Whatever kind of car you drive, there’s nothing like seeing the exact same car on the road to make you feel less special.
Last summer I saw two identical Mustang Shelby GT350s directly next to each other on a road in North Idaho. Had there been just one, I would’ve thought the car looked cool and been mildly impressed at the driver’s choice in vehicles. Seeing two in the identical color and same model year suddenly made them look like novelties. I was a little embarrassed for the drivers.
The two cars weren’t cool anymore. They were common.
This week I stumbled across a website that highlights what it calls Auto Buds, two cars of the exact same make, model, and color, crossing paths in public areas. Has it happened to you?
My mother-in-law owns a blue Nissan Leaf. About a year ago, she was parked at a Home Depot and, upon returning to her car and getting in, realized she wasn’t in her car. She realized it only when she saw a Coke cup in the center console and got confused, because she doesn’t drink soda.
She hurriedly exited the car to avoid any awkwardness with the car’s owner.
This kind of thing is probably more common than we think. My own mother did something similar many years ago when she owned a gray 1985 Honda Accord. There are so many of the same cars on the road that it’s only a matter of time before your “Auto Bud” shows up.
Here are some fun pictures of Auto Buds from around the world:
That license plate says “NERDLYF.” Sums it up, I think!
Here’s a Nissan Micra Auto Buds sandwich.
Odds are, if you see two identical convertible Mustangs in Southern California, they are rentals.
I wonder if they even knew the other was there…
A dystopian future where everyone is the same has arrived. I’m expecting identical dads in identical white bathrobes to exit each identical house at the exact same time and grab a newspaper from the driveway.
Be careful which Corolla you get in!
Have you ever seen an identical version of your exact car on the road?
-tgriffith
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