# Name this sci-fi story part XII **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764 "2005-09-09T02:21:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764/1 "2005-09-09T02:21:33Z")
_Christine_ is on right now and it reminds that I heard of a short story in which aliens are observing the earth and think that cars are the sentient beings and humans are parasites that live in them. Anybody remember this one? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764/2 "2005-09-09T02:57:12Z")
Someone is going to mention that Ford Prefect thought cars were the dominant species on Earth, so I might as well be that guy. Other than that, I can’t help you. Sounds like a cool story though. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764/3 "2005-09-09T02:58:46Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Someone is going to mention that Ford Prefect thought cars were the dominant species on Earth, so I might as well be that guy. Other than that, I can’t help you. Sounds like a cool story though. It’s possible that’s where I got it, but I don’t think so. IIRC, the story was from the early/mid 70s. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764/4 "2005-09-09T17:21:21Z")
I could’ve sworn I read an Asimov short story to that effect years ago, but I’ve no idea of the title. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764/5 "2005-09-09T19:08:56Z")
**MrKlutz** I know Asimov wrote a story set on a farm where robot cars had been put out pasture. Re The OP Probably not what you were thinking of, but the novel Gone To Be Snakes Now features a colony of humans watched over by Betelguese ships. Due to an error on the aliens part, all the early buildings are about four times too large. Due to an earlier error, when the Betelguese thought cars were the inteligent species, they erected numerous gas stations. All the stations are also four times too large. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764/6 "2005-09-09T19:47:00Z")
This was a cartoon (what we called animation in the '70s.) It was a simple drawing type, a little more complicated art than just a one-line thing, with a voice-over. I remember seeing it, but can’t give you the specifics on it. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-sci-fi-story-part-xii/320764/7 "2005-09-13T19:28:43Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > This was a cartoon (what we called animation in the '70s.) It was a simple drawing type, a little more complicated art than just a one-line thing, with a voice-over. I remember seeing it, but can’t give you the specifics on it. Most likely [this one](http://www.nfb.ca/trouverunfilm/fichefilm.php?id=10502&v=h&lg=en&exp=%24%7Bmartians%7D%20AND%20%24%7Bautomobiles%7D) from Canada’s National Film Board. They have a clip linked on that page, but it wants RealPlayer so I didn’t see it.