smart go-getters? Why wouldn't a woman be attracted to those qualities, why do you assume it's just about the money?

[Chava]

The statistic here is that the vast majority of car crashes are caused by young men between 18-25. They are also behind a majority of the car related killings, just yesterday a 29 year old mother and her two children because some idiot was driving inbetween cars on the highway to go as fast as he could.

The highway is not a computer game, and you cannot start over if you make a mistake. Cars are conveniant, but I wish that more public funding would go into the public transportation, it's better for the environment, and it is just as fast in most cases. But ticket prices have been more than 100%, and that is even after comparing it to normal price increases. A car wont make you cool, especially not if you're a jerk behind the wheel, male or female.

[Mathor]

I'm 21, 2 months ago someone slid onto the ice into my car. My car (a 93 Toyota) was totalled, and I was given 4000 dollars for it. And so now I have a 97 Pontiac Grand AM I bought for 3000, and it's 1/10th as good as the car I had originally. I can't afford to be picky. Meh.

[Sapphire]

The statistic here is that the vast majority of car crashes are caused by young men between 18-25.

I tried to find something like this for the Netherlands, but I only found a statistic on the victims: turns out 3x as much guys die in car crashes as girls It's also the 18-25 year old who are most likely to get killed...

We have some sort of "point-driver license". If you just have your license, it is a bit "under probation". For every act of reckless behaviour with a car (provided you get caught for by the police) you lose a point, maybe even more if it is really bad - after you've lost 3 point you'll lose your license. I am sure that it goes on until 5 years after you passed your examination, and I even think it counts until you're 23 (figures, not allowed to drive until you're 18 ). No exceptions in sexes is made though Luckily, I mean, everybody is supposed to drive in a conscious manner!

And Mathor, that sucks.

[Virgil]

A dapper man in a tuxedo = cool.

feeding the stereotype? Which stereotype? that handsome men dressing nicely in a nice car is pleasing to the eye??? I'm not sure that's a stereotype, more of a fact.

Oh don't tell me you've never seen all those James Bond car scenes. Check these out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pEt5UriB7A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRmyYm07UoY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zBbLFevW1s (in this one he actually takes the wheel from a woman )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ4def7VhMI (a cool mix of scenes)

I think every movie may have had one.

Why do you always bring it down to men vs. women? Your statement is pretty stereotypical isn't it? Isn't it true that men who make a lot of money tend to be confident smart go-getters? Why wouldn't a woman be attracted to those qualities, why do you assume it's just about the money?

You asked the question:

what is it about guys and cars?

Inherent to the question is a gender catagorizing. But really I think I've also said that it's not just men who drive ths way.

The statistic here is that the vast majority of car crashes are caused by young men between 18-25. They are also behind a majority of the car related killings, just yesterday a 29 year old mother and her two children because some idiot was driving inbetween cars on the highway to go as fast as he could.

That is absolutely true in the US and I believe it is a world wide phenomena. I have advocated raising the driving age for the longest time. I couldn't find any statistics on women drivers, but I bet that young women drivers have more accidents than older women drivers. There is a huge correlation of age and car accidents. I remember when I first drove and once I over came fears I think I became more dangerous. I think God for not getting into an accident (other than a fender bender) though there were a few that were close calls.

[papayahed]

Inherent to the question is a gender catagorizing. But really I think I've also said that it's not just men who drive ths way.

This is ridiculous, of course genderization has to be part of the question. I'm dating the guy who drives like a maniac, I'm not concerned about woman driving like maniacs because I don't date women.

And as I explained earlier driving like a maniac to me means someone who squeels their tires off a red light, someone who thinks its funny to slam on the brakes so things go flying around the car, or someone who does donuts in gravel parking lots and throws rocks everywhere. Are you telling me your cousin does that in her shiney BMW?

Out of nowhere you brought up women being attracted to men with money and I'm just wondering what that has to do with the question.