Cars from brands such as Mercedes and BMW are often associated with wealth and luxury in India. But an Indian man living in the United States says seeing such cars on American roads does not necessarily mean their owners are rich.
(Also read: Indian woman in US says owning a car is a ‘survival need’: ‘Having no car is equal to house arrest’)
Taking to Instagram, Sanjay Daslaniya shared a video in which he explained why owning a car is often a basic necessity in many parts of the US, particularly in places where public transport is limited.
‘Owning a car is not a luxury’
“Looking from afar, I used to think, ‘What a luxurious life people live in America!’ But when I came here, I found out that even people doing minor, odd jobs in America own a Mercedes, a BMW, so-called luxury cars in India, here, they are completely ordinary. However, this has nothing to do with being wealthy or rich. Let me tell you something. If you leave aside New York, Chicago, and a few such large cities, public transport in the rest of the places is almost zero. And because there is no public transport, what happens is that for work, you must either have your own car, or you have to take an Uber or a rental car, which ends up being very expensive. In my own town, a bus comes only once an hour, just one bus on a single route. And if you miss that, you have to wait an hour. On Saturdays and Sundays, even this becomes very infrequent. In such circumstances, owning a car is not a luxury; rather, it is a basic necessity of life. If you have ‘feet’ in America, it is your car; otherwise, you cannot go anywhere. So, what the world looks like from a distance versus when you go and live there, there is a huge difference.”
‘The reality on the ground can be quite different’
In the caption, Daslaniya further explained that car ownership in the US should not always be seen as a sign of wealth.
“Car in America = wealth? The reality is quite Different! Owning a car in America is not always a sign of wealth. Sometimes, it is simply a necessity. Outside major cities such as New York and Chicago, public transportation is limited in many American towns. If you miss a bus, getting to work, the grocery store, a doctor’s appointment or school can become difficult. That is why, whether someone is a security guard, a student or a minimum-wage worker, a car is often not a luxury but a necessity for everyday life. Even the Mercedes or BMW you see on the road could be a used car or one bought through monthly financing. From India, life in America may appear luxurious, but the reality on the ground can be quite different.”
Watch the clip here:
How did people react?
The video drew reactions from users who agreed that life in the US can look very different from the outside. One user wrote, “A car there sounds more like a necessity than a luxury.” Another said, “The reality is often very different from what we see from afar.”
A third user commented, “This is an interesting perspective on life in the US.” Another added, “This explains why almost everyone seems to own a car there.”
(Also read: Indian woman in US shocked after thieves steal all 4 wheels from parked car: ‘Kaun kehta hai US mein chori nahi hoti’)
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)