Eating & drinking in your car (for non-US Dopers)

[Mr. Blue Sky]

In the past few years it seems the way to judge a car's interior was to consider the number of cupholders that are available. I've read in various auto magazines that this is a primarily American thing and that, in other places in the world, specifically Europe, drivers don't normally do this sort of thing. Is this true? Or have we Americans, once again, corrupted the lifestyles of countries with our wicked ways .

[Ardrine]

I was puzzled the other day to find a little drawer under the coin drawer on my new Japanese-imported Suzuki. I pulled it out and was surprised to see a cupholder. For what it's worth, in my experience, that is not a usual feature of European cars.

[TheLoadedDog]

Australian cars tend not to come with cupholders. I think that is slowly changing, and a number of people buy aftermarket cupholders. I don't think I'd like driving with a cup of hot liquid, though I do on occasion hold a can of Coke between my legs (I get my thrills where I can).

[Montfort]

My German VW Golf has a ridiculous number of cup holders, five, I think. Or was it seven?

[hibernicus]

New Volvos have several cup-holders.

My Honda has two shallow depressions in the door of the glove-box, so that you can balance hot cups of coffee ready to fall into your passenger's lap as you move off.

[Montfort]

I have a theory about this. The USA is very much a road cultured country. People drive all over the place. And, while people drive, they stop at drive throughs. In my limited experience on European and Australian motorways, there aren't too many Mickey D's drive throughs to get a Big Mac and a Coke.

Might that be why?

This is starting to be a GQ.

[occ]

While we Americans don't really judge our cars by the number of cupholders, drinking (non-alcoholic) beverages while driving is definitely an American institution. Convenience stores, coffee bars, etc. all package beverages so they can be consumed while driving a car.

A big part of this probably has to do with Americans having longer commutes on average than Europeans; when you get up at 5:00 AM to drive an hour and a half into New York City, you damn well better have a good cup of coffee to get you perked up and ready for your day.

[SteveinSpain]

I drink coffee in my car on the way to work. There's two cup holders molded into the inside of the glove box door. My wife laughs at me because here in Spain nobody eats or drinks in their cars. When I'm stopped in traffic and start sipping out of my big thermal mug, I get the funniest stares from other drivers. I don't think it's so much shorter commute times as it is a cultural difference. Cars cost more here. People tend to hang on to their cars longer and cars are status symbols. Spain is not a car culture like the US, but people here think nothing of driving 8 hours for a weekend at the beach.

[Athena]

My beemer has two cup holders, neither of which fit any normal size American container. It's too big for things like styrofoam coffee cups & pop cans, too small for most travel mugs. I just don't get it - maybe German size cups are different? I even went out and bought the official BMW travel mug, thinking "This HAS to fit" but that doesn't, either.

Good thing I don't drink in the car much.