Monday, September 18, 2006


Whatever Monday

This photo was taken before I was born. Notice that they all posed in front of someone's car. I'd have to get an aunt to recall either the color or who this car belonged to. Cars have been an important part of my family since before I can remember. I have a lot of car stories.

As I have been flipping through Tennessee family photos this weekend due to my grandmother's 92nd birthday this week, I noticed a lot of photos taken with cars. We were truly an All-American family. Sometimes my mother went without a new coat or new clothes, but my dad would buy a new or used car. He hauled automobile parts for the auto industry in his 18-wheeler truck (and we have a lot of photos of people standing by his trucks, too.) Cars were always important part of our livelihood as a family and our culture. My grandmother can remember getting their first car and driving wagons before that.

Anyway, I ran across this article on AOL about the significance of the color of the car you choose in your driving personality. You've probably heard it said that red cars get more attention and are caught speeding more often than other car colors. According to this article, it is your personality which would choose a red car that makes for more speeding. Also, my dad used to say it was "bad luck" to have a green car. We were racing fans and no race car driver would choose a green car. Green cars supposedly were in more wrecks. (Yes, we had a green car when I was in college that I was hit head on in on one January icy night.) Ah. Color psychology.

If you cannot choose your car color, then notice these descriptions about the colors you prefer. Maybe it says something about your personality. I know that when my four boys were little, they would sit on my husband's mother's huge front porch (in town on a fairly busy street) and play, "Color of the Cars." It is a simple game. Each person chooses a car color and when that car color comes by you "win." It certainly kept them entertained for hours, but then, in this family, we like cars. I think I could guess what color of car each of my boys would choose, and they probably do match up with these color psychology choices.

From AOL's Money and Finance page article: "What Does Your Car Color Say About Your Personality and Car Insurance Premiums?" Here is what the article says about the choices of car color:

Black cars denote an aggressive personality or someone who's an outsider or rebel.

Silver cars indicate someone who's cool, calm and slightly aloof.

Green cars can often be chosen by people with hysterical tendencies.

Yellow cars signify someone who is idealistic and novelty loving.

Blue cars are chosen by the more introspective, reflective and cautious driver.

Gray cars represent those who are calm, sober and dedicated to their work.

Red cars denote those who are full of zest, energy and drive and who think, move and talk quickly.

Pink cars
are chosen by gentle, loving and affectionate drivers.

White cars represent status-seeking extrovert drivers.

Cream cars are the least likely to be involved in accidents and denote self-contained and controlled owners.

Ok, my favorite car I've ever had was a candy apple red '69 Grande Mustang. Yes, technically it was my dad's car, but it was the car of my choice and I drove it to school. He let me sell it to use the money to go to college (and I had gotten tires for it for Christmas that year. Ah, sigh.) But the big secret? I secretly have always longed for a pink, drop-top Cadillac. (Yes, I like the song Aretha sings and love Elvis, but I'm not Mary Kay.)

So, despite what my children tell you, I am a "gentle, loving, affectionate driver."(Ha!)

What color is your car? And what color would you choose if you had a choice?

5 comments:

Terry Whalin said...

Crystal,

I had no idea you could tell so much from the color of a car. Fascinating.

Terry
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The Writing Life

Camy Tang said...

Ours is gray, and I guess it pretty much says that about me. But I really long for a bright, candy apple red convertible.
Camy

Kaye Dacus said...

Very interesting . . . I have owned two blue, three white, one red, and one green cars in my life. The only one I specifically chose the color of was the red one (a 2-door, 5-speed Pontiac Grand Am) after my white (4-door sedan) was totaled by someone who drifted into my lane and hit me head-on at 50 m.p.h.

Current car is dark green, but I bought it more for the features than the color.

Crystal Laine said...

Kaye--I was hit head-on when driving a black Suburban. I was not the one who crossed the center line! It did keep me from being mangled seriously or killed.

My Aunt Linda in the photo informs me that the car was my Grandmother's white Ford. There probably weren't many car colors back then, as now.

And yeah, Camy, candy apple red is boss! It had a 351 Cleveland engine--hot!

Terry, you and me both--I just thought a car was a car was a car, but I did always wonder about that curse of the green car. Makes sense.

This was a fun for me.

Cara Putman said...

My current car is dark green (almost black) so I guess that would mean I'm slightly hysterical and a closet rebel. But I love shiny midnight blue cars. Maybe my next one will be there.