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Might have been said when one of the first automobiles tanked on its demonstration run. Later models proved the skeptics wrong, but, given the problems of quality and misuse of vehicles in our time, they might still have a point.
I know I wrote in a reply that the phrase came from the auto’s unreliability, but I’ve thought more about it and I believe it comes from how noisy and disruptive the early automobiles were. You could ride a horse through town and not disturb anyone, but cars made so much noise horses would often buck and run. Some towns even passed a law requiring someone to walk so many feet in front of a car, waving a red flag to warn people that a car would be coming by. So “Get a horse” was people taking out their anger at early automobiles.
Farside99 over 5 years ago
I’ve driven a few of those. other people call them junkers, but they had such character!
Mordock999 Premium Member over 5 years ago
“No! Get a CLUE!!”
Kaputnik over 5 years ago
Took me a moment. There was that old saying, “get a horse!” for someone who was driving too slowly.
wiatr over 5 years ago
Considering that, I think, the Sinclair Oil Co. was still active back in ’61, perhaps it is a reference to their mascot, a Brontosaurus.
Troglodyte over 5 years ago
Not immortality, imbecility.
gammaguy over 5 years ago
Considering the behavior of many of today’s drivers, a more appropriate modern expression would be, “Get a hearse!”
sandpiper over 5 years ago
Might have been said when one of the first automobiles tanked on its demonstration run. Later models proved the skeptics wrong, but, given the problems of quality and misuse of vehicles in our time, they might still have a point.
Kirk Barnes Premium Member over 5 years ago
“Get a haircut, and get a real job!”
JD'Huntsville'AL over 5 years ago
I know I wrote in a reply that the phrase came from the auto’s unreliability, but I’ve thought more about it and I believe it comes from how noisy and disruptive the early automobiles were. You could ride a horse through town and not disturb anyone, but cars made so much noise horses would often buck and run. Some towns even passed a law requiring someone to walk so many feet in front of a car, waving a red flag to warn people that a car would be coming by. So “Get a horse” was people taking out their anger at early automobiles.