I’m still reading Nicholas Nickleby and Mrs. Nickleby gets into a “chariot” to go somewhere. The only chariot I am aware of is the Ben-Hur kind. Surely this would not have been what Dickens was talking about in 19th century London.
Youse guys are incredible. Wow. silenus, I actually looked up that book in your link, Carriages at Eight: Horse-Drawn Society in Victorian and Edwardian Times on Amazon and bought a copy, just because I’m that kind of history nerd. “…has lots of information on the etiquette of carriages and how to ride in them.” I might need to know that one day.
There was mention of a ‘charabanc’ in the book “Little Women”, which they planned to hire as sort of a taxi for a group. They facetiously called it a ‘cherry-bounce’.
Think of how the car you drive reflects your status. Think of the stereotypes associated with the Volvo vs. a full-sized pickup truck vs. a minivan.
The connotations of class and personality associated with the myriad varieties of horse-drawn conveyance are similar to those associated with automobiles today.