Just recently in having my house worked on I was talking with someone that would be moving our things out while we have some work done. While he was working at my house he received a phone call from his 16 year old son. He asked if I had any children. I said no but I have one that hangs around that's 16 and driving. His son had complained to him that he needed to have his breaks looked at, so his dad told him to take it somewhere. He did then called his dad. The shop he took it to found nothing wrong with the breaks but found several other things that needed fixing. His father was convinced the shop had taken advantage of him because of his age.
This got me to thinking about this class on diversity and the things we have learned and discussed.
I have also experienced age discrimination and bias as it relates to the world of car repairs. Often as a women I have gone in to get new tires and something looked at with no intention of purchasing anything, but tires.
I remember at about the age of 18 or so going in and being offered several things for my front end (of the car). I didn't feel anything wrong and my dad did most of the work on my car. He hadn't mentioned anything. I ask the guy at the counter if it was something that could be done at home. He said well it would be difficult, it requires heavy lifting and tools that I may not have. I told him my dad had changed the transmission in my car so he could probably do it. The man didn't ask anything else after that, he fixed my tires and I left. When I got home I told my dad what happened and he said they were probably just trying to sell me that because I was a girl and didn't know any better (sexism), and because I was young (ageism). I did mention that a saw another man come in he got new tires and he left, no problem. There was another woman there just for an oil change and they told her she needed new tires too.
I also purchased a new car a couple of years ago. I went and looked with a girl friend at first before taking my husband. Why because I like to look and shop and he doesn't. So I thought why not look then take him. When I went with a girlfriend they were quick to show me anything I wanted, but hesitant to show me under the hood. When I took my husband they asked him to raise the hood, and take a look. I was interested, after all I would be driving it and putting gas in it. I was most interested in the spare was it a doughnut or a full spare. I can change a tire along with other small mechanic things on a car.
The bias and prejudice in these incidents diminished equity by not treating young drivers and women the same as men.
- A frequent gesture of sexism is that "women can't work on cars and don't know anything about them." This diminishes equity and can make women feel they are not appreciated in the automobile industry.
- In buying a car "they just want it too look good". Well who doesn't.
- A young driver gets the ageism comment "they parents are probably giving them the money" or "daddy's buying".
- I worked as a teen and I didn't appreciate those comments at all. If it broke I had to fix it or pay to have it fixed.
The employees who are selling cars, car parts, and mechanics need to change to not make offers about things unless it is specifically ask and when make offers make them to everyone. I understand that in this business like any other it is about making money. The man offering me could have said I think you might need to have what ever the part was looked at and then left it to me. Instead of saying this needs to be replaced would it be ok if we fixed that for you. A lot of negativity come from the way things are worded. Sometimes this can come from women towards women as much as from men. The salesmen and the industry in general would need to change some of their own biases and work toward becoming an anti-bias environment just as teachers are working toward making a diverse filled anti-bias learning environment.
Hi Ginny,
ReplyDeleteIn talking about the mechanical world, you made me think of when my husband was deployed last year and I had to get my car's safety inspection done. They told me that I needed about $400 worth of work done to get the vehicle to pass inspections. Come to find out, the items wrong weren't necessary to pass inspection and I felt totally ripped off. My husband was very upset! Thank you for sharing...I hadn't thought about that type of bias!
Ginny,
ReplyDeleteWe're not in the same group for this course but you spoke a topic that always disturbs me. I remember going to buy my first new car for graduation and the saleman showing off the glovebox which could hold an entire six pack. It bothered my dad as well because he was with me and thank goodness he was because he quickly corrected the man. It's funny that most of the time when we think about discrimination we tend to leave out the fact that much of society still views women as helpless. One step forward, two backwards, huh?
I know many women who refuse to get an oil change because of this- so they send their spouse. It seems we are pressured or there is an attempt to pressure women to buy a new filter or even get the wipers changed during an oil change. The mechanics should go through training so that they understand how avoid these types of inferences.
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