This Midlander was in town for a funeral and didn’t want any cross looks driving around with California plates.
A former Midlander was so scared about the potential backlash he’d get for driving around with California plates that he got masking tape and literally spelled it out on the back that he’s actually from Midland, isn’t from California, and is only in town for a funeral.
Check out the intriguing spot below.
Since it was posted all over social media like here, here, and here, it’s hard to say who the original poster was, but they were spotted sometime around March 10.
Here’s what it says on the back of the Chevrolet Malibu,
“Midland Native in a rental car.”
“It’s a rental, not from California.”
“I’m from Midland – R.E.Lee Class of 1976”
“Rental Car!!!”
“In town for a funeral.”
If you’re confused why someone would do this, it’s because there’s a narrative with some truth that Texans hate Californians and vice versa.
Texas is staunchly conservative leaning, Texans taking pride in their traditional American lifestyle with strong Christian values.
Californians, on the other hand, are notoriously liberal, atheist, and everything that Texas isn’t. With year round, sunny weather, Texans despise how they think Californians look down on everyone else.
The pandemic amplified this when, after Californians, particularly in Silicon Valley, lost their jobs, they fled to cheaper states, mainly Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and Florida.
The increased demand for affordable housing coupled with low supply of houses raised the price of said houses and standard of living for everyone in those states.
Arizonians, Texans, Coloradans, and Floridians naturally despised Californians for making everything more expensive and “bringing their liberal value” to their states.
This Midlander in a Chevrolet Malibu thinks that, since he has California plates, people from Texas will vandalize his rental and maybe steal all his belongings to retaliate against Californians.
But, is this actually happening?
Let’s see what some top comments say.
“I literally came from California to ***hole ODESSA of all places and had California plates for 5+ months before I finally decided to swap plates. Only did it cause my registration was coming up,”/u/MochaCoco1805 commented.
“During that time, the only thing I experienced was people asking me if I had any Cali weed. Not one person said something to me, gave me weird looks, or anything really. People mind their business here.“
“Here in Texas, people here do care, however won’t confront the Californians. They’ll just mutter under their breath lol,” /u/OpJonesy1 added.
“To be fair…I bully tf out of cars with California tags and I doubt I’m the only one,” Cody Weilenman commented on Facebook.
Cody’s comment and profile is linked here and here if you’re wondering.
“I have to work today in California occasionally and people are real a**holes when I come home in a rental car with California plates lol. I live in Arizona,” Selina Mularz added.
“I was once driving from Sacramento to Dallas and had to stop for gas in midland, while at the pump filling up 2 guys in a truck yelled at me to “go back to California”. To be fair I was hitting a vape and had long hair so i see how i was causing a disturbance,” Sebastian Flores replied.
So, there seems to be some truth behind making people know you’re not actually from California.
While it seems like a few Texans will confront you, it seems to be limited to road rage and shouting, never actual violence. If anything, it’ll be limited to drive by shouting and never saying it to your face.
Personally, I think it’s doing too much with the tape and all.
These Midlanders are of an older generation and, perhaps influenced by social media (Facebook) and their friend group, they actually think people with California plates are being severely harassed.
This doesn’t just happen in Texas, with California rental cars. Earlier last year I blogged about this vacationer in Castle Rock, Colorado making it clear, they too aren’t from California.
I think doing this says more about you than the actual state you’re in.
Save your tape, markers, and just take it easy.
No one’s actually going to seriously harass you for your California plates.
If they do, they’ve got a screw loose.
