My car is aptly named "Minica." You just try to fit two average-sized humans in the back seat. Especially with the front seats adjusted so I can drive without having my knees blocking the steering wheel.
On occasion, two adventurous gaijin will smile and assure me that it is no problem, they can fit in the back just fine. This is always said before they have tried to enter the vehicle; never from someone who has already been in my back seat.
The back seat might have seat belts. Maybe. I have yet to find them. Once a friend was trying to buckle himself in using the front passenger seat belt. It is an easy mistake to make, as the front seat belts originate from behind the back seats.
Perhaps Minicas ship standard with no back seat seat belts. Sure, sensible people wear seat belts. But what sensible person would willingly get in the back seat of a Minica? No doubt that was the car makers' reasoning.
The front passenger seat definitely has an advantage for the lucky person who has won "Rock, Paper, Scissors." The glove compartment is FULL of delicious canned coffee! Cool and refreshing in Winter, toasty hot in Summer. That is my doing, sadly not a standard feature of the Minica.
However, a garbage truck like beeping whenever the car is in reverse IS a standard feature. Watch out, everyone! My raccoon sized vehicle is coming at you! Of course, people familiar with the Minica know they have no need to move due to any danger. My car could not dent an orange traffic cone. Rather, the beeping is simply a polite request to move out of the way so I can back into a parking space.
Gas mileage is wonderful (important - check those gas prices) and the car drives wonderfully! Both side mirrors fold compactly into the body of the car, and can be popped back out with no damage! This is a very useful tool as the roads here do tend to be narrow. My mirrors double as a "you are too close to the wall" alert mechanism. Imagine my surprise and relief when I first discovered this feature!
The Minica will grow on you, though, and there is no doubt how much I appreciate my car. Without it, I would be missing out on so much of this beautiful country.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
OMG it's so true. The cars are raccoon sized! I thought I would pee, I laughed so hard at that entire paragraph.
Do you speak Japanese fluently? I tried to learn it, but wasn't so successful. It's definitely one of the hardest languages to learn (with the exception of Mandarin), in my opinion.
Nomad, you had me laughing like a hyena in the library. My credibility to "shush" people is totally blown!
Can you post a picture of the minica?
please post again Nomad! We desire more funny stories and other pithy insights from your delightful point of view.
Post a Comment