Why cars are more than machines

psipunk.com

Recently I was reminded that a car was a mere machine, something that takes you from A to B, quickly and conveniently.

According the Urban Dictionary, the word machine is defined as the following:

"A man made gadget that performs a task to the benefit of its creator."

So the benefit there then, is to get somewhere quick, without too much hassle. I pretty sure that’s wrong though, the car may indeed have been invented to get you there quicker and more comfortable, but I do think an element of escaping the stench of overfed horse fart, or 3 hour journeys to the market to buy bread, played a significant role.

Buying Bread - pigsarms.com.au

You always remember your first car. You’ve never heard someone say anything about their first kettle, or toaster. Other than a blow-dryer, I am really having a hard time to think what gets close to a car, and honestly, nothing comes to mind, not even these new smart phones, you remember them, and if you lose them you’re angry, but that is because of what was stored on them, not because of the phone itself. In a more disturbing way, there is even a mental condition known as mechanophilia, or mechaphilia, which is a sexual attraction towards “machines” such as cars for one.

Why then do cars fall in the same category as other machines, when it’s not just another machine? How often has a car not played a significant role in your life? How often were precious memories not made where a car was involved, and dare I ask how many of us came to be in existence because of the back seat of a car? I’ve said It before, I believe cars have personality, soul, and in some lesser way, feelings. It resembles a child, it gets born, it sleeps and poops, and slowly it begins getting a personality, its own kind of uniqueness.

babycar

Cars are not born though, so they get built, have some factory faults, and then, as it ages, it starts to get a hint of its own individuality. My car for example, is a sissy. It refuses to work harder than it has to, it’s got the power, but it just refuses to climb that hill, especially when it’s hot outside. When I have passengers, it is as bumpy as an old washing machine, it’s stiff and makes me look like a complete idiot behind the wheel, alone though, it cruises like a monster and the ride is much, much smoother, but still lazy. Silly stuff, but it’s true.

You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to appreciate them too. My wife remembers the white Nissan 1400 champ bakkie* they had when she was a child, and it bring her memories that she will not trade for the world, I would go as far and bet that if the opportunity presented itself to get that specific car back one day, she would buy it, in a heartbeat, no questions asked.

www.car-specs.za.net

I had a 1981 VW Golf GL, it was still almost brand new when I had to sell it recently, the new owner got into an accident, fixed it, and forgot about it. Every time I can I still visit this car, because when I drove it, it felt alive. I could feel its pride, its willingness and eagerness to fit into this world of 5 and 6 speed gearboxes, while being quite content with only 4 gears. I could feel it radiate happiness when I washed it. It was not a car. It was alive.

en.wikipedia.org

A friend of mine had a 1984 Nissan skyline 2.0 automatic. It was slower than a snail, but the fun we had was enormous. It was a road trip to watch movies, and the car was always part of the party, it was one of the friends. Again I would also bet money that if he had an opportunity to get it back, he would give up his Fiesta ST, and be perfectly happy with this old wagon.

www.ooyyo.com

I could go on about experiences with cars and how they played a part in my life. I could be scientific and try to explain why humans add personality and human traits to inanimate objects. It’s not worth it though, because you, as someone with an interest in cars understand. It’s your mute friend, your sole confider, the only other “person” that really knows who let one rip, or how many times you picked your nose in the traffic.
*For our readers not from south Africa, the word “Bakkie” is slang, its similar to what the Americans would call a truck. Here is a picture to explain.