Photographer Martin Parr Captured Candid Portraits of British Drivers in 1994

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I feel that other women on the road react to me in a nasty hostile sort of way. For some reason this hate comes across. I mean, I give way to them so why don’t they give way to me.”

In spite of the passing landscapes, motorways and drivers with their hair blowing in the wind, these photographs look deeply at the issue of social mobility. British photographer Martin Parr emphasizes social mobility to show its close correlation to travel made possible by use of a car. With this work, he revisits the social structure of English society, showing both its vertical and horizontal dimensions.

h/t: vintag.es

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
Driving in a convertible with cuddly toys on the dash board.

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I like to think I’m quite successful because I’ve got a Cavalier 2 litre GLi. I sell industrial packaging machines – something with a bit of esteem not like Derek in Coronation Street who sells novelty items out of a bloody suitcase.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“As far as my social life is concerned, the Metro is a no-go area. I think I’d look so much better sat in an XR2.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“If you want to drive from A to B and feel perfectly safe with no-one looking at you, don’t drive an MX5.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I don’t like the idea of a woman’s car because that usually implies it’s small, compact, not very powerful and plenty of room for shopping. I want something that is going to do two hundred miles down the M4, thank you.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“Since I’ve been driving I’ve been either going out with my husband or I’ve been married. This is the first time I’ve driven a brand new car that I wanted, and it suddenly dawned on me that I was no longer married.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“Now that I’ve got the BMW I know that I fit in. I can get into a winebar in Hampstead, a restaurant in Mayfair and a pub in Hackney.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“When I first bought the car I couldn’t wait to catch a reflexion of myself in a shop window. It’s terribly embarrassing to admit but I really enjoyed seeing myself in the car.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I think the best of me are my legs and obviously when I’m in the car people can’t see them. But I do like men to stare from time to time.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I drive an Astra CDi and I’m a National Business Development Manager for a company that manufactures jams, marmalades, gourmet accompaniments and food gifts.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“When I’m on the motorway I don’t day-dream. I’m usually thinking of the fuel range I’ve got on board and where my next Little Chef stop will be. They really do have all the things a rep needs.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I tend to daydream and drift away and imagine I’m driving something a little better. You have to drift away in this car otherwise you’d go mad.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I think people generally assume that if you’re in a Sierra or a Cavalier you’re a rep racing to get home early for his tea. Whereas if you’re driving a BMW you’re an important executive on his way to another important meeting.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“When I say ‘When are we there Dad?’, he says ‘Oh, we’ll be there in about five minutes’ and then it takes us about an hour.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“The Burger King car park is where everyone hangs out. I’m young, I’m single, I’m having fun before it’s too late. I’ve got the rest of my life to be old.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I can’t show off my friends because, without trying to sound obnoxious, they’re sort of staggeringly rich and have absurd cars. So I did want to keep my end up slightly and I thought the Clio 16v was good enough to get by on.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“Ken’s slow. I think it’s his age. When we’re driving on the motorway everything belts past us and he’s chugging along at fifty-five on the inside lane.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“After the car the next thing my parents bought for me was a portable phone which they insisted I had in the car in case of emergency. And also to tell them if I was going to be late home.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I drive a rather excellent BMW 735i. It’s dark black, fully loaded, executive autobahn express. My wife drives a rather diminutive Fiat Panda which is best not described.”

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994

Martin Parr, From A to B, Tales of Modern Motoring, Londres, BBC Books, 1994
“I suppose we’ve always got this dream about selling the house and just taking off. In an ordinary car we’d probably get as far as the ferry and come back. But with a Land Rover we could pack everybody in it and just go.”

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