Gizmos and gadgets have stormed the vehicle market and everyone wants a piece of the ICE-pie, but how much is too much, asks Jasmine?
Since the costs of technology have plummeted, more people are choosing to pump up their in-car entertainment systems with all sorts of paraphernalia. The traditional “boy racers” are not the only ones sprouting the technology as even family saloons and big panel vans are grabbing a piece of the action. What on earth has happened to keeping your eye on the road though?
I’d just become accustomed to hearing the loud boom-boom of stereo systems at most intersections, when I started noticing that the traditional boomers (I have started identifying them with one glance) started going eerily quiet.
Of course, I thought all of their equipment was in the shop undergoing a big upgrade, and had already commissioned an extra set of heavy-duty earplugs to deal with the extra sound.
While I absolutely love having music in my car, I draw the line at being forced to listen to the (c)rap blaring from other peoples’ cars. Since closing the windows seldom does anything to ease the pounding, I use all of my telepathic powers to will the traffic lights to green, prompting the noise polluter can streak away in a cloud of smoke as my ears adjust to the quiet of the road.
Now I’ve noticed the same guys flashing their chic new onboard DVD players wherever they go. Though I think its fine to have DVD players in the back to distract the brats on long journeys, having one on your dashboard is pure lunacy.
Having someone fixated on his latest “rip” rather than on the car in front of him is rather disconcerting. I know that driving in peak traffic can sometimes be tedious, but don’t these people have homes where they can watch the latest blockbusters?
To some extent, my ears have been spared their daily abuse and my car’s been relieved of those panel-shuddering vibrations. I would prefer living with zinging ears though, than the sound of rubber hitting tar while I watch the road for myself and the driver ahead of me as he takes time out to sneak peeks at the weather via his seven-inch DVD player with a touchscreen, .
People will always bemoan peak traffic and staring at the same bumper for what seems like hours on end, but often it’s your car, or your neighbouring car’s occupants who provide the greatest “in-car” entertainment.
