The 4x4 Rant Thread - Pulled From the £1.30 M25 Toll Thread

Al Weyman · 20 Oct 2006, 12:26 (Ref:1743861)

What on earth are they going to think of next, this along with extending the £8 congestion charge out to West London is just a double whammy this country dont need, so now we have the situaton if you go through London it costs and if you try to go around it you still get hammered. Still I guess if you work it out £1.30 is cheap as it worlds biggest parking lot and that all you will be doing, sitting there.

**bella** · 20 Oct 2006, 13:54 (Ref:1743867)

it's not. you've never had to drop someone off at an airport have you? the reason why you drop someone off is to save money and wasting parking spaces at the airport. often there are no rail links to airports from where you live. in fact, often it's the cheapest way of getting to the airport. and if it's 3am or so, the safest and only way...

don't tell me, you're one of these people who advocate paying a fortune at the hospital for parking too...

fwiw, they want to bring congestion charging to my town which would be a great thing. we're massively overcrowded here, but unfortunately it's mostly rich annoying people with 4x4s who won't be bothered by the extra charge. mind you, i'm all for a tax on the rich when there's a good park and ride system.

djinvicta · 20 Oct 2006, 21:24 (Ref:1743886)

Bella; Rich Annoying 4x4s. Cheers; I live in a field and cant get out without one. Hope your jealous Fiat Panda starts in the frost

**bella** · 20 Oct 2006, 21:27 (Ref:1743887)

you ever been anywhere near cambridge? theres not a hill or a muddy field for miles. especially in the city centre. no need.

chezza · 20 Oct 2006, 21:28 (Ref:1743888)

Yes DJ rich annoying 4x4's. You need yours and I don't (and I wouldn't have thought bella has) a problem if you need it. What is the problem is the mums on the school run etc who live in the suburbs who never take theirs off road.

djinvicta · 20 Oct 2006, 21:36 (Ref:1743889)

Sorry Chezza; I enjoy mine; Bella discredited them earlier, first page; were not all high heeled Mums; not since I last looked anyway. Some of us live in deep country and are oblivious to town life; sorry, Ill hibernate, log fire on, peat bog alive, planting winter wheat you all eat...

**bella** · 20 Oct 2006, 21:36 (Ref:1743890)

here it's as much that as it is we have narrow streets, and no dual carriageways (mostly) inside or around the city centre. people round here have too much money (example - 2 people i work with own range rovers, another has a toyota rav thingy. they all live in suburbia), and they want a big shiny car that doesn't ever get to even look at a field let alone play in one.

why they think it's important that they can drive into the city centre and park in the middle of town for the sake of it rather than use park and ride with the rest of us who don't want to pollute and clutter up the city centre (and can't be arsed to find a parking space) i'll never know.

mind you i suppose we're saved from their obnoxious children on the buses.

congestion charging is ok, if annoying. but only if there are adequate alternatives. in cambridge there are, although the park and ride is reaching its capacity at the weekends. but in other cities and areas there aren't decent alternatives. the thing about the m25 is that it has to be used by a lot of people who simply can't use public transport for their route to work (eg i had to use it to go to work. you try finding a train from northampton to woking that takes less than 6 hours..!). or their occasional trip to the shops, or whatever.

edit : of course you're not all like it. but i think it's plainly obvious which types i was having a go at in my original post.

Al Weyman · 20 Oct 2006, 21:37 (Ref:1743891)

The only reason I have a 4x4 is that ir can tow 3800kgs so i need one, apart from that it runs on autogas so is not so much a polluter as it may appear.

**bella** · 20 Oct 2006, 21:40 (Ref:1743892)

crikey, do you 4x4 owners not have a "aha, they're not talking about me, i don't have to defend my race" filter?

djinvicta · 20 Oct 2006, 21:41 (Ref:1743893)

Al: Youll just get pilloried like me! Give a good excuse please, like the girlfriend is too big for a Panda or something; Think of a good one. It always amuses me how some peoples fluids boil on 10 10ths on an innocent remark. Got to go; the missus is off on a cross country rodeo...

djinvicta · 20 Oct 2006, 21:45 (Ref:1743894)

Now shes in 1st gear; £1.30 a minute..

chezza · 20 Oct 2006, 21:47 (Ref:1743895)

DJ just calm it please.

Bella wasn't having a go at all 4x4 drivers, just those who have them unnecessarily, and she certainly wasn't picking on you in person which is what you seem to be doing to her.

djinvicta · 20 Oct 2006, 21:49 (Ref:1743896)

Chezza; I do think Im tongue in cheek here..

chezza · 20 Oct 2006, 22:14 (Ref:1743897)

You may be, but it doesn't always come across like that, especially to people that don't know you or your manor. Also sarcasm and that is difficult to get across when typing.

djinvicta · 20 Oct 2006, 22:20 (Ref:1743898)

I do think you mean "manner". Mines with a big smile

Al Weyman · 20 Oct 2006, 22:45 (Ref:1743899)

Well the crazy thing is my 4x4 being a yank (Chevy Blazer) and like its Ford cousin the Ranger, is also available in 2WD and looks exactly the same from the outside so what the big deal. Actually all joking aside it pees me off a bit when people keep using the phrase like 'Gas guzzling 4x4's' because there are plenty of gas guzzling 2WD and many frugle 4x4, Fiat Panda 4x4 and Subura Justy are just two that spring to mind.

Suze · 20 Oct 2006, 23:23 (Ref:1743900)

Here there's a mix - the local ones in the village who have 4 x 4s and use them off road and those in the nearest town who don't - take Waitrose car park as an example, if you want to see. Although, funnily, didn't see a single 4x4 when driving past the village primary school at the end of the school day today.....

**Peter Mallett** · 21 Oct 2006, 06:57 (Ref:1743902)

Warning, what follows is a rant and does not necessarily represent the opinions of Ten-Tenths.
(To be honest, it probably doesn't even represent the opinions of the poster when they aren't ranting.)

I drive an expensive 4x4 which guzzles gas like no tomorrow because a) Its comfortable, b) I don't really care about the tax the rich petty jealousies of our society, c) it tows my race car and finally and indeed most importantly I CAN AFFORD IT.

We now return you to our normal ramblings.

**Tim Falce** · 21 Oct 2006, 09:43 (Ref:1743962)

Well my 4X4 is heavy on fuel (derv) chucks out oodles of black smoke when I floor it to cut up Fiats and Ford KAs. The babies do bounce quite well off the large cast iron bull bars at the front though.
When I had a head on collision going down a country lane a couple of years ago it was Timmy's Disco 1: Honda Prelude -10 gazillion.

Thing is though I only need it to tow my race car, tow a trailer full of horse **** across Mrs Mob's fields and also to collect her hay on the back of my car trailer. So at all other times I will quite happily be Mr Antisocial cos I am ****ed if I will run two cars just to please a few sandal wearing Muppet's.

Knowlesy · 21 Oct 2006, 10:00 (Ref:1743976)

4x4's. Not my bag frankly, although I understand the reasons for owning one.

To me they just look hideous, cars on stilts with bouncy castle tyres and I hate the fact that the only ones I see are the infamous "school run, mother behind the wheel, spotty children in the back (at least I think they are children)". This is idiocy when you realise these people have to drive all of ten yards to get to the school.

The only model I like is the original Land Rover. It just seems so right, it is basic, functional, uncomfortable but cool in a weird way. And I believe it goes off-road quite well.

**Peter Mallett** · 21 Oct 2006, 10:19 (Ref:1743999)

Quote:

Originally Posted by knowlesy

4x4's. Not my bag frankly, although I understand the reasons for owning one.

To me they just look hideous, cars on stilts with bouncy castle tyres and I hate the fact that the only ones I see are the infamous "school run, mother behind the wheel, spotty children in the back (at least I think they are children)". This is idiocy when you realise these people have to drive all of ten yards to get to the school.

The only model I like is the original Land Rover. It just seems so right, it is basic, functional, uncomfortable but cool in a weird way. And I believe it goes off-road quite well.

I think the rounded off Lexus, BMW, Merc "luxury type are complete tosh. The worst is that heap of **** Porsche Cayenne.

However a good practical Jeep, Disco, Nissan etc. not only does the job they are safer for the occupants in an accident (yes there are figures that prove it) although some would differ. Hence using one for the school run is in fact meeting the needs of the nanny society we live in.

I agree that the standard of driving by women drivers of these vehicles causes all sorts of chaos during school run time there's little we can do about that is there?

Me? As with Tim I like mine and it does its job well. I also drive a 1965 MGB.

luke · 21 Oct 2006, 10:25 (Ref:1744002)

Anyone who has a 4x4 and doesn't live in the country side is an idiot. lol its true.

What's teh point in having one in the city or town? Some families may say; 'oh so my kids are safe'. LOL they are unreliable as it is, juicy and above all dangerous as they can topple over easier.

**Tim Falce** · 21 Oct 2006, 10:34 (Ref:1744010)

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke

Anyone who has a 4x4 and doesn't live in the country side is an idiot. lol its true.

What's teh point in having one in the city or town? Some families may say; 'oh so my kids are safe'. LOL they are unreliable as it is, juicy and above all dangerous as they can topple over easier.

So I'm an idiot. On what evidence do you base unreliability and toppling over easier, easier than what?
As for juicy, a modern one won't be much more thirsty than a large car and will not be any more polluting.
The cars that really pee me off are the BMWs and Mercs, big, ugly, thirsty and driven by arrogant Muppets with small or no willys. Oh and them kart racers, what are they about spending daddy's cash.

**Peter Mallett** · 21 Oct 2006, 10:39 (Ref:1744014)

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke

Anyone who has a 4x4 and doesn't live in the country side is an idiot. lol its true.

And where is this fact recorded?

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke

What's teh point in having one in the city or town? Some families may say; 'oh so my kids are safe'.

Well I suggest people look at this I would rather be in a 4x4 than a small eurobox.

The above is only one argument of course but it shows that people must take time to assess the facts before running off at the keyboard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke

LOL they are unreliable as it is, juicy and above all dangerous as they can topple over easier.

Why would it be more unreliable than any other car? Also why would you think that a properly driven 4x4 will topple over? Like any vehicle you must drive it to suit the conditions.

strider · 21 Oct 2006, 13:02 (Ref:1744085)

My son has just acquired a Chelsea tractor, as he calls it. Quite a change from a Smart Roadster Coupe. Some lowlife has already carefully inserted a screw in a tyre at exactly the point where it cannot be repaired.

Since I live in the country and he doesn't I have suggested we should swap, but he doesn't seem to care for that idea.

As far as I know he doesn't go anywhere near Cambridge, but I'll advise him it would be as well to give it a wide berth!

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