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I see this too, it's common sense really. The well educated, well off are the ones that can actually afford to buy all those fuel efficient cars like the Prius and other tiny death traps on wheels.
Nobody mentioned the new luxury cars you tend to see in the parking lots of those places too. So it's not all new small Econo boxes in the lots of TJ's and Starbucks.
I am a liberal, low-middle class, but not a environmentalist, and drive a big Cadillac with a V8 because to me it's safer, has a lot of room inside, is very comfortable and reliable. I truly don't think about the environment when I drive my cars, just being honest.
But I also shop at Trader Joe's sometimes, and Walmart, grub out at Crackdonalds, and drink Starbucks coffee here and there. I guess I'm not the stereotypical person that goes to those places so you can put in me in the "WTF" category in labeling.
It's the debate of : The white trash folks from Walmart vs upper middle class white folks from Trader Joe's Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I stopped reading when you said a Cadillac was "reliable." Okay I lied, I actually stopped reading when you said "Tiny death traps on wheels."
For one, any vehicle is a "death trap on wheels" however thanks to modern science and technological innovation the chance of vehicular death is vastly reduced. This is purely anecdotal but I used to volunteer with a paramedic night crew and more often than not I have seen motor vehicular accidents that resulted in the death (or permanent disability) of the driver or other occupant in an SUV/truck that was T-boned by a smaller passenger vehicle or as you eloquently refer to as "Tiny death traps on wheels." I have also seen cases where a smaller vehicle was impacted in a similar fashion however merely resulted in a few aches and pains and the usual post traumatic shock.
One reason I don't drive those small fuel efficient cars, is I have never found one that I can sit in and have clearance for my head. I am too tall to sit in them. They are just too small, for a taller man or woman to even get into. They are for little people.
I drive over to Trader Joe's or get some coffee at Starbucks I see a good amount of hybrids, mini cars, and compacts.
When I drove down to Walmart or swing by McDonalds all I see is big SUVs, trucks, and more big cars.
I was looking over at a woman in an Escalade and her 3 kids sitting inside arguing with no seat belts on. Forget how her kids are behaving, I was thinking about her $80+ fuel fill-ups. I can't even imagine spending over $100/month on gas for my Prius.
Well, if they could fix up a good older model that gets good mileage, which is what I do, for example, they could get a job as a mechanic and wouldn't be poor anymore.
If they could think through what the actual ownership cost will be for a vehicle, rather than just go by "how much a month", they could get a job as an accountant, or other financial/business professional, and again they wouldn't be poor.
I drive over to Trader Joe's or get some coffee at Starbucks I see a good amount of hybrids, mini cars, and compacts.
When I drove down to Walmart or swing by McDonalds all I see is big SUVs, trucks, and more big cars.
I was looking over at a woman in an Escalade and her 3 kids sitting inside arguing with no seat belts on. Forget how her kids are behaving, I was thinking about her $80+ fuel fill-ups. I can't even imagine spending over $100/month on gas for my Prius.
Fuel efficient cars suitable for a family are pretty expensive to own as well as to repair. More complicated setups require more expertise.
In addition, they are less useful for a poor family seeking to stock up at Wal-mart or haul a large crowd.
Balancing it out, poor families don't do a lot of traveling, stay pretty close, and with the lower mileage, higher gas prices are usually less of a problem.
Why do you ASSume that people who patronize WalMart and McDonald's are poor?
Wal-Mart certainly has its share of poor customers, although more affluent types certainly go there too.
Wal-Mart has decent prices, and a large selection in many different departments, making the store a good place to do one-stop shopping. An opportunity to save money, not just on the purchases but on the gasoline money it takes to get there.
Starbucks, on the other hand, is rather frivolous for people with a low budget. A cup of Chase and Sanborn at home is only a fraction of the cost of vente capuccino at Starbucks.
Is it only purchasing a car in cash with what one can gather from the couch cushions?
Is it below a certain annual salary?
It it below a certain credit score?
Only being able to afford a certain payment?
I would love to own a fuel efficient car instead of my 13 mpg car. I just cant afford to buy a car at this time. My car is due for a smog this fall & if I fail I may retire the car through the state & receive 1000.00 for my car. I am not sure what I will be doing. Gas is not cheap in ca (nothing is).
I would love to own a fuel efficient car instead of my 13 mpg car. I just cant afford to buy a car at this time. My car is due for a smog this fall & if I fail I may retire the car through the state & receive 1000.00 for my car. I am not sure what I will be doing. Gas is not cheap in ca (nothing is).
That's just isn't true. I see cheap $500-1000 old Hondas or Nissan Sentras that gets 28-35mpgs.
I drive over to Trader Joe's or get some coffee at Starbucks I see a good amount of hybrids, mini cars, and compacts.
When I drove down to Walmart or swing by McDonalds all I see is big SUVs, trucks, and more big cars.
I was looking over at a woman in an Escalade and her 3 kids sitting inside arguing with no seat belts on. Forget how her kids are behaving, I was thinking about her $80+ fuel fill-ups. I can't even imagine spending over $100/month on gas for my Prius.
For all you can tell she may have a sugar daddy.
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