Shriners Vintage Car Parade: Men and Cars

What is it with men and cars? Where did this love story or addiction begin? On many occasions on late night TV I hear Jay Leno talk about his fascination with cars and the number of cars he has in his garage and I ask myself what's that about?.

Each summer in Winnipeg at least once a week antique car lovers have the chance to display their prized possession in a closed off section of St. Mary's Avenue in front of the Pony Coral in downtown Winnipeg. Cars will be lined up with their hoods up and their proud owners standing beside these vehicles willing and ready to answer any question one might have about their cars. Some of these cars look so much better than brand new cars.

If you are doing this for the money, I can see the fascination and the commitment but most of these men with their cars have labored hundreds of hours to get their car looking the way it is just for the love of it, not for money - perhaps for fame but it appears just for the sheer joy of doing it and the pride in bringing the dead (as it were) alive again. Of course the Pony Coral benefits from these men and their women slurping down cool beer on these hot summer evenings.

What's it about cars that men go crazy about? Is it because a nice car is a "babe magnet"? Driving a big, fast car boosts the male ego, makes him feel manlier? Or is it a competitive thing among men to see who can do the best job in restoring a car to its original state and better.

Recently in Winnipeg, the Shriners held a rally of antique cars. I am a female but I like cars too especially vintage cars that are restored to perfection. It always amazes me. I often wonder why do we need to produce more cars when the old ones can be restored and function just as well. Go figure.

The Honourable John Gerard, Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, participated in the Shriners Safe Cruise Night by having the parade start off from Government House. There were more than 20 vintage cars safely cruising from Government House to Polo Park and ending up at Pony Coral on Grant Avenue. Hundreds of spectators assembled at Grant Park shopping mall the site of the destination of the parade to inspect these cars.

All except one driver was a female and most if not all the drivers had a woman in the passenger seat. There was one Black driver and his woman in the parade. He drove a 1941 Ford vehicle. I spoke to the woman afterwards and she said they were from Dominica. I asked her if it was her passion too and she shook her head and squeezed up her face as if she just tasted a bit of lemon. The car was a beauty. The engine was like a brand new stainless steel cutlery. People hovered around the cars like flies, both men and women. Some of the cars as they passed by would jerk up the car and boost it up a notch or two to show off their stuff.

I think these vintage car hobbyists are like little boys with their new toy. They are proud of their accomplishment and not afraid to show it. I think this provides a valuable outlet for men to display their prowess and bring out the little boys in them. There is no harm done. It's better than the alternative.