Car culture differences between Europe and America

by Simon 59 Replies latest social current

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  Simon

  Europeans and Americans seem to have very different culture when it comes to cars which automobiles being much more enshrined in American culture (I'll ignore the obvious oxymoron joke ).

  For instance, off the top of my head I can think of quite a few references to cars in songs or just driving but they are always American songs and cars. No one sang much about Moris Minors or Hilman Imps I guess and getting kicks on Route 66 sounds so much more impressive than the services on the M6.

  Likewise with films, cars feature in American films but hardly ever in British ones (Ok, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the double-decker bus in Summer Holiday are the exceptions).

  Does this explain the different attitudes toward cars on each continent?

  For Europeans cars are more of a means of transporation whereas for Americans they are deeply cultural and almost a way of life ...
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  Dagney

  Hilman Imps

  Awww...my family had a Hilman Minx.(sniff) Haven't thought about that in years.

  Absolutely, the culture is so different. Driving is used where they cannot use public transporation, so it seems. Europeans cannot even believe when they come to our area they cannot get to wherever they want to go without a car.
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  snowbird

  American culture (I'll ignore the obvious oxymoron joke ).

  What 'cha talkin' bout, Simon?

  Yes, autos are a status symbol in the good ol' USA. In most subdivisions, a two-car garage is a must.

  Sylvia
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  BurnTheShips

  Does this explain the different attitudes toward cars on each continent?

  Yeah. We LOVE cars here. A lot of people spend more on their vehicle than on their home.

  BTS
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  Simon

  Europeans cannot even believe when they come to our area they cannot get to wherever they want to go without a car.

  That amazes me here ... I guess part of the problem is the size but you'll find it hard for instance to get to Calgary on public transport from local communities even just 20km away - there are very few or no regular buses (although they do have a long-distance / greyhound bus service).

  I worked with a few guys from Holland and they were bemoaning the fact that you just couldn't walk many places.

  So again, because society has been more heavily based around driving it makes it that much harder to stop being dependent on it.
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  BurnTheShips

  Cars are an expression of subculture here.

  Mexican American:

  Afro-American

  Southern White:

  Etc.

  BTS
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  SacrificialLoon

  I was reading something one day on the differences between the average American and European cars.
  
  the average size of the the engine in a European car was something like 1.6 or 1.8L, while the average American car was 3.5L. Over half of European cars are diesel, while something like 1% of American cars are diesel. Average mpg was 35 vs 25. One thing I didn't see was average distance travelled per year. It would be interesting to see total average fuel cost. I bet given all these differences that even though fuel is a lot more expensive in Europe they'd be similar.
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  hillbilly

  Simon old buddy...if you never drove around a Dairy Queen or shot your towns strip on Friday night you just would not understand?

  Did ya ever holeshot a 66 Chevelle out of a traffic light?

  I dont think words could cover it......

  Hill
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  hillbilly

  Question Simon... how did you Brits get a babe out to the "submarine races"...? Our bus service didnt go there.

  Hill
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  Satanus

  W the popularization of cars, they were a way for individuals to escape conformity, opened up a whole new arena of social interaction among teenagers *nudge, nudge*. Some preachers railed against them. Claimed they started the breakdown of the family, etc. http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/280/class/carcul.html Can you imagine james dean without his car?
  
  S