Downshifting From Big to Small Car. Why People Go Crazy?

[amiti]

On Saturday had gone to see a bunglow scheme in Pune west area, and the security stopped me with my i10 and said, don't go in, its expensive, you won't be able to buy it. I don't know what is attached with these small cars that people usually don't notice your presence when you buy or travel in a small car.

After driving many good cars abroad, when I came back to India for good, I had ended up booking an octavia l&k and my friend booked laura l&k.

However my dad and I had a talk and I decided that we don,t need such an expensive car. Canceled the booking and bought an alto lxi. However found that my friend used to be very careful and most of the time he never took his car out. So it didn't make any sense to invest @18 lacs in laura that time. But for name sake he was "rich"

Today also while looking for a small car, I am considering alto k10, indica ev2 lx, or vista with abs. When I shared this with my friends they went crazy.

What is your take on this?

 

[Thetraveller]

Re: Downshifting -- from big to small car. Why people go crazy?

hmm..interesting observation but true! A car, in India (probably everywhere else) is just not a transportation vehicle but a status symbol. Over the years and disparate growth in our country, big cars have been associated with *rich* people's car image and it is not going to change. So yes, you might have money or might have expensive gadgets in your car but if it is small your not so rich.

Another theory is cars are like facade to our personality like our clothes and are psychological pointers to suggest how well to do are we

 

[jalex]

Re: Downshifting -- from big to small car. Why people go crazy?

I am called 'Sir' When I am behind the wheel of my brother-in-law's Polo or my Senior's Octavia.

I am called 'Eda oove', Malayalam for 'Hey you' or maybe its even more rude and degrading I might say, I dont really know an exact word for it and its considered disrespectful around here and they also refer to you as 'Mone' or 'Koche' which means 'Son' in English. It might sound cute, But I dont know how cute can it really be when someone much younger to yourself comes and calls you son.(Well I'm getting sick of this 'Son' word so I have now grown a mustache! Lol)

And yes, when I'm in my Alto I really get discriminated, what makes me furious is that people, anyone and everyone thinks that you are someone who doesn't know to drive and that you still only possess a leaner's licence and so start hurling instructions when you are trying to park the car somewhere tight. Once these instructions from a stranger got so annoying that I asked him to step away from the side of my car, Cause I couldn't use the left wing rear view mirror. He was standing on the left side and irritating me like hell.

 

[cooldhaya]

Re: Downshifting -- from big to small car. Why people go crazy?

Hmm very true indeed when it comes to India! See from the security's point of view guys for him a small car means not so rich and cheap , sedan means a luxurious car and rich no matter if its an Etios or a Merc , SUV means a rich and influential guy.


I also have noticed whenever i go in my Verna , friend's Vento or my Aria people call me sir but whenever we go in my friend's Spark we never get any respect from others.


Also this incident happened to me around last year. I was having a TD of Jetta and i was waiting at a place where an U-turn was not allowed. The Policeman came to me and said politely Sir you cannot make an U-turn here , please go ahead and take the next one. But he shouted at the driver of Tavera who was standing in front of me!


Also another reason i can guess is the Security was having some issues there with them , so he was trying to shoo away some potential customers!

 

[Mr.Boss]

Status is proportional to the size of car
Even I faced such situations many times. The respect I get from others when I sit behind the wheels of my brother's Civic is totally different than in Wagon-R

Crazy people.

 

[Akash]

I am yet to experience such attitude variations. I seldom drive my dad's cars though i do feel a different kind of attention being given when i am behind the civic or the elder Honda. However while driving my Alto, i never had any bitter words from anyone.

Now coming back to the main topic, even my dad had planned to so called "Downgrade" from City sedan to Jazz hatchback.

 

[ilango[speed thirst]]

i have experianced this a lot.

and akash , its not a down grade. you may be getting a jazz for city driving pleasure. instead of big sedan.

in my modded lancer , i was given superb respect.
say the petrol bunk.
they will clean my windshield.
they'll open my tank etc and will be polite.


In the sierra , they expect me to get down and open everything .
they don't even turn towards the car side . their duty , just fill up.

same bunk , same person.

So its not just big car/ small car.

 

[Akash]

In the sierra , they expect me to get down and open everything .
they don't even turn towards the car side . their duty , just fill up.

same bunk , same person.
So its not just big car/ small car.

Forget them, but you get all the respect from Auto enthusiasts for your Sierra(ofcourse i envy you).

 

[amiti]

Right ilango, its not downgrading, its downshifting. In my terms its like going for what you need and not by what others feel.

 

[Surfer]

Its all about mentality and so called show off
On a petrol pump people behaves differently whenever I was on pulsar and on Activa
Whenever I was in car they use to call Sir

 

[dodge_v1per]

dude its thinking of ppl not show off..

big car = lotsa money = rich guy!!

small car = less money = poor guy!!

 

[TSIVipul]

There are a lot of such examples of people discriminating on the basis of their car size,like:
If you are in a Safari/Scorpio,then automatically you are either a politician or a person with good powerful background or a contractor or any person earning by 2nd form(CORRUPTION).
If you are in an Innova,then you may be considered either travelling in a taxi or a businessman.
If you are in a hatchback then you are considered not-so-rich as compared to sedan owners.
If you are in a sedan then either you are a good officer or a businessman,nothing else.

Here are some of the incidents which happened to me:
1):In my Innova were going I my,father,and some relatives and our chauffeur,we were six people in the car.We were going to Badrinath,at Rishikesh we were stopped by the police and they asked the driver to show the papers.Then a nonsense lady police officer came out from nowhere and started scolding our driver.I too came out and asked what's the matter?The lady said "its a taxi,see there are seven people on total and registration plate is white not yellow".I became angry on hearing at and said "Your father bought it?that you know that its a taxi,even you yourself will be sold for buying one".RESULT:AFTER SEEING THIS HARSH ATTITUDE,SHE SAID "SORRY SIR,YOU MAY GO".
If I would have been softer in attitude then she would have ruled me over and scolded me.

2): My i10 was kissed by an Octavia from the back in the city,I came out and asked softly"Brother what is this,see you dented my car?".The Octy guy thought that I am scared of him and said "Abe chal,saale aukat me reh,tujhe teri gaadi ke saath kharid lunga aur iss mein laga dunga aag(just leave,r****al be in your limits,I'll buy you and your car both here itself and put your car on fire)"This again boiled my blood,I took out a blank paper and asked him to tell his address and contact number calmly,on seeing me calm he raised more 2 feet high and wrote his address and contact number(he dialled my number too to confirm it) and said "Ja jo kar sakta hai kar liyo(go and do whatever you can)".On the evening I took all three of my cars(My i10,Innova and Laura) and went to his place,then I asked the guy to pay my price and buy me and gave him a very tight slap in front of his parents.
Result:The guy said "bhaisahab aap bhadko mat,galti ho gayi,sorry(big brother,don't get angry.Sorry for the mistake)".

OVERALL I'D SAY THAT YOU MAY BE GOOD AT YOUR PLACE BUT OTHERS ARE REALLY A BIT TOO MUCH ARROGANT AND YES ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE SUDDENLY GOT THESE CARS AND DOES NOT DESERVE THEM.I was taught from childhood that even a rickshaw puller too deserves the respect,but those people are taught to treat other road users like they are not men,and they deserve the same treatment as I have mentioned above.

 

[mukeshus]

Well mine is a different story.

During my recent trip to Tirumala, there was a VW Passat honking the AP bus guy, who was not leaving the way.

But as soon as i overtook the Passat , by flashing the lights to the bus, he gave the way straightly.

I really got to feel the difference.

Which ever bunk i go they give me free windshield washing in the city.

 

[dodge_v1per]

Well mine is a different story.

During my recent trip to Tirumala, there was a VW Passat honking the AP bus guy, who was not leaving the way.

But as soon as i overtook the Passat , by flashing the lights to the bus, he gave the way straightly.

I really got to feel the difference.

Which ever bunk i go they give me free windshield washing in the city.

dude you know why? coz yours is SUV which is BIG car in their language. bus people dont care for us sedan owners..but they respect SUVs!!

 

[TSIVipul]

Here in north is a different story,whatever car you may be in,either they will not give way to anyone or they will give it to everyone,matters from driver to driver.
Here in NCR if you want way then you must have a beacon and hooters on your car.Whatever car it may be.