Tradition!

[scarlettina]

I have other things to post about (like the department retreat and today's delightful concert) but first I want to post about the package I received from my brother and sister-in-law. I am virtually certain that my gearhead friends (among them jaylake and autojim) will recognize the tradition I'm about to share, but it's new to me.

So I got a package from Steve and Michele. Inside, besides the Mary Kay cosmetics I'd ordered from M, was a big red bow (unassembled) to put on my car to celebrate its newness and an envelope full of loose change to throw on the car's floor. I was . . . baffled, so I did what any good netizen does: I Googled "loose change in car". Here's what Wikipedia tells me:

There is a practice in New Jersey and New York of tossing a few coins onto the floor of a newly purchased car as a sign of good luck. This practice originated as a practical one. Because of the area's many toll roads, many drivers would carry change in their cars. The friends and family of the new car owner would throw coins onto the floor of the new car so if they driver ever ran out of his own money, he could always reach down and find some extra money on the floor.

Good New York girl I may be, but I was completely unfamiliar with this tradition. I shall have to scatter the coins on the car's floor tomorrow before I hit the road!

Comments

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

How cool!

And congrats on the new ride!

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

You did see the pictures (http://scarlettina.livejournal.com/1082442.html), yes?

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

I have now :)

[lagilman]

Huh. I'm a Jersey girl and I never heard that one....

(and all I can think is "well, reaching for change on the floor is a good way to have an accident...but okay, the thought counts.")

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'm glad it's not just me. And the fact is, we don't have toll plazas like back east. Here it's all done electronically with sensors, so the change will be symbolic in every respect--but, as you said, it's the thought that counts.

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

I think the great thing about The Internet (amongst many others) is that you can find little neighborhood traditions and rituals which become regional by dint of being on The Internet :)

[bedii.livejournal.com]

I can just picture the Wikipedia Edit War on that one.

[garyomaha.livejournal.com]

Tee hee. The OCD in me would never let the change linger on the car floor. The coin collector in me would never let the change sit there unchecked against my missing coins list. The thrifty person in me would never let the change accumulate where it can't earn at least some (paltry) interest. I know, I'm hopeless.

[jaylake.livejournal.com]

This is why we love you, Gary.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

You're hilarious. And also--what Jay said. :-)

[kateyule.livejournal.com]

Whereas upon buying my first car, the necessary next stop was at the Army/Navy store. Must have olive-drab wool Army blanket in trunk. A Yule rule.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

And a good one it is.

I still need to assemble my usual car kit for this vehicle. Will do that later this week as--oh, joy--the car needs a repair already. (And yes, I'll be detailing that in a separate post. ::sigh::)