That Wasn’t the North Star Driving Down Rt. 140 in New Bedford

Have you ever been driving down Route 140, or Interstate 495, or maybe Plymouth Avenue in Fall River and been awestruck by this giant metal star rising high above a black sedan's bumper?

You're not alone.

I first saw the star from across the median of Rt. 140 as it entered from the I-195 onramp. It was magnificent, but also wasn't lighting up, presumably because it was 2 p.m. on a December afternoon.

It is a truly unique Christmas decoration.

I was so used to seeing cars and trucks decorated with run-of-the-mill string lights or the occasional tree standing upright in the bed of a truck, lights aglow thanks to an inverter plugged into the lighter receptacle.

First, a full-on menorah on top of someone's car going towards Providence, and now this beautiful, giant star? 'MERICA! Amiright?

Anyway, without any photographic proof of what I saw, I had to tell everyone about it and no one cared. The holidays came and went and I never saw the giant star again, let alone all lit up.

Finally, someone in Taunton saw the car and cared so much about what they saw that they posted its photo to Reddit. It took three months, but finally, from the safety of my computer, I learned what an uncultured swine I am.

Floridian visiting Massachusetts 495N Taunton.
byu/MissionFreedom7790 inmassachusetts

It's not a Christmas decoration nor does it light up; it's a stupid exhaust pipe. A Bosozoku Mega Star Exhaust, to be more precise.

Hailing from Japan, this exhaust pipe design is popular among car enthusiasts. If you feel inclined, you can buy one for a few hundred bucks on eBay. They come in five-foot and six-foot heights, so you know, have fun with it.

Like all good things on Reddit, it was the comments from people far and wide that made learning about the Bosozuka Mega Star just as fun as seeing it in real life. My favorite comment (because it supports what I had thought all along) was from TerpeeAF413: "You could build a Nativity scene around that thing for Christ's sake LOL."

Other commenters who know the driver personally said he had listed the exhaust on Facebook Marketplace; maybe that's why we've not seen it in a few months.

Either way, I don't drive by the I-195 /Rt. 140 on-ramp without thinking about it, especially at Christmastime.

Thanks for the memories, Mega Star!