Tuesday, April 19, 2011

You Can’t Handle the Soul!

Kia Soul, that is.   I don’t know if we’re ready for those cute, little fuel-efficient cars.  There are two-seaters and four-seaters, both should save us money at pump, but I wonder when all of us will switch to the teeny, tiny car.  We’re a country of Hummers, Cadillacs and limos, on special occasions.  Can you see yourself and your family in a much smaller car?  If you have a sizable family or a few extra folks to transport, I predict there’s going to be a space problem. 
Manufacturers may need to bump up the towing capacity so that I can attach a cargo trailer to my vehicle, should I decide to purchase a tiny car.  Even now, I find it hard to leave my two-ton purse behind.  It includes tissues for messy sneezes, my ancient cell phone, coupons, hand sanitizer, lotion—the list is endless!  I also have room for an umbrella, if needed.  My vehicle is not much different—more tissues, spectator chairs for sports, books, my wedding dress (long story) and, of course to be fully prepared, I drive around with several jackets and coats per child.   
I feel that a roomy vehicle is a necessity.  I’m sure it’s just me, but occasionally when I see a little car in traffic, I expect to see one pulled alongside of the road with a parade of passengers sporting red noses and floppy shoes tumbling out.  Obviously, I need a new perspective on the smaller fuel-saving cars.  I believe that change is coming, just like the possibility of steeper gas prices.  Will costs go as high as five dollars a gallon?  Are you feeling like a hostage of the oil industry yet?   
Here’s a video that may offer you confidence in the technology of the future. 




If I can get horsepower and save money, perhaps I’ll sacrifice storage space and keep the kids coats elsewhere.  Maybe, in addition to the Scions, Cubes and MINIs, a sixty-battery electric car is the way to go!
I believe we have difficulty switching to a tiny car because we equate the kind of car we drive with how we want others to perceive us.   Perhaps we behave as though our vehicle is a tangible representation of our status. Barring temporary things like cars, houses and a career, what makes you feel successful in life?  

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wedding dress???? .....I like to have a bit more metal around me whether it's giving me a false sense of security or not! (I've seen how even "bigger" cars crumple during crashes, but then what happens to those tiny cars?)

Bethanie said...

I assume they remembered to cover the safety issues.