Being treated differently because of your car / bike

We all felt bad and humiliated at that moment, and stopped going to that drive-in restaurant altogether.

BHPian TrackDay recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Have you ever been the victim of a particular treatment because of the car/bike you ride? Regardless of race or gender, one might face issues due to their ride. There are plenty of instance where bike riders have been flagged down, despite having proper documents and riding gear while riding safe. Their only fault - expensive bikes. Similarly imagine driving an Omni in a posh neighborhood and your most likely to be identified as some kind of kidnapper! Seems like there is always a hidden rule of understanding within our society for each road and locality. It can be driving an expensive sports car/bike in a middle class town road and your termed as brash whereas do the same with an entry level car/moped in a posh locality and folks over there will look down on you.

Treatment can also stem from other vehicles on the road. Do you gain the same experience from other motorist when you drive a Swift as compared to say something like a Fortuner? My experience with rides have been whenever I go to a premium place like a Jewelry shop or say a 5 star hotel. If I take the expensive car in the house, the security will allow me to park in the front, whereas if it is the cheaper hatchback, I am always guided to the parking lot a bit away. Do share your views and experiences on this matter.

Here's what BHPian aravind.anand had to say on the matter:

I remember a drive-in at my hometown Coimbatore. We were quite regular there, and towards the end of the century - about 1999-2001, when the more stylish and up-market Lancers, Opel Astras, Ford Escorts had started to appear and suddenly the Maruti 800 my dad had was looked down upon. We were served water in glass tumblers while the upper-class cars had 'thermocol' tumblers - plastic and paper cups hadn't made their appearance I presume

And on weekends, when the place was getting crowded, once the security did not allow us inside citing that the place was full, and just when we were reversing out, a Lancer (IIRC) was allowed inside. My father lost his cool, he walked back to the gate and created a scene there. We all felt bad and humiliated at that moment, and stopped going to that drive-in restaurant altogether.

Here's what BHPian MSC had to say on the matter:

I have not faced much difference on the road. However, this partiality was seen at an unexpected place - at a Hyundai service station.

Until last summer, my daily drive used to be a 17-year old Santro Xing. I replaced the Xing with a Venue last summer and extended my Hyundai family with a Creta at the time of Diwali. (Both the siblings being the top of line SX-optional variants).

Earlier, when I used to go for service or any repairs, the service advisors, despite being free, would scamper away, as if trying to avoid getting involved with a 17-year old small and long discontinued car. Its not of their interest if you are a one day old customer or a 17-year old veteran. I needed to catch hold of someone despite having an appointment. Most of them would be shying away. But when I changed my car, first the smaller Venue and then followed with the bigger Creta, I literally was able to see the same service advisors running towards the car asking for details of the jobs to be carried out.

Its the norm I think every where. Bigger your car, bigger person you are expected to be and hence receive extra pampering.

Here's what BHPian Jeroen had to say on the matter:

I would say there is also a considerable cultural component in this.

When we lived in the USA and I would stop with my Jaguar X308 to get petrol, almost always, somebody would walk over and compliment me, ask me questions. And it would be all kinds of people. In the USA, if somebody has a nice car, or a nice house, you compliment them and think about what you need to do, to get one yourself

Here in the Netherlands and certainly in the UK, I am concerned people will scratch it intentionally if I leave it parked somewhere. And it has happened. In some countries/cultures people are incredibly small minded, to the point where they start damaging other peoples goods. Very different from the USA.

Ask any BMW driver: at a busy junction, nobody will let them pull in, and they will have found people spitting at them. For no reason other than that they own/drive a BMW.

By and large, most people here in the west are quite alright with Classic Cars. They will often feature at events in towns, markets etc. Most people enjoy looking at classic cars, even if they are not car enthusiast perse.

But there is a small group of people, who believe that either classic cars are owned by the extremely wealthy and or are extremely polluting and therefore those cars need to be damaged, scratched, spit and pooped on.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.