Friday 29 January 2010

big car, small ...

a woman in a giant double-cab truck/car thing menaced me down the highway today. I was sitting patiently behind an old lady , in the fast lane on De Waal drive, when she came right up behind me, filling up my rearview mirror completely with the huge-osity of her car. Despite the fact that she sat six feet higher than me, I could tell it was a woman as she was smoking and talking on the phone at the same time, and we all know that old saw about men and multitasking.

When a gap appeared in the lane alongside me, I moved across and the woman tanked up behind the old dear who sat steadfastly and resolutely in her lane. And I stayed parallel - so our Trucker was boxed in. She flashed, she hooted, she tried to change lanes. While I watched the performance I wondered: is that the purpose of having such a large car? To menace the other drivers.

I just can't figure it out. People here drive cars big enough to lead armies into war. A full size hummer was at the petrol station yesterday - taking up two lanes and two pumps and two attendants. And when he left, he didn't tip either of them.

It used to be said that the size of a man's car reflected his concerns about the size of his willy. Yet more and more women are driving these monsters. Is this some sort of feminist gesture I've missed out on. My willy's as big as you wish your willy was?

Beats me. But I had the extreme pleasure of watching Truck-woman work herself up into a frenzy today when Nana wouldn't move over. So, I guess they do serve some purpose.