What are we fighting?

I'm not a car person.  In fact any conversation over cars--car parts, car brands, new models--bores me to tears. And, if the conversation turns too pretentious, I will internally begin to cry. (Along with the fact that the person gets a black check by their name...we've covered the fact I am a bit judgmental in earlier posts.)  Even though car brands are a regional distinction--the current state I live in is BMW central, while my home state goes for a more understated Tundra Explorer Escalade.  Did I get that right?

Cars are a practical thing to me.  They get us where we are going.  They should do their best not to destroy the environment.  They should only be as big as we need them to be.  I don't derive any ego from the car I drive.  (although, I did love my one more high end performance car...it was super fun to drive, even as a station wagon.)

It is a good thing I feel this way because, I drive a minivan.  I grew up cruising around in a minivan.  I dented my first fender in my parent's minivan (and the garage, and the mirror, and someone else's fender...it was a long learning curve.)  I do not fear the minivan.

But apparently, many do.  Both of my husband's sister in laws have vowed never to drive one.  A friend on facebook recently braced her friends for the fact she was now driving one.  This was met with a long list of people wondering what had happened to her and calls for help to straighten her out.

I read once (or heard on the news) from a "car expert" that the minivan is best designed car insofar as it does what is was created to do, perfectly.  What's not to love with that description?

What's with the fear?  Is a minivan just the final push over the parenting cliff we all fear?  As we stand there in comfortable shoes, mucus and spit covered t-shirts, with a crying or wining or arguing child clinging to us; do we really think it is our practical car that signals "Not the Cool One" to the world.

Fear not, my friends.  It is only a car.