“Cars are not for girls” – an age-old statement that has been thrown around for what seems to be forever, following the classic “sports are for boys,” as is also seen in the debate surrounding the colour blue. This notion has been imprinted into the minds of girls from the time we uttered our first word.
However, growing up around petrol engines – from my grandfather and uncle, to my dad, I slowly developed a passion for cars, writes Cape {town} Etc‘s Leigh-Ann Londt. Now I walk in the footsteps of those I never thought I would. No matter the brand, the model, how slow or how fast, cars gave me the confidence in entering what most would call “a dream come true”. My favourite shows to watch are Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and West Coast Customs to name a few. Anything car-related gives me a personal thrill, and I find this better than watching an hour-long cooking show.
The way I see it, cars are for women too. Things have changed over the years and this Women’s Day, I would like to celebrate three women in the motoring world who have inspired me to be the motoring journalist I am today for Women On Wheels. “Cars can be for boys and girls” I’d say to the person who told me this isn’t true – I worried more about buying car models to play with rather than the next barbie or Brats doll addition that entered the market.
I often enjoy Sunday drives in my 2001 Toyota 20 Valve RXI, rather than sitting at the beach to settle my soul. I prefer cruising down a beach road with mesmerising views of the ocean that just has a way of removing the stress of everyday life – “no matter how big or small, I will always achieve it all”, I always say.
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As much as I love the new cars that are constantly launched on the market, I am dedicated to my “old lady,” as I call her. This is me discovering my own voice and identity as petrol head in a world that’s filled with all things sparkly. I am living my dream in what many would call a “man’s world.” With that being said, I stand up and answer “women and young girls who aren’t fascinated with the glitz and the glam, but wants to be a race car driver instead, don’t lose sight of your goal, because we can!”
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Here are the three women who inspired me to love cars, bakkies, diesel or petrol – it’s my peace, a stress reliever, and I would not change it for anything in this world:
- Stacey-Lee May
- Super Car Blondie
- Clare Vale
Picture: Leigh-Ann Londt
