Why use air conditioning in your automobile?

Yes, OK, I used to live in Toronto and I know how hot it gets there, so I can understand why everyone in Toronto drives around with their windows up and their air conditioning on. But now I live in Vancouver, where the weather is more moderate, and the air is typically between -5 and +25 degrees Celsius. Never really too cold, and not often too hot.

So why, after about 8 months of rain – constant, daily, day-long, month-long rain – on the first warm sunny day in the spring, were people driving around with their windows up and their air conditioning on???

We were driving on a short vacation on Vancouver Island between Victoria and Parksville (which is just North of Nanaimo) in the middle of May. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and we had the windows down, and if we were dogs, we'd have had our heads out the windows. It was fabulous to have a truly warm day. Many of the other automobiles around us had the windows down and smiling people inside, just like us.

But there were other vehicles with the windows rolled up and the regular determined, grumpy looking people inside. It was warm enough they had to have air conditioning on to survive inside the vehicle if the windows were closed. But why? Why didn't they roll down the windows and enjoy the day?

Yes, the Hummer that passed us with rolled-up windows was not a surprise, if you hate the environment enough to drive one of those, why bother to roll down the window, save some gas, and enjoy the day?

But it looked like a lot of people were heading out for a weekend of camping, with their windows rolled up and air-conditioning on. Do they enjoy the sudden rush of fresh air when they arrive at their camp-ground and open their car door that much that they didn't want to contaminate that moment with some fresh air before it on the way up?

Some people looked like they were driving home from work, with their windows rolled up and air-conditioning on. Did they enjoy the climate-controlled - recycled, hasn't been fresh since the building went up - air inside their offices so much they didn't want to spoil that feeling with fresh air on the way home?

It is truly mystifying why humans will put themselves in uncomfortable environments when the alternative is so easy. Roll down the window, take in some fresh air, and enjoy life!