Chav is a too much of a generalisation
Discussion
A friend of mine has got an 18 year son who’s bought himself a crappy Vauxhall Nova and has spent a great deal of money modifying it. It now looks like a “big ugly Hummer on steroids”, with go-faster stripes, ridiculous exhaust pipe, fluorescent colours, a ridiculously loud sound system – all topped off with fluffy dice. Quite frankly, I’d be embarrassed to walk past it on the road, let alone have it on my driveway (like my friend does).
Anyway, I was pulling my mate’s leg about this ‘monstrosity’, but he made a very interesting comment. He said he’d far rather his son have a hobby which allows his teenage hormones to manifest themselves by tinkering with his car, as opposed to other (more dodgy) stuff. He said that since his son has had this hobby he’s been much easier to keep on the ‘straight & narrow’ and the two of them have had some good ‘bonding session’ talking about all things ‘automotive’.
It made me think. I’ve read (and, indeed, contributed to) lots of threads ridiculing “chavs in their ridiculous hot-hatches”. However, if I were the parent of one of these kids, I wouldn’t think it’s such a bad thing to do if it helped them develop into law abiding citizens.
A few weeks ago I went to the local out of town retail area in my Tiv, and there were a load of teenagers in their “tacky suked-up hatches” in the car-park. One of them walked up to me and wanted to look at the car. As I chatted to him it was obvious that this young adolescent was a ‘petrolhead’. So, I let him sit and fiddle with the car while I did some shopping. When I got back all his mates were with him and they were genuinely ‘car enthusiastic’ kids who would never consider ‘keying a nice motor’.
Point being, I think some of these lads get a bad press. They can be called ‘chavs’ and lumped together with ‘crackheads’, ‘vandals’, ‘hooligans’ and the like.
Anyway, I was pulling my mate’s leg about this ‘monstrosity’, but he made a very interesting comment. He said he’d far rather his son have a hobby which allows his teenage hormones to manifest themselves by tinkering with his car, as opposed to other (more dodgy) stuff. He said that since his son has had this hobby he’s been much easier to keep on the ‘straight & narrow’ and the two of them have had some good ‘bonding session’ talking about all things ‘automotive’.
It made me think. I’ve read (and, indeed, contributed to) lots of threads ridiculing “chavs in their ridiculous hot-hatches”. However, if I were the parent of one of these kids, I wouldn’t think it’s such a bad thing to do if it helped them develop into law abiding citizens.
A few weeks ago I went to the local out of town retail area in my Tiv, and there were a load of teenagers in their “tacky suked-up hatches” in the car-park. One of them walked up to me and wanted to look at the car. As I chatted to him it was obvious that this young adolescent was a ‘petrolhead’. So, I let him sit and fiddle with the car while I did some shopping. When I got back all his mates were with him and they were genuinely ‘car enthusiastic’ kids who would never consider ‘keying a nice motor’.
Point being, I think some of these lads get a bad press. They can be called ‘chavs’ and lumped together with ‘crackheads’, ‘vandals’, ‘hooligans’ and the like.
I agree. We recently had work done at our house. One of the young builders arrived in his MK3 Escort, Cosworth Spoiler, big exhaust, loud stereo etc. the works. Contrary to my preconceptions you could not have met a more amiable, polite, hardworking and responsible young lad. He just happened to express himself through his car.
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Chav is not the car you drive, clothes you wear, food you eat, etc it is a state of mind.
To me a Chav displays all of the following and more:-
1. Live from Giro to Giro with no intention of doing an honest days work. Some do have jobs but of the cash in hand type.
2. Crap car, usually un-taxed, not mot, no insurance and often 'pimped up'
3. Total disregard for any law or person getting in the way of what they want to do, whatever that might be at the time.
4. Questionable taste in clothes.
I personally steer clear of no performance enhancing mods to cars, other than a 'sensible' ICEs but can appreciate a well 'kitted' motor.
Equally I do pi55 myself at some attempts.
Whilst spending £5k on a £2k car is madness to me the results can be pleasing.
The car should just be taken as him displaying one aspect of the Chav mantra. I speed sometimes (cough) but it doesn't mean that I knowingly break any other laws.
To me a Chav displays all of the following and more:-
1. Live from Giro to Giro with no intention of doing an honest days work. Some do have jobs but of the cash in hand type.
2. Crap car, usually un-taxed, not mot, no insurance and often 'pimped up'
3. Total disregard for any law or person getting in the way of what they want to do, whatever that might be at the time.
4. Questionable taste in clothes.
I personally steer clear of no performance enhancing mods to cars, other than a 'sensible' ICEs but can appreciate a well 'kitted' motor.
Equally I do pi55 myself at some attempts.
Whilst spending £5k on a £2k car is madness to me the results can be pleasing.
The car should just be taken as him displaying one aspect of the Chav mantra. I speed sometimes (cough) but it doesn't mean that I knowingly break any other laws.
You are probably right in the large part Steve.
Although I find some of the motoring monstrosities hard to stomach, I would rather they were investing their time in bodykits as opposed to burglary.
I just hope they don't burgle to fund their car habit.
And what is "Suked-Up" Steve. Surely you mean "Souped Up"? Or are you turning Japanese?
Although I find some of the motoring monstrosities hard to stomach, I would rather they were investing their time in bodykits as opposed to burglary.
I just hope they don't burgle to fund their car habit.
And what is "Suked-Up" Steve. Surely you mean "Souped Up"? Or are you turning Japanese?
I agree with rude-boy - 'chav' is a state of mind. IMO it's trashy, highly visible quantity-over-quality consumption, low life, no taste and a certain lack of intelligence. The important thing is that the idea of the chav has no boundaries within class (I don't like it when people merely describe working-class people as 'chavs') - they often get worse and more chavvy the more money they have.
It's got nothing to do with modifying cars - there's a difference to be made between laxxers (all show) and maxxers (all go) there.
It's got nothing to do with modifying cars - there's a difference to be made between laxxers (all show) and maxxers (all go) there.
OK, agree with Chav being a state of mind and that the Burberry cap and track suit are just the uniform.
Around my area (largely middle class) there are a whole host of lads that wear the uniform, hang around the shops saying "what you lookin at" and then go home to a large detached house with big garden and two Exec cars parked in the drive. Is there a term for these pretend Chavs?
Around my area (largely middle class) there are a whole host of lads that wear the uniform, hang around the shops saying "what you lookin at" and then go home to a large detached house with big garden and two Exec cars parked in the drive. Is there a term for these pretend Chavs?
Pickled Piper said:
OK, agree with Chav being a state of mind and that the Burberry cap and track suit are just the uniform.
Around my area (largely middle class) there are a whole host of lads that wear the uniform, hang around the shops saying "what you lookin at" and then go home to a large detached house with big garden and two Exec cars parked in the drive. Is there a term for these pretend Chavs?
No, they are chavs. Like I said, it's got nothing to do with income, it's attitude and image, and those guys sound like they have both in spades.
JagLover said:
I agree that being a Chav is a state of mind
Do you remember that Chav test from a few days ago-it was simply a snob test.
Being a chav is not about being poor- it is about not giving a toss about other people and not contributing to society.
All true - more to the point, it's about ignoring all sense of culture, manners, sensibilities and so on and just consuming the low-life in the most visible way possible.
gh0st said:
You really really think that all they do is tinker with cars and it keeps them away from anything else?!
They get the cars,tinker with them THEN go and drive to do "other things" down the local industrial estate with their homeboys from da hood!!
Depends how they 'tinker' with them I suppose.
If they get their similarly-minded mates round to their house and think about how to make the car perform and/or handle better then that's fine by me. If they fancy the factory's bodykit to keep it on the road once they've done their tweaks then that's also fine by me. Even alloys aren't a problem. When they've finished they'll insure it properly with a specialist and when they've got the money they'll get an Impreza or something. These people should be welcomed into the PH fold and distanced from Max Power and the second types -ie those that read it.
However, if they just go on buying stuff and endlessly bolting it to their car - ugly excessive bodykits, distracting ICE, wheels that don't fit and so on - they are doing it to show off down the industrial estate. Also, if they 'upgrade' their car every time they've got some cash they can't possibly be informing the insurance company every step of the way, so they're technically uninsured. THESE laxxers are chavs.
gh0st said:
You really really think that all they do is tinker with cars and it keeps them away from anything else?!
They get the cars,tinker with them THEN go and drive to do "other things" down the local industrial estate with their homeboys from da hood!!
My point entirely Ghost. Historically, I've made the mistake of thinking that most of these kids are likely to be petty criminals, dealing drugs, vandalising, etc. I have to admit to 'generalising' and probably getting it wrong in most cases. My experience (albeit limited) is that they seem passionate about cars (and music usually) - and this may be a very good thing to occupy their time and give them a sense of belonging. As such, they may be less likely to wander from the straight & narrow.
I've certainly seen these kids referred to as Chavs on various threads and think it's a little unfair, in the main.
JagLover said:
I agree that being a Chav is a state of mind
Do you remember that Chav test from a few days ago-it was simply a snob test.
Being a chav is not about being poor- it is about not giving a toss about other people and not contributing to society.
I'm going to start a new thread about my suggested reply.
It’s nothing new. Way back in time I was often refused entry to pubs or eyed with suspicious eyes in cafes and shops for wearing black leathers and caring around a crash helmet. My outward appearance would have shouted out grebo and therefor troublemaker. It was most unfair when we all know that it was the skinheads who caused all the agro 
C C said:
It’s nothing new. Way back in time I was often refused entry to pubs or eyed with suspicious eyes in cafes and shops for wearing black leathers and caring around a crash helmet. My outward appearance would have shouted out grebo and therefor troublemaker. It was most unfair when we all know that it was the skinheads who caused all the agro
There's nothing wrong with "caring for your helmet".
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