Over the past week, Jason and I have been trying to resurrect a 375,000 mile New York City taxi cab from the dead. As such, we’ve been running around junkyards and car parts stores and mechanics shops. One such store is Advance Auto Parts, which offers “Veterans Only” parking. Jason and I, keen to avoid “stealing valor,” always chose not to park there, though it became apparent upon entering the store that I had stolen valor of another kind.
A year ago or so my wife — tired of seeing me stain my nice clothes — bought me a Mercedes coverall from Pasadena’s famous Rose Bowl Flea Market. A blue coverall with a Mercedes star on the chest, it’s awesome but nothing really that special as far as coveralls go. I didn’t really think too much of it.
But the moment I started wearing this collared onesie I noticed people treating me significantly differently, and not in the way I expected. Parts store clerks and junkyard attendees and even restaurant cashiers are often downright deferential towards me, showing a respect that reminds me of how my dad — a 26 year-army veteran who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel — used to sometimes be greeted by much of the general public.
I’ve been paying close attention to this lately, and I don’t think it’s in my head; people call me “sir” more often and seem to respect my opinion more and seem to offer me better service. It’s similar to when I meet a car-person who has been reading my articles for years — you can tell if someone holds you in higher-than-usual regard. It’s just obvious.
This got me wondering: What is it that has people treating me like that Mercedes star on my chest is the medal of honor? Is it just the fact that I’m wearing coveralls? How much is the badge playing into it?
I’m not entirely sure, but I do think that Americans — and just people in general — respect hard work, and they respect expertise. I think that’s woven into the fabric of this country. When we see a surgeon in scrubs, we respect the knowledge they have and all the time they devoted to gain it. When we hear someone is an engineer, we often show respect towards them for the same reason. When we see a soldier, we often respect the sacrifices they have to make to their bodies to protect this nation.
View this post on Instagram
Obviously, I’m making some blanket statements here, and these kinds of things all depend on context. I was hanging out in mostly automotive circles, so the folks I was dealing with might be more inclined to show reverence towards someone they perceive as a technician for a German car brand known for making some of the finest (and most complicated — i.e. hard to fix) cars in the world. Still, it seems that we as a society hold in high regard those who do a difficult job, especially if it’s one that requires expertise and sacrifice.
Being a Mercedes tech definitely qualifies. We all probably know someone with an overcomplicated Mercedes that’s absurdly complex/expensive to fix. People who have to repair these cars really deal with some shit, and if they’re a Mercedes Tech they deal exclusively with vastly over-engineered German parts and wealthy customers who are often demanding jerks. That’s rough.
Anyway, I think it’s great that a job that is often referred to as “blue collar” gets that kind of respect. And I think that now — with a chronic technician shortage in America — the way people see mechanics is hopefully something that’s changing. In Germany, the gap between an automotive technician and an engineer is small, but here in the U.S., I have found there to be a giant social chasm between the “white collar” job and the “blue collar” one. It’s all silly, really.
I think we should respect everyone equally and not based on what they do for a living or how they look, but that’s not really how the world works. As soon as I tell the car-parts clerk that I’m not actually a Mercedes tech and that I had been stealing valor, the joy in their face shifts to disdain, they pull from the counter the packet of brake caliper grease they were going to give me for free, and their face flushes red with embarrassment that they actually asked me for advice on how to fix their car’s misfire issue. It is clear I have now become just another schmuck in their eyes; but I’m OK with that. It’s accurate.
Top graphic images: David Tracy; Broad City/Comedy Central
[Ed Note: If you, like David, have lived under a rock, I am pleased to explain the woman in the topshot is Illana Glazer from Comedy Central’s Broad City. You may recognize her from the very popular GIF below! – Pete]
I used to work at an OEM powertrain testing facility doing project engineering on test engines. I had to wear a three piece suit for meetings with clients, but I also had to crawl round oily engines when things fell off or caught fire.
You get zero respect from everyone wearing a cheap black suit that stinks of oil.
David in the name of science, you have to continue this experiment. Next, switch to a blue coverall with a different brand logo. Any of the “ordinary” brands will do, like Hyundai or Chevrolet. See what kind of reaction you get then. The final leg of the experiment is a blue coverall with no logo.
Genius!
The final part of the experiment, after the plain control overall, would be one with the logo of a low-end oil change place with a terrible reputation.
Then wear them all again to run an a-b-a test to cancel out any upwards or downwards trends in DT’s inherent respectability.
“ Americans — and just people in general — respect hard work, and they respect expertise.”
They just don’t think it’s worth any money.
Now working 10-3 with a 2 hour business lunch? That’s worth 25 million a year and a company car!
“When we hear someone is an engineer, we often show respect towards them for the same reason”
Nah, the reason I show respect for an engineer is because if I don’t, they try to run me over with their train.
This is relatable. The clothes do matter. Going into a place in the clothing not stereotyped for that place can significantly alter the experience. Going to a “clean” store like a food store in garage clothes gets looks. So does going to a parts store in white-collar garb. Even shaving compared to unshaven can have a noticeable effect.
At the risk of causing intra-office conflict, does Mercedes know you stole her coverall?
We wore these to engine teardown reviews when I worked at Detroit Diesel (currently owned by Daimler Truck but formerly owned by Daimler (owner of Mercedes-Benz) before Daimler was split up)
I dig the look. Tasteful yet brutish. Like a distinguished Michael Myers.
“Ahem, that’s Michael EDWARD Myers the third. I will now thrust my blade in your torso snootily.”