Friday 9 August 2013

Friday Five: Automobile Personality

Over the past three weeks, as I have caught the bus to work, I have had ample opportunity to gaze out of the windows at Canberra’s cars. I like looking at the stickers people put on their cars, as I find it’s a way in which they identify themselves by declaring their allegiances. By affixing a sticker to a car window, you are displaying your affiliation in much the same way as you might wear a slogan t-shirt.

Similarly, we used to write lyrics and band names on our exercise books at school when we wanted people to notice how cool we were. It was easier than having to articulate it, which we were probably unable to anyway. Some people brand their flesh with tattoos for the same reason. Anyway, a car sticker is a cheaper and less permanent way of telling people what you like without actually having to talk to anyone. This is what I found in Canberra:

5 Car Stickers:
  1. A set of Stars Wars stick family transfers - Han Solo and Princess Leia adults with baby Yoda and Chewbacca
  2. Husqvarna Racing (on a black Holden ute) and a World Rally Championships
  3. Canberra Raiders (rugby league)
  4. The Batman symbol
  5. Thredbo Ski Resort
I also saw a couple of 'give blood' stickers, but as these were in the Red Cross House carpark, I didn't think they were necessarily representative of society.

So based on my totally non-scientific survey, I would have to conclude that the populace of Canberra are obsessed with vehicles, keen on sports, family orientated and a little bit geeky. You'd hardly have to live here a year to figure that one out...