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[ # ] Leaning
October 19th, 2007 under Los Angeles

So I was in my vehicle yesterday waiting to turn left. I glanced over at the cars turning right onto the street I was on. It’s a normal Valley street. Big intersections, plenty of room. There are advantages to living in the quintessential post-War environment. 1950s car were big and so our streets are wide.

This 1953 Studebaker, for example, was 20 feet long. And it’s a coupe. My FJ, just for comparison, is about 15 feet long. A Prius is about 14 feet. Big cars of the 50s meant big streets. Frank Lloyd Wright said we needed it, you know.

Anyway, I was watching these folks turn right and I noticed they were all leaning over as the turned. How odd, I thought. Then I turned left and realized that I, too, had leaned. Not as much as the people I was watching, but I still leaned.

Now, while I’m sure we all like to keep our equilibrium, it got me to thinking…how important is it to stay upright at all times? It’s not like you’re going to fall over in the car. And, really, if you are going to fall over in the car, you have a lot more to worry about the simple uprightness.

So, here’s the question–are you a car leaner? If so, why? Be honest and share out in comments.

Read the Comments

[ # 1181 ] Comment from Suzanne [October 20, 2007, 10:06 am]

I’ll try to pay attention for the next few days and get back to you.

[ # 1182 ] Comment from The Misanthrope [October 20, 2007, 2:20 pm]

One day I noticed how all the people were leaning as we were winding our way up a freeway on ramp, so I decided to lean the opposite way since I didn’t want to look nor do what everyone else was doing. I told this to the photographer at our local newspaper and he thought that was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. I still lean the opposite way.

[ # 1183 ] Comment from Deborah [October 20, 2007, 11:17 pm]

These days I am the passenger more than driver and no, I do not lean. Mom was always afraid we’d fall out of cars so while locking doors–she’d remind us not to lean on them. The messages stuck.

[ # 1184 ] Comment from chapin [October 21, 2007, 10:04 am]

I did a bit of driving yesterday. I am reporting that I do not lean when I turn. I think I was paying close attention to not lean so this might mess up the data collection. Do you have a control group to compare us with?

[ # 1185 ] Comment from weese [October 22, 2007, 9:29 am]

As Suzanne said… I too will do some research. but I also agree with Chapin that we need a control group – perhaps a double blind.
this could involve lawn chairs and cooler sitting next to a well travelled intersection.

[ # 1186 ] Comment from sporks [October 22, 2007, 9:46 am]

Well, Chapin’s comments had me scratching my head yesterday, but thanks to Weese, I now have a solution. I propose Sunset Blvd. and the Pacific Coast Highway (once the fires go out). Meet me there, in say…late March. SoCal is lovely then. Who’s in? I’ll bring the lawn chairs.

[ # 1191 ] Comment from chapin [October 22, 2007, 4:08 pm]

I love your idea Sporks. PCH is indeed an awesome place to gather data. I don’t know if we can make it out there so we might have to do our data collection closer to home. However, late March is not very nice in this foot of the forest so it might have to wait until early May. We could gather data from around the globe. Anyone got t-shirt ideas?

[ # 1193 ] Comment from admin [October 22, 2007, 4:36 pm]

May is good. PCH at Sunset Blvd. We can eat at Gladstone’s after.

T-shirts…now, there’s a thought!

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