Thank god for consumerism. We all know that we could keep driving that old car of ours for......maybe forever. Especially if it were made in Japan (sorry). But we want the latest and greatest thing. We want the new iPhone even though a newer iPhone is just another few short months away.
But it's our willingness to buy a big-ticket item like a motor vehicle that keeps this economy humming. Those of you working at a fast food restaurant, where you do real work that actually provides a service people need, well, you might not be able to afford a new car. But hang in there. Maybe India will build a $500 electric car. Who knows.
A recent event sponsored by the Automotive Press Association in Detroit tried to answer the following question: Why are young people putting off getting a driver's license. My niece is almost 20 years old and last night my sister had to drive her to a night college class. My sister sat in her car during the 3-hour class and watched movies and hoped she wouldn't run down her car battery. I assured her that most colleges offer free-jumps for stalled students.
The study showed that young people were too busy to drive. What? Too busy? The study showed that young people were too poor to drive. OK, we're getting closer. The study showed that young people were too scared to drive.
Now we're getting somewhere. After all, traffic is worse than ever. Or is it? With unemployment up aren't there fewer commuters? And what about the safety of cars? Young people want to drive smaller cars but they don't want to be swallowed up by Mr. Small Johnson in his giant pickup truck. Cars have more safety features than ever, but young people surveyed said they indeed fear driving.
I think the real point is that these young people are just scared by the world in general. Not just driving, but going outside, interacting with others. Drive downtown to a concert? Only if it's in the daytime. The constant input these young people have received from the Internet has them shown just how crazy this world is. Everyday they are reminded about the nutjobs and psychos that are out there, just waiting. So they stay home and keep reading the Internet, or texting their friends. I'm here to remind them that the rest of the world is just as scared as they are. So get your driver's license. And demand the return of the drive-in theatre. Nothing is safer than sitting in a parked car watching a movie. Ask my sister. It's also the best place to make out. I hope they're not afraid of that.