Saturday, September 10, 2011

A Nano on the road can tell you a lot about its owner.

A lemon yellow or shocking bright coloured one is least likely to have those nickle-coated bumber protectors (bumpers are meant to be hit and absorb the shock. Their utility lies in being broken so that they can save the rest of the machinery, the frame or engine bay for example.)

It is also likely to have itz outside rear view mirrors (ORVM) open (without being overly bothered about OVRMs being scraped by bikers).



However a nano in a "conventional car color" like metallic silver or biege or white is more likely to have those nickel coated metal bumper protectors at the front and rear. It is also more likely to have it's ORVMs folded up.(ostensibly to protect the mirrors; doesn't matter if it endangers the car & it's occupants).


It would seem that the former type is carefree, nonchalant, more at ease with itself in character. Both the Nano and the owner. While the latter would seem hesitant, withdrawn, drawing inwards protecting itself against bumps, scrapes and niggles.

It is also likely to reflect in the way these cars are driven. You are more likely to see Nano Variety of the bright plumage to be more confident and hence more aggressive in its driving style. It would careen into corners, shoot into spaces only Autorickshaws hitherto dared to scramble into. It would cut lanes, block its mightier, shinier, snobbish, brash, upmarket cousins on the road. It is neither apologetic of its smaller size and price tag nor deferential to more expensive four-wheeled representatives of shining India.

These cars are driven with pride as if declaring to the whole wide world, in just the right snobbish tone,"My owner has another car(s). I am just his inexpensive toy or his errand transport ... like a pizza delivery bike .... ugh !! a bike... nah! .. but you get the drift"


The latter i.e. the conventional car color type with the nickel-coated bumper and side protectors and the flipped in OVRMs are more likely to be have been occupied by those that have graduated from motorcycles. They are the ones Ratan Tata counted on to take his company's fortunes beyond the stratosphere when he set out to make his 'laktakiya' (1 lac) car. That is where Tata went grossly wrong. The motorcycle owner doesn't want a 'motorcycle replacement'; he wants a car. The 'bike replacement' doesn't fan his vanity. The call of aspiration isn't answered.


When family, wife, kids, peers do force him to go in for the replacement of the bike, he almost seems apologetic about considering the Nano. His car thus reflects his personality. He wants his nano to be 'car like' (the metallic dull sedan colors). He somehow can't get over his biker underpinnings (remember leg guards, saree guards, protective rainfall flaps etc.) when it comes to taking care of his nano. He probably covers all the furniture at his place with towels or other old sheets. He probably doesn't throw away any plastic bags. He is probably a great fan of recycling.

So this owner has to live with his Nano and dream of his Maruti Alto.



So there! the Nano and it's owner !!