WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A HONDA"?

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A HONDA"?

Back in the 1960s, Honda's slogan was "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." Volkswagen Beetle ads proclaimed "Hello," which later inspired Chrysler to run their Neon "Hi" ads. Those were the days. That was then; this is now. Today, the emphasis is on the rugged, the tough, the macho. Out with the jellybean look; in with the industrial-mechanical look. Minivans are for mommies. Real men and women drive SUVs. Ford markets its new F-Series Super Duty trucks with the slogan, "Meet the Beast." Even the "oh, what a feeling" folks at Toyota decide its elliptical logo is too wimpy. Expect to see Toyota truck ads more prominently displaying the rugged new industrial logo you see here. All this emphasis on the aggressive has come at a price. The streets are now a little meaner. "Road rage" has become part of the American lexicon. The horn is used more as an expression of anger than as a warning device. Does this have to be? Vancouver violinist David Shih thinks not. "Why not have an option on the horn button that says I'm sorry? It can be a soft tone that let's the other driver know you acknowledge the error," said Shih to LA Car. With traffic density at an all-time high, perhaps it's time to look at ways to ease the tension. The horn may be a good starting point. Presently, there's only one sound that a car horn emits, and it's both loud and unsettling by design. A my bad option on the horn could be the start of a trend to move away from traffic aggression. Maybe we can even convince Honda to bring back its old but endearing slogan. - Roy Nakano

This article first appeared in the LA Car Blog.