Upon setting foot in this fine city from the land Downunder, there have been a few moments in which I have felt the need for a translator. Is a Bunny Hug a gesture of affection? A small vest put on rabbits, similar to the ones worn by pooches? Is Duo-Tang a new type of martial art?
One source of confusion that hasn’t yet found an answer (I’ve managed to clear the others up) is the astounding amount of tank-sized vehicles in this city (or perhaps in all of North America). It’s not just the volume, but who appears to be driving them and how. Many a time I’ve seen only one person inside these monstrous vehicles who don’t appear to be tradesmen/women. For having such large wheels, many drivers appear to treat them as delicate instruments, driving slowly and crawling around curbs and avoiding piles of snow and mud. Either that, or muscling their way rudely through queues and parking lots. Some of the beds are covered completely with a steel lid, rendering them useless. If people don’t have these gigantic beasts for the purpose of plowing through snow, and using the trays for carrying equipment etc, then why on earth do they have a two ton truck? They’re not environmentally friendly, and even if you don’t have a green bone in your body, they’re certainly not economically efficient. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen Soccer Mom’s back home insisting on driving massive SUV’s to cart themselves and their whining children from one fast food outlet to another. And I know that since Happy Days there has been an infatuation with all things that rev and that a man (or woman) is allowed to feel powerful and masculine by owning one of these giants. But I’m not convinced that totally explains the massive amount of them Regina streets. Anyone care to enlighten me?
