[AKSarkar1]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Similarly imagine driving an Omni in a posh neighborhood and your most likely to be identified as some kind of kidnapper!

I have been guilty of this as a kid. I used to scamper along when I saw an Omni, especially with tinted glasses.

Originally Posted by TrackDay

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.

Also agree with this 100%. I think this is the general mindset when it comes to 'posh' places in India, more so the case in larger cities. I remember back in the day when my family and I weren't able to afford larger/bigger brand cars, our cars would always be tucked away in the corner of the parking lot. Therefore now when one sees their car in front of such an establishment, it is a petty trophy I guess.

Car discrimination is definitely more evident in India, IMHO. Larger cars like SUVs or foreign marques (e.g. Germans) command much more attention and respect on the road. You can evidently see people stopping to give you way or not attempting to cut you off. Boon in disguise? Funnily enough, auto drivers or others who probably can't even spell Mercedes yet respect such brands.

Discrimination can also happen for politically or government-affiliated vehicles, people tend to pay more respect on the road for such cars. Autos don't cut them off and people generally try not to anger the people in such cars.

For fellow BHPians living in Mumbai, Palladium mall is one of the best examples. You will see something like a Maruti Ciaz with government stickers belonging to a high-ranking BMC/Police official parked in prime slots alongside Maybachs and Mercs. Therefore, I don't think people discriminate on the basis of cars. People discriminate on the basis of 'who' is driving the car.

[Torq]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Two time Nano owner.

I was waiting for THIS!

In early days when I drove my mom's nano for all consultation visits, the GP's and the patients alike used to judge and discriminate. Found out the hard way. Thereafter got a new hatch in six months and kept alternating between dad's and bro's cars every month.

Well, such is life!

[prasanna_indaje]

Not sure if these incidents qualify as discriminations, but all these happened when they were least expected (In a Nexa showrooms, while buying SCross 1.6)

• Went to the showroom in normal attire by walk and requested for test drive, the full suit clad SA said "Sir ! No walk in test drives, you need to booking in advance". Highlighted the empty showroom, free staff and free TD car, he was unmoved from his stance. I walked out.
  
• I booked car from another Nexa in Bangalore and visited showroom to handover SX4 that was being traded in. Asked for some assistance - The manager said "Wait for the test drive. Its a Sunday and we have may other potential customers ". I had to explain him the reason for me being there and with a little change of attitude, he assigned someone after 30 minutes.
  
• I visited the same showroom on my TB500 after a week to give some documentation and the watchman did not allow me park my bike in the showroom premises. Reason being "only cars allowed !" and he wanted me to park the bike in a bank building opposite side.

These issues were more of person specific. A good customer facing person can prioritize without being judgmental based on appearance and without offending anyone.

[amol4184]

Your ride's perceived image definitely matters, regardless of the price of the said ride.

Pull up in a 12L Thar and see the difference v/s in a 12L Ciaz or i20.

I went to RE showroom in my Kwid on first visit and sales people were nonchalant. A few months later we went to same dealer in Thar and sales people were excited to talk and eager to show around. One of them even asked about the car.

While example mentioned in OP is bit extreme IMO, I am certain that the vehicle you drive makes difference in how you get treated.

[V4D3R]

This thread made me smile because I can relate to it 100%

I’ve had first-hand experience of discrimination as well as the flip side over 3 periods in time:

1996 - My father had taken possession of my late uncle’s Fiat Millicento (“Dukkar” Fiat) and had gotten it transported from Mumbai to Delhi for our use. We were staying in a large apartment complex in the Kalkaji area of Delhi, which, if you know your demographics, is what you would call “Immigrant Central”. Not a single neighbour acknowledged our presence - not even their kids bothered playing with us in the park in the middle of the complex. That all changed on 17 December 1997 - After a year and a half of struggle with the Fiat (maintenance was becoming an issue because of its age), we sold it for scrap and drove home a (then) just-launched Maruti Suzuki 800 in probably the Maroon-est shade of Maroon you could see on the roads then. The result? - Instant acknowledgement from neighbours about our existence, their kids started playing with my sister and me, the families started interacting, yada yada yada… For someone not used to such a sea change based on material possessions, it naturally came as a shock to my family.

2009 - I had just received my driving license in August 2009 in Mumbai, and was beginning to drive regularly. My chariot of choice? (read: the beater that I was “allowed” to drive by dad) - The very same Maroon Maruti Suzuki 800 from the paragraph above! As with any new driver, I had L-plates prominently displayed on the front and rear windshield. As with any L-plate adorned vehicle, you are treated as a third-class cretin on the road, and I was not surprised to be at the receiving end of many an unnecessary “honk”, just because of the perception that L-plate drivers are terrible drivers.

2013 - I had just finished the last of my engineering exams, and was driving my friend’s first-generation Toyota Innova back from Pune to Mumbai with him. Now, this was the first time I was driving such a large car, but the experience was quite normal, as the Innova has almost car-like dynamics as opposed to the typical MUV/MPV/SUV-like dynamics, given its size. This was my first experience of “Size does matter… on the road.” Traffic calmly made way for the Innova, and we reached Mumbai unscathed - Probably because people on the road were wary of the Innova’s size.

Late 2010’s (probably 2017) - I got to drive my uncle’s Mercedes-Benz E220d LWB on Hyderabad’s Outer Ring Road. This was a real treat, and other vehicles gave me a W-I-D-E berth, no doubt wary that if they make contact, it’s going to be an expensive payout from their pockets.

[giri1.8]

Ironically, most respect I ever got was on a white Tata Sumo with Tints. No one wanted to mess with that bulk piece of metal! While waiting in a queue for paying parking charges at a mall, one guy behind me was honking furiously as the line was moving slowly, I just opened my door just to have a look at that idiot, guess what, he went silent I didn't even get down from my car.

Looks like respect arises out of fear for most people, hence cars/bikes associated with money and power always get better treatment. Getting disrespected in a nano? Dark tints with some party flag or some stickers should do the trick.

Frankly though, I don't bother about this much, as this is just the way human mind works.

[NiInJa]

My wife's close friend shifted from Bangalore to Chandigarh 9 years ago and they took their i10 with them. They rented a place in a posh gated community of Bunglows with none owning a small car (I saw it myself when we visited her). I will not generalize her comment but she did say that people look at you in a different way when you take your small car out. It is subtle but you will understand when it happens.

I own a White Ertiga and this has happened twice so far: I am driving with my parents/relatives sitting in the back, the police have stopped me and asked me for taxi related documents only to tell them that I own it and it is a private vehicle (then, they look at the number plate). Plus, the tone of their voice before I reveal the details is that of talking to a low-life cab driver. It is irritating, but I don't care

[kadanaJ]

This perception very much exists, but I believe in using it to one's advantage.

Don't know how much this hold true, but I have heard this saying.

"When you go somewhere as a seller, take the most expensive car you own. When you go somewhere as a buyer, take the cheapest car you own".

[PioneerNB]

I would leave it to automotive lingo. Pre-owned versus used cars.. Discrimination is everywhere even in the auto industry.
If it's a costly vehicle we always use "pre-owned/ pre-worshipped" and if it's cheap it's always "used"..

Cars are big status magnets better you have more respect you get from family friends and surrounding.

Heck! cops don't even bother stopping BMWs and Mercs in Pune because they know that one phone call can change their life..while a rule abiding mortal with a good car is harrased for documents to doormats..

[FloatingCanvas]

The very first instance of this happened during the car purchase itself.

We bought the 3rd Nano in Bangalore from Concorde motors in 2009. During negotiations for some additional freebies like floor mats or perfume, the sales rep smugly told us, "If you were buying a Safari, we'd consider something. Not for just a Nano."

I wanted to walk out of the showroom but Dad was insistent on completing the purchase.

Ironically, being one of the earliest Nanos in the city, the kind of attention the car attracted was unbelievable. At every stoplight and parking spot, more than a few people would come to enquire about the price, performance and most importantly, "kitna deti hai".

Funnily enough, no one believed it cost Rs. 2.1 Lacs on road since they expected a Rs. 1 lac vehicle. And the mileage of 18kmpl in city was apparently way too low. Most seemed to expect 30+ I guess..

And NO ONE moved out of the way on the road, especially with the pitiful stock horn. Had to upgrade to Hella dual horns for people to even acknowledge it as a car.

Despite everything, I love the car to bits for city runs. It is physically tougher to drive at crawl speeds than my i20 Elite, but way less stressful because of the small footprint. I always pick the Nano over the i20 for running errands under 10km.

[R_Gowardhan]

Once. While driving a relative's Maruti 800 in Mumbai on Eastern express highway driving at 70KMPH, I had an SUV cut me off very sharply. I dismissed it thinking it might be just an exception u till there was another car do the same, then a bike, then a bus and it kept on happening very frequently. I had no choice but to slow down as sudden braking was never the 800 forte.

I still thought that it might be more of a feeling as the seating of that car is very low and the all round visibility is extremely good. However, I confirmed that it was more to do with Car "racism" when I was cut in a line by multiple vehicles from both directions waiting in the line at the toll booth.

Felt really bad about it and hence I am particularly very conscious of the distance when I overtake slower cars.

[am1m]

A certain amount of positive attention when you're on a great bike or car is understandable (and very welcome!)

But a complete change in attitude because of what you drive is unfortunate. But it is also the reality. Must be more or less the same everywhere, but here especially, it's undeniable. We're just a very 'status' driven society. We're just one generation removed from when owning a car itself was a very big deal, so will probably take some time before that mindset changes.

I see it as a positive, a good way to weed out the people who shouldn't matter in your life. If someone changes their attitude to you completely because of what you own, then that person is someone you really shouldn't waste too much time and energy on. Keep them as acquaintances, never consider them friends. I have a bunch of buddies from college. We knew each other from the times when we didn't have enough money between us to buy a full pack of cigarettes. Now, 25 years later, it doesn't matter where we are, how much we earn, what we drive, what our designations are (and some of those guys have gone pretty far and high up) we're going to always treat each other the same when we meet or call each other. Ambition is great, but as long as you are secure in your mind, you shouldn't derive most of your self-worth from what you own (or in the case of a high-maintenance exotic, what owns you!)

[travelling owl]

My friend was once planning to purchase an apartment, so we were going around Bangalore in search of new and upcoming projects. To make it quicker, we went on bike. Trust me, the kind of treatment we received was pathetic, lot of sales guys were not interested to talk to us. Some of the builder's offices refused to even share marketing brochure with us. This was kind of a good differentiator, we were finalising the ones which talked to us well and answered all our queries against the ones which differentiated against us because we were on bikes!

[msnarain]

I see this thread has touched a nerve across the community. I can relate to this as well!

An incident with Kun BMW, Chennai is most fresh in my memory.

They religiously followed up with me after I booked a test drive. They enquired about my current car and I never heard back from them again. I have strong suspicion they stopped following up because I currently drive a Honda Brio. :shrugs:

A tangent on this is how luxury hotels are motorbike-averse. They make you park your motorbike in the dingy, employee parking zone and make you walk a long way to the lobby. (You actually feel sorry for the employees and wished they got better parking space for their prized bikes.)

The last time I visited Intercontinental Chennai on our breakfast ride with my wife, we were made to park our Triumph in a dingy corner next to the trash collection area. I have had similar experience in Westin Mumbai as well. At least the security guy there was apologetic (and empathetic) to my condition and ensured I got a nice, quiet, shady spot to park my superbike. He kept insisting apologetically that he was only following processes set and even refused a handsome tip.

[laser2707]

Let me give you an instance of reverse discrimination (if you can call it that). I was working in Gurgaon & my family in Mumbai. During the Diwali break due to work pressures, I was unable to join them in Mumbai.

So I decided to have some fun by myself and rented a Nano Twist XT from Myles. Boy, that car was a hoot to drive with the AC off. I must have criss-crossed NCR at least four times during the 48 hrs I had the car with me.

One of those evenings I was returning to Gurgaon and negotiating heavy traffic opposite IIT. Thanks to the Nano's nimbleness, I was able to weave through traffic like an auto-rickshaw. One such victim of mine, who I slipped past was a guy in a big, shiny new Bimmer 5. The poor soul just could not take the affront. So he gave chase!

On the congested Delhi road the Bimmer stood no chance against the Nano. It was like Kylian Mbappe dancing around a leaden footed defender. In no time I had left him far behind. Couldn't even spot him in the rear-view mirror. To this day I wonder how many expletives he must have sent my way typical Dilli ishtyle!!!