What would the odds be of another pulling in to give me the jackpot? Eh, probably pretty long as there are more potential cars that could pull in than the standard ten or whatever it is symbols on a three-reel slot machine but I’ll admit I was tempted to wait. If the whole world only drove Lucernes though (can you imagine?) then we’d have a game as during its six model year run from 2006-2011 it always offered between eight and twelve hues.
Still, I’ve played enough slots to recognize the feeling, you see one drop, alright, then the second drops and matches the first, ooh, your breath quickens, your palms get a little clammy, and you tighten up a bit staring at the third reel trying to will it…which in this case would then likely end up being a blue-green 2003 Avalon with a dented bumper and no payoff. But if that third Opal White Lucerne pulled in, oh boy, there’d be bells, lights, and lots of hootin’ and hollerin’ as that sweet, sweet cash poured out of the bottom of the machine ready to just be fed back in at the top. I think I need a drink now…
“C’mon, baby; I need this jackpot…Lucerne…Lucerne…yes, it’s happening…my troubles are over…Testarossa?! Nooooo!”
“As twins, Laverne and Lucy have done things together their whole lives, but have also been careful to give each other some space.”
I love these shots of odd random pairings of cars.
I think your odds are looking pretty good, Jim.
Reminds me of this shot that I took a few years ago of three blue Camrys outside our local senior center — clearly the vehicle of choice among the center’s patrons at the time:
Demographically Jim, I think you have a shot at the jackpot here!
My son and I notice “pairings of cars” in parking lots quite often. Not the exact model, however, but similar enough in color, class, and general shape. Last weekend we saw four in a row, a white Cherokee, a white Equinox, a white Escape, and a white Highlander. All with chrome wheels and two with gold trim.
Gotta be a few token credits for those.
My son doesn’t know one car from the other without seeing the names so to him they all look the same and the groupings stand out.
In about 2003 or so, we drove up to Portland in our forest green Forester to go to Powell’s famous book store. They have an old little multi-story parking garage (the whole place was once a car dealership). Drove up a couple of floors and finally found an open spot: between two forest green Foresters!
That was long before I had a cell phone with camera, so unfortunately, no proof. But take my word for it.
Of course these were madly popular at the time in that color, so the odds weren’t quite as bad as your third Lucerne.
I just don’t have the gambling gene; never saw the attraction. And after the first time I went to Vegas for a convention and walked through a casino, I knew why. I couldn’t get through it fast enough. Insanity. But I understand how it works.
I tend to agree with you, Paul, with two exceptions:
Blackjack, played intelligently – meaning understanding what moves you should be making mathematically per each hand, combined with the ability to follow at least a simple card counting system – can more often than not give you a slight advantage over the house. However, you need to have a bankroll of at least 100x the minimum bet, and it needs to be a traditional shoe setup where it’s only shuffled when the shuffle card is drawn.
Most traditional casinos still operate this way, as there are far more people who *think* they can count cards than actually can, and so on net it works in casinos’ favor. On the other hand, smaller casinos outside the traditional gambling meccas often introduce things to confound this advantage; some use higher numbers of decks in the shoe, some shuffle after just a few or even one hand, and finally, some require an additional payment per hand. For example, a casino near me requires an additional $0.50 or $1 (I forget which) payment per player per hand, in addition to the $5 minimum bet. This payment is never returned, and is enough to erode the advantage a card counter can reasonably expect. This is enough to keep me from playing locally. But at a traditional casino, starting with $500 at a $5 table, I can usually double my money with a few hours’ play.
Unfortunately you are dependent on the other players at the table playing rationally; a poor player at your table can throw a monkey wrench in the whole operation, by playing non-optimally.
The other exception is poker; while there’s still a significant amount left to chance, you’re playing against other players and not the house; there’s also so much strategy and psychology involved that it makes for a really fun time, IMO. At casinos, the house is simply taking a cut of all the money paid in to play, so who wins is of no consequence to them.
Of course, if you have some poker-playing friends, it’s better to just play at home, and the “house” can take some of the pot to buy food and drink for the evening. Of course, this may not strictly be legal in your jurisdiction, and you’d start to run afoul of that if you had an actual tournament that goes beyond just friends; hence the tournaments being held at casinos.
My wife is uncannily good at playing blackjack. When in Las Vegas and I hit the sack at 11:30 she goes down to the blackjack tables. Only a few nights she comes back winning nothing, never going in the hole, and generally complaining about the idiot next to her who doesn’t know how to play. Most nights she wins $100-300 on two of the three to four nights we are there. She starts with $40. With that cash our food is always paid for and since she has always gotten free hotels stays we have yet to pay for a hotel (5X) in four years. Our only real cost is gas partly.
…plus the non-monetary cost of having to be in Las Vegas.
I know some perfectly lovely people who live there, and don’t mean to asperse anyone who likes it, but the whole of the place makes me ashamed to be a human being, let alone an American one.
She goes there because of her many Filipino friends who invite her down for one holiday or another. When I am there I use the location as a base to go out during the daytime to explore the surrounding state parks and desert. Last time there I drove up to Zion to spend the day in the park.
Personally don’t care for the stated purpose of Las Vegas.
*TRUST ME* – it beats Atlantic City. Like tbm3fan said, at least there are interesting places to go fairly nearby. AC has the Jersey Shore and the Pine Barrens. 😐
This is always a very long-shot bet for me, because I drive a Buick Regal TourX wagon (GREAT car, but a niche market item in a very small niche). I’ve had it almost three years and in that time I have encountered only four others in person, one the same color (Rioja Red). I’d probably have better odds drawing to an inside straight.
When I was a kid, Don next door bought an XL (’62 here) Falcon deluxe sedan (HXP323), like the one in the picture. Blue with a white roof was very popular.
Within a few months both Dad and Eric (the neighbour on the other side) bought identical cars, (JBH559 and HYG029 respectively). But only once did I see all three parked out in the street. No photo unfortunately. 🙁
Sometimes you know the third one exists nearby, it just won’t park in the ‘right’ spot.
Being in the conservative Midwest, you might get close … but more likely with a beige one. Those good folks, whiling away their time and hard earned money on the local slots and buffet lines, not wanting to be too showy with a Cad and not already wintering in AZ or FL.
I have been known to select parking slots based on what I can park next to – putting one MX-5 next to another is fairly easy.
Bit harder with an Alfa but it can be done.
One for the Curbivores – parking the Giulietta next to a Dodge Dart – goodness knows how that git to the UK – sadly not recorded