A two-hour ride along Alabama interstate highways can certainly be an entertaining event — especially if you pay attention to the “upgrades” on vehicles along the way.
Just last weekend, I had the opportunity to be on the roads and witnessed many interesting sites.
To start with, I want to make it clear that I don’t include vanity tags or even front-bumper tags unusual or crazy when it comes to adding things to vehicles. I, myself, have a vanity tag and even have the name of my favorite college football team on a tag on the front of my car. That, of course, is perfectly fine and doesn’t draw an unusual amount of attention to any vehicle. Even the Mickey Mouse antenna topper I have is probably only noticeable to me because it’s so small.
But some folks have a little more desire to “pimp” their vehicles — for whatever reason. When spinning rims, lift kids, oversized tires and wheels and strange paint are added to a 1973 Impala, you can bet someone is trying to get some attention.
Let’s take the minivan and consider decking it out — at least in our minds. I, myself, have owned a minivan and I can honestly say that I never once thought about adding 20-inch wheels, spinning rims, a lift kit or blackout lights on my ride.
Somehow, riding around a toddler sitting in a car seat in such a vehicle never seemed appropriate. I could be wrong or I could have a strange way of looking at things like that.
On that ride this week, I did, however, see just such a vehicle — a minivan in such a state of upgrades that it was barely recognizable.
As the vehicle passed me on the road I didn’t think too much about it until it had completely gone around me and maneuvered it’s way back into the lane in front of me where I clearly read the make and model and realized it was just like my minivan — well, not just like mine, but a minivan none-the-less.
Yep, bright orange metallic-flaked paint, raised rear-end, additional “look at me” parts along the back bumper, larger-than-required wheels and some seriously tinted windows.
This vehicle didn’t have any special logos, insignias or brand names painted on which let me know it wasn’t a vehicle used to advertise a product, service or event. I can only assume it was being driven by a regular person.
I’m not sure what point the owner of the minivan was trying to make. Maybe they weren’t trying to make any point at all except to liven up the drive. Thinking about it now, maybe I should have decked out my minivan. I may have kept it a little longer if I had.