Back to the Future Quotes

Context

This line is from the film Back to the Future, directed by Robert Zemeckis (1985).

If you're reading this at some time in the future when flying cars are everywhere and "roads" are really only used for filming old-timey movies, then just ignore everything that follows. It'll probably go right over your head (like a flying car).

For the rest of us, we've only dreamed about a world in which Priuses and Ford pick-up trucks go whizzing overhead every second of the day. A world where there's no rush hour traffic, because the space above us is limitless (well, the part with breathable air has its limits, but you get what we're saying).

At the end of Back to the Future, Doc, Marty, and Jennifer are readying to take a trip to 2015. Marty expresses his concern that Doc isn't giving himself enough road to get up to 88 miles per hour (the usual speed required for time travel—but if you've ever taken a physics course, you already knew that). Doc responds with "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." And then the DeLorean flies off and the audience cheers. It's awesome.

Although, once they get to the future in the sequel, there are still roads everywhere. Why are they keeping those antiquated things around? Why not get rid of 'em and clear some space for more lunarball courts? (That's a sport people will play in the future. You'll see.)

Where you've heard it

Since Back to the Future is a favorite of the YouTube generation, you can bet there are a ton of vids referencing one of the most oft-repeated lines from the movie.

There's also a song by a group named The Stereophones that ripped it off quite blatantly. You might even find a mention in a boring video about our country's infrastructure.

Hopefully you've never heard a friend of yours say it as you get into the passenger seat of their Honda Accord. If you ever do… well, just make sure you're buckled in.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

It's not all that pretentious, and we even considered giving it a "1." But… it's that pause Doc takes before the second "roads" that made us bump the score up to a 3. If you don't want to be accused of being pretentious, Doc, cut it with the overly-dramatic pauses and just spit it out.