Basic Trope: The car never starts when you absolutely need it to.
- Straight: Bob's car doesn't start when Alice is in a chase with him. When it finally starts, Alice is just outside the car door.
- Exaggerated: Bob's car literally explodes when he turns the key while Alice is chasing after him.
- Downplayed: Bob's car doesn't start while Alice is chasing him. Alice is a slow runner overall, so she isn't just outside the car door when it starts.
- Justified:
- Alice sabotaged the car beforehand.
- The fuel pump is dodgy as hell. Doesn't matter how much fuel you got in the tank when it can't get to the engine.
- Bob, a relatively inexperienced mechanic, fixed up the car without knowing how it works. As a result, it's godawful.
- It's The Alleged Car. Of course that old beater isn't going to start right way.
- Inverted: Bob finids that his car is conveniently already running.
- Subverted: The car putters for a bit, but finally gets moving...
- Double Subverted: Until the engines coughs and dies a few meters from where it was.
- Parodied:
- Bob sees Alice running at him full tilt, so he leaps in the car and tries to start it, to no avail. Alice merely knocks on the window, and hands Bob his coat, saying he forgot it.
- Bob gets in his brand new, shiny sports car and turns the key once. The car falls apart into a pile of scrap.
- When Bob tries to start his car, his car yells "I HATE YOU, BOB, AND I'M NOT STARTING!"
- Bob runs for his empty car… only for it to drive away without him as soon as Alice gets into view.
- Zig Zagged: Bob gets in his car, tries to start it, fails, and gets out of the car running while Alice is running after him.
- Averted:
- No cars are present in the area.
- The car starts rumbling away with no issue whatsoever.
- Enforced: ???
- Defied: Bob decides to hail a cab, not wanting to take any chances with a car that may not start.
- Lampshaded: ???
- Discussed:Alice: Have you tried driving your car?Bob: Yes. My car hates me.
- Invoked: ???
Back to My Car Hates Me
