Will the marine world follow the 4x4 trend?

Re: Brown-ricers whinge

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Down here the pavements are reserved solely for our green friends on their bikes, you know the same ones that are red/green colour blind at traffic lights and use the pedestrian crossings to switch pavements.

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Yup, up here too, I'm a cyclist who happily uses pedestrianised streets, pavements at times and crosses roads at the lights. Have you tried cycling on most roads lately? We're invisible to drivers who seem to love gutters and cycle lanes, as do pedestrians, even those who look, yet still step out!

And is it really good justification to do something by saying that others don't do their bit? Why not consider that every act is on it's own merits? This is why so many UK towns are so grim, a few morons make a mess (town planners often more so than vandals), and the loss of pride leads to continued degredation.

I blame the Daily Mail. Jem.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

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I drive a Land Rover 110 defender truck cab

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You wont find too many of those parked up outside a trendy deli in SW1!

With your description of use you have every need for a working 4 X 4. Wales eh? You'll be needing a bit of space in the back for a couple of ewes as well no doubt? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I've got an M3, pumps out far more crap than most 4x4's, so just cos its small dose'nt mean it's ok, check out some of the modern sports bikes, I had a Honda SP1 (1000cc) weighed about 180 odd kg and only did about 30mpg, so why don't we all have a go at bikers as well, it's not all to do with size
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

I humbly Invite anyone with a 2WD to get out of my driveway in mid-winter without skidding into the wall (recovery and repair at your own expense), The number of 2WDs that will tow SWMBO's sheep trailer can be counted on one hand (and the hitch is too high for a standard caravan ball). My staff regularly ask me for a lift home in winter because they can't get up the sides of the valley on bad days (and the roads are cluttered with irresponsibly abandoned 2WDs whose stupid owners ignored Police advice about not making non-essential journeys..) etc. etc. etc.

And to cap it all my wife finds both Range Rovers easier to park at the supermarket than her previously beloved superminis, because she can see the corners of the car.

You will occasionally see me driving in a town or city, you will no doubt think "ruddy 4x4 show off", and you will be totally oblivious to the fact that I am hating every moment of driving through your stinking urbanity, thanking heaven that I can see above the cars in front because you've blocked the view of the lane markings and the street names, parked your little cars on double yellows and zig-zags (because it's only small car people can still get past...) rant, rant, rant.

Or would you have me buy yet another car so that I've got one just for when I come into town?

And for any Londoners who say, "well you live in the country so it's OK", go compare a black cab with a Rangie / Disco, same shape, same size, just 2WD instead of 4WD. Somehow I don't hear Ken Livingstone ranting about getting all the black cabs off the road.

It seems to me that ordinary saloon cars are for people who lead ordinary saloon car lives, but for anyone who does something useful a utility is the practical choice.

So there /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Steve

(P.S. Brendan, you're a disgrace, I need those disabled bays myself so that some silly bugger doesn't smash his door into my car while opening it wide to wriggle in and out of his pathetic little saloon while bent over double like some cheap quasimodo impersonator.)
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

This is getting silly. For people who live in the country who have a need for a large 4x4, fine. For city dwellers they are a stupid and anti-social pose. The Beemers, Mercs and that other German dick-mobile that I can't remember the name of are not intended for farmers or fishermen for god's sake- would you sling an old engine, two sheep or a crate of fish in the back of something with leather upholstery and costing the thick end of 50k? Round here they are driven by stupid blond women and blokes who look as if they made their wedge running Romanian call-girls.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

I still can't see what it has to do with anyone except the buyer what sort of vehicle they buy.
Next you'll be suggesting you have to get a permit to buy a 4x4. Bit daft for a Panda.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

Cor, there's a question I really wished I hadn't posted now!

To answer a couple of questions:

Talbot, I wasn't pushing a forum, I was asking a question and it wasn't a forum it was a blog. If the administrators had taken offence they would have removed my post. It also created 1387 viewings and 87 posts for this forum.

Brendan, I still owe you a beer. Name your tipple.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

Your real name Toryboy isn't perchance Cameron?

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The Beemers, Mercs and that other German dick-mobile that I can't remember the name of are not intended for farmers or fishermen for god's sake- would you sling an old engine, two sheep or a crate of fish in the back of something with leather upholstery and costing the thick end of 50k? Round here they are driven by stupid blond women and blokes who look as if they made their wedge running Romanian call-girls.

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Now I'm confused here despite reading your post several times, so bear with me, after all I am just a stupid person with a 4x4, albeit not blond. Are you saying above that Mercs, Beemers and the like are driven by stupid blond women or blokes running Romanian call girls, or is it the 4x4 drivers you categorise thus? Either way I think there might be a few blond ladies ready to handbag you and a few Romanians that might have you on their hit list.

Now my 4x4s (2 past and one due for delivery) all have had full leather upholstery but cost the thin end of £23,000 not the thick end of £50,000. That notwithstanding each has had it share of all things boatyardy from ladders to antifoul paint, paint filled rollers, trays, thinners etc shoved in it every winter, just the same as my neighbour in the yards Vauxhall Astra has. I don't understand why you think it should be any different, it is a car for chrisake not a family heirloom!

Bringing in car thought police I do trust are not on Toryboys manifesto? Free speech, free choice are on mine, but I'm beginning to think I might need to emigrate to find them anymore because the lunatics are going to be running the asylum over here.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

Be fair, some of out 4x4's do cost the better part of £50k, and for that reason we don't do the loading with junk routine. In fact, if any of the kids eat a chocolate bar, I've had ejector seats installed

I personally welcome the debate on 4x4's, as I'm accumulating a database of people to really piss off while driving mine.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

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I personally welcome the debate on 4x4's, as I'm accumulating a database of people to really piss off while driving mine.

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You got the binary wrong Brendan and 'off' has replaced 'on' surely? The advantages of the extra height.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

In this case the binary can work either way. Still accumulating the database, and looking forward to the next weeks driving, as I'll have a lot more targets than normal
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

Well, having opened an enormous can of worms, I bid you all good night and hope that none of you meet in the morning rush hour tomorrow....

I'm off to cuddle the transit.

Apologies in advance.
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

Welcome to the mad world of interesting ybw posts! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you could just let me know your route so I can stalk you?
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

Having reviewed all the arguments, and the nature of the original post, I give you the non 4x4 MOBO. Decent turn of speed without the unnecessary accomodation, and wasteful extras.











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Hey, it's not a jet-ski!

Andy

(And I did my avtar first /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif)
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

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(And I did my avtar first /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif)

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No offence intended !!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

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No offence intended !!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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Boy, you back down quick!

(none, even remotely, taken /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

Andy
 
Re: Protest Too Much?

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not intended for farmers or fishermen for god's sake- would you sling an old engine, two sheep or a crate of fish in the back of something with leather upholstery and costing the thick end of 50k?

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I know where you're coming from, when I got my latest one of my colleagues questioned whether I'd have been better off with a Merc/BMW/Jag on the basis that I surely wouldn't be taking it off road to get scratched and muddy.... It goes off road very regularly, and gets muddy, it doesn't get scratched in the process because I know what I'm doing.

But anyway yes, I've had live sheep, dead sheep, stinking wet dogs, hay, straw, tatty old 2-stroke outboard and rolled-up dripping wet zodiac inflatable in the back, and more besides - I use a boot liner /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif After all, a nice shiny new Rangie wouldn't be much use as a utility vehicle if you were afraid to get it dirty. It's a car, not a cherished heirloom or objet d'art.

Steve
 
Is it a myth or fact ?

savouring both UK and Baltic living .... I can honestly say that IMHO 4x4's DO add to congestion on the roads and often are unsuitable for the job bought for.

Take over here for example -it's an absolute status symbol to have 4x4, AWD, Full-Time 4wd etc. label on the back end of the motor. And the most sought after are the BIGGEST 4x4's ..... Range Rovers, Land Cruisers, Pajeros etc. These "tanks" are used in towns, cities and rarely do the job built for ... the width, length and overall size makes them a hazard ... drivers don't drive down their side of the narrow road - they hog the middle - causing others to avoid them. Parking .... see a "tank" in the supermarket car-park - nost now know not to try and park alongside ... find somewhere else as often the 4x4 is too large to swing properly into the spce and is skewed, it is a right B to get out your car next to one etc.
Another trait that I have to admit is peculiar to over here - the road manners of BMW, Mercedes, Audi A8, big 4x4 drivers is ZERO. They overtake on corners, squeeze through ... park wherever they like ... often across parking spaces, in yellow marked areas etc. on pavements etc.

As to UK ... having lived in a house that had the daily School run cars stop outside and clag up our quiet road (the footpath to the school was opposite our house) .... I can again say that the number of "Chelsea Wagons" was way out of proportion to their obvious use .... and the arrogance of some of the women drivers of them !! Big may be beautiful in your eyes love ... but parking across my drive and refusing to move to let me out of my own drive gives me cause to call you something other than Lady. The language used by some when asked to move !!
It got so bad and congested that other house-holders petitioned the Council to yellow line the road ..... STILL the Chelsea Wagons arrived ... without our prompt - Traffic Wardens were assigned for a number of days and zap - it was stopped.
I drive a AWD vehicle - but it's not the bi g unnecessary tank that others seem to feel they need ... XC70 ... because I live in a house with a very long approach drive that suffers a metre of snow in winter ... if it rains - the dirt track becomes impossible for normal cars. But I make sure that I don't park or drive that intereferes with others.

I think that many people can relate to aspects of above ... and can easily tell stories of what they see ... The 4x4 is an excellent tool - but has over time developed into something other than the utility vehicle it was designed as .. it is now a cosmetic chunk of metal that really has no place in modern average living. Brendan - you may have a diesel that gives 38mpg.... that's great - but many of these tanks are running hunking great petrol engines at 8 - 9mpg ... Range Rover 4.6 as example ... you'll be lucky to see better than 10mpg .... Land Cruiser ... even less when plugging round town etc. .... or on a School run ?????

Rant over .....
 
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