Are you ever driving on the road, and drive by a Black Ford Explorer, immediately assuming it is a cop and nailing the brakes? Well you are not alone-it happens to me almost every day.
I believe that it should be a crime to acquire and drive a Black Ford Explorer, and I think we should reserve those vehicles for police and law enforcement only.
I often wonder why people buy Ford Explorers. I truly think one reason for their purchase could potentially be because they want to feel a sense of control on the roads. Perhaps they have no control at home, and want some sense of power on the roads.
It is certainly interesting how specific vehicles can evoke certain emotions within drivers. The Black Ford Explorer seems to authorize some sense of authority with its rugged design. Moreover, it is not just about the car itself, it is also how society sees the car. More generally, SUVs have become a large status symbol in the US. They represent authority, respect and success. Perhaps these drivers seem to lean into that perception, fueling their feeling of strength and authority on the road.
Those on the road driving a Ford Explorer could perhaps be regular people, large families, or commuters. Yet they could also be striking fear and anxiety on others in the road, assuming the person driving the car is a part of law enforcement.
There is such an irony about the very presence of these vehicles. While most police officers are on a harmless quest, trying to keep the roads safe, drivers have a sense of immediate panic when passed by one. The officers’ underlying intentions are to overall make the world a safer place, but regardless of that we will always connect a Black Ford Explorer with the feeling of fear and anxiety.
