It is 6:30 AM and my trusty co-pilot was with me as well drove the daily 35 mile trip in to downtown Dallas. As we approached the entrance to the HOV lane we started our typical morning debate, were “they” ahead of us or behind us?
“They” in this case is a Chevrolet Aveo stacked to the gills with 5 adults that consistently backs up the 65 mph HOV lane by chugging along at 45 mph, bouncing and swaying always on the edge of control. The decision is crucial, if we are behind the Aveo, then you can safely add 15 minutes to our commute and start out the day behind. If we are ahead, there is time get a quick cup of coffe and start the day out right.
HOV lanes are necessity in the DFW area, if they are used as intended, they only one allowed to use them are motorcycles, and four wheeled vehicles with 2 or more passengers. This keeps the lanes relatively clear of jam-ups and makes the commute consistent. That “if” however is a big one. In the case of the Aveo it is forever burned into my brain as that slow moving overloaded car, simply wasting everybody's time.
The tell tail trail of the red brake lights ahead told the story, we were simply too late “they” were ahead of us. So we were regulated to the rest of the commuting world and left to bob and weave all the way downtown. Bobbing in and out of traffic is an understatement as we found out. They used to say the difference between a porcupine and Porsche was a porcupine had it's pricks on the outside. In this case this morning a BMW 3 series could have lived up to that billing. Darting back and forth changing lanes all of the way being a public nuisance and endangering all near him, his endless darting in and out proved futile as he progressed a mere 300 feet over the next 15 miles.
Sure enough, after a while we passed the trusty Aveo plodding along in the HOV lane, the overloaded springs groaning with each bump, our gamble had paid off!
As we approached downtown, a new SUV with a lone occupant merged out of the HOV lane in to traffic, a clear violation of the HOV occupancy rules. Not really fair or legal, but it happens all of the time down here. The commute from there on out was fairly uneventful until I arrived near work.
Until a huge Chrysler 300 pulled up with 24 inch rims sporting enough dark tint to conceal any illicit activities from our public defenders. Pounding enough bass from the Gangster Rap to wake to in the nearby cemetery, he made his presence known to both the living and the dead. All at 7:00 AM.
Down and into the underground garage we went, safe in the cocoon 4 floors deep. As we parked, I looked over and saw the Lexus SUV that stole a ride in the HOV lane sitting just a few spaces away. As we walked to the elevator a well dressed woman exited the Lexus and joined us in the elevator. My co-pilot just happen to ask “didn’t I see you in the HOV this morning” She smiled and said why yes. He then mentioned he didn't see a passenger, and remarked that might have been the original purpose of the lanes in the first place. Her response was quite smug and sharp when she said, “Well my car is a hybrid, so those rules don’t apply to me”
So what did my morning commute show me? Maybe you can judge a book by its cover, or better yet said, can you judge a person by the car they drive?
So the question to you my friends is, what type individuals you associate with a marque?
Have fun, but be forewarned, I will be monitoring the quite closely so if you get out of hand expect to never be seen here again.