Red lorry, yellow lorry
I’ve mentioned in other articles here how I spot all sorts of seemingly unimportant detail in everything around me, including when I’m driving.
The degree to which this happens was brought home to me earlier this week when I was driving home from work. I listen to the radio whilst I drive, and had on my regular afternoon programme, Chris Evans’ Drivetime, on BBC Radio 2. Chris’ style of broadcasting means that his show goes off at odd tangents, and the previous evening he’d mentioned that he was buying a yellow car, which had lead to a yellow car club being established with his listeners.
It was now the following evening, and he’d got a guest on the show to talk about how popular yellow was as a car colour, and to find out what the popular colours were. Odd? Yes, but it’s very much his style to do things like this, and I really enjoy listening to it.
Silver is the most popular car colour in the UK – no great surprise there for me, and black is a close second. If I’d taken a guess before hand, that’s most likely the order I’d have chosen. By this point in the interview, I was already wondering whether they’d mention white cars. You see, I’ve noticed over the course of the last year or so that white cars are making something of a come back. A couple of years ago, you’d barely see any, and those that you did would be on cheap ultra-mini sized cars. Nowadays they appear to be popular on sporty hatchbacks.
The guest said, “…and of course white is making a strong come back”. I knew it, and raised a huge smile. Chris didn’t though. He made noises of surprise. So did my wife when I relayed this story to her.
I wouldn’t class cars as one of my special interests, yet I noticed this trend in colour. I didn’t set out to notice it, I just did. My wife says the things I spot are quite fascinating and one of my endearing features. Just as well really, because it’s not something that I have much control over.
There must be all sorts of trends in information that I’ve seen over the years, simply through my collection of seemingly unimportant detail int he world around me. I wonder if I could harness this attention to detail in some productive way?
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14 Responses to “Red lorry, yellow lorry”
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Soph on April 27th, 2009 Soph(Quote)
There is a sort of a job … um … futurologist? These people predict future fashion trends with seemingly uncanny ability.
James on April 28th, 2009 James(Quote)
Soph,
That sounds like a fun job! Well, kind of. If I could make all my predictions about subjects that were my special interests, and could convey them all in writing rather than having to tell people face to face then it’d be great!
Anon on April 27th, 2009 Anon(Quote)
Do you ever wonder if Aspie skills were more use when people lived closer to nature? Spotting weather patterns or animal behaviour patterns would be useful wouldn’t it?
Social skills are necessary for humans living in large groups. But before that, perhaps being an Aspie would be less of a handicap.
Actually living in a large group with clear rules might not be so bad, but recently we have lost that, for various reasons. The rules and customs framework tide has gone out, leaving Aspies floundering on the beach with no water. Even NTs struggle now.
It is difficult to live in an urban civilization when one finds it hard to be urbane and civil.
Soph on April 27th, 2009 Soph(Quote)
I think you’re right there about the skills when we lived close to nature
Anon on May 1st, 2009 Anon(Quote)
I think if for some reason I needed to find a lot of female Aspies in a hurry, I would go to an animal psychology conference and try my luck there.
James on April 28th, 2009 James(Quote)
Excellent use of metaphor there – just sort of play on words that I would use when trying to explain something verbally to someone (though less so in writing, and I’m not sure why).
I think what you say makes a great deal of sense – the way people used to live was probably far better suited to us Aspies than our modern lifestyle is.
However, these days we have the Internet, which allows us to correspond and share our ideas with other like-minded people. Even in the recent past we didn’t have this, and I guess most Aspies went their whole life without encountering anyone ouside of their immediate family who saw the world the way they did.
Anon on April 29th, 2009 Anon(Quote)
Of possible interest.
http://autisticbfh.blogspot.com/2007/11/on-metaphor-and-culture.html
James on April 30th, 2009 James(Quote)
That’s a great article, Anon!
Anon on May 1st, 2009 Anon(Quote)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHx2-n7dK7U
James on May 1st, 2009 James(Quote)
Well.
I’d really like to see that, but I suspect it’d be a mistake for me to see it at a cinema. At least if it’s anything like as accurate a portrayal as the trailer suggests it might be. And if it turns out not to be accurate, well I’d be so disappointed…
Anon on May 1st, 2009 Anon(Quote)
It’s a bit close to home, isn’t it.
James on May 5th, 2009 James(Quote)
Yes it is. The trailer suggests that the traits may be a little over-played and stereotypical, at least based on my own experiences.
But even still – it’s a major film in which the lead character has Aspergers – I can’t let this one pass me by without seeing it!
Anna on June 11th, 2009 Anna(Quote)
I’ve been looking at the trailer again.
I’m guessing at 1:32-1:37 he would be surprised to be told that was wrong. “No” is an honest answer, and “thank you” is polite. Honest and polite, what more could you want from him?
1:39-1:42 – “It’s not rocket science” – yes, that’s possibly the least helpful relationship advice to give to someone with Asperger’s. (I assume it is relationship advice.)
2:21 – “I’m not Forrest Gump, you know!” If I ever do decide to come out the AS closet, I could get that printed on a T-Shirt.
Anon on May 5th, 2009 Anon(Quote)
I want to see it, but I don’t know if I can do it in a cinema.
Ever see The Big Bang Theory? It’s on Channel 4 tonight, 23:05.
If I am to continue commenting here, perhaps I should stop being Anon, as you will probably get more Anons eventually and it will be confusing. I will be Anna.