Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

[Matt2000]

*Snip*

They like beige it seems. I'm glad nobody was hurt but I won't shed a tear over the death of any of those dullboxes.

 

[Zesty]

I've had this problem in some carparks with (mostly elderly, and likely a little hard of hearing anyway) people walking right in front of my car and not realising I'm there. Thankfully in summer when I have the aircon running the fan gives a nice roar every so often and makes 'em jump. :lol:

 

[Adunaphel]

My tractor makes enough noise when cold, so that's not a big problem for me. Revving also helps.

 

[thedguy]

I like the sound's Nissan's Leaf makes better

I'll take this sound

 

[Red_Bull]

Motorcyclist Michael Wiles fined after nabbed carrying BBQ on freeway

A MOTORCYCLIST who was photographed on a freeway with a barbecue strapped to his body has hit a snag.

A magistrate has described Michael Wiles' behaviour as ridiculous and fined him $800 for careless riding.

Mr Wiles, 29, has pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court heard the rider was heading home on the Eastern Freeway in January 2008, when he was spotted carrying a barbecue that had been put out for hard waste collection.

He was effectively ?wearing? the barbecue in order to carry it home, and his vision was partly obscured by a steel grate.

Police investigated the bizarre incident after the Herald Sun published a photo of Mr Wiles was taken by a passing motorist.

Mr Wiles' barrister Paul McClure told the Melbourne Magistrates Court today that his client's excuse was ?lack of thought processes'' and poverty.

?He was financially a bit under the pump,'' he said.

?It turned out the barbecue was a dud and did not work and that's probably why it was at the side of the road.

?This is stupid behaviour and nobody should do it.''

Mr McClure said that Mr Wiles suffered ridicule from friends and work mates when his identity was revealed in a follow-up article and he was approached by Barbeques Galore to do an ad.

But he refused to glorify his behaviour and instead used the media to promote a road safety message.

Magistrate Lionel Winton-Smith said he couldn't recall seeing anything like it in his years on the bench.

However, he downgraded the charge from dangerous to careless driving.

Mr Wiles also lost his licence for a month.

Read more at the Herald Sun.

 

[airmenair]

Cue the Australian BBQ jokes

 

[captain_70s]

Source

Having heard a Prius pull away from standstill and up to 10mph just the other day I can confirm they are almost silent.

However if you step out into a road without looking or walk around a car park without paying proper attention you deserve to be ran over by the car you couldn't be arsed to look for...

 

[Ice_warmer]

what is the quintessential american car ?(i'm not talking about most popular from movies or anything)

i always thought it was this:

and this only in black and white

on a little side note, why are american police cars black and white ?

 

[thevictor390]

Good question.

 

[airmenair]

on a little side note, why are american police cars black and white ?

Because the law is black and white! Yeah!

 

[Labcoatguy]

on a little side note, why are american police cars black and white ?

Probably for contrast and visibility reasons.

 

[Spectre]

on a little side note, why are american police cars black and white ?

That would be because most police cars in the US aren't black and white. Hollywood thinks they are, due to California law that mandates the appearance of marked police cars (front door must be white at a minimum), so every time they have a movie or show that calls for a police car, no matter where that show is set and what the police cars really look like there, out comes the black-and-white prop cars.

The most common base color for American police cars is white, followed by black, then blue.

Edit: Here's an example.

This is what the Hollywood-created show 'Code 58' (which is actually filmed in Dallas) uses to represent a Dallas police cruiser.

This is what actual Dallas police cruisers look like.

Due to the resurgence of filming in Dallas (and there are production units all over town these days), DPD is considering shifting to a black and white scheme for their next-generation cruiser purchases (so if a production company blocks off the street, the real cop cars blend in if the camera should accidentally catch one), but that seems to be on hold for now (thank god).

 

[argatoga]

what is the quintessential american car ?(i'm not talking about most popular from movies or anything)

What is the quintessential European car?

on a little side note, why are american police cars black and white ?

There are variations.

 

[Interrobang]

What is the quintessential European car?[...]

German or French Hatchback. And since the Golf pretty much dominated that segment for 30 years ... it?s the VW Golf.

your turn

 

[Spectre]

There are variations.

Heck, it's only been within the last 15 years or so that Hollywood finally stopped portraying NYPD cruisers as 'black-and-whites' when the real NYPD cruisers haven't been anything other than some blue-and-white scheme since I've been alive.

Moral of story: Hollywood lies. It's what they do. If you think American culture is the way Hollywood (including the media) portrays it, well, you're believing a lie. The reality is far different; I believe we have a number of Euro FG members who've come here who can verify that - freeferrarisdontexist comes to mind.

 

[argatoga]

I wouldn't say it is an outright conspiracy. If you need to shoot a scene you may not have the resources for correct livery.

 

[Spectre]

Nobody said anything about conspiracy. Mostly they do it because they can't be arsed to come up with accurate cars.

Edit: Or be accurate about much of anything else.

 

[Interrobang]

[...] I believe we have a number of Euro FG members who've come here who can verify that - freeferrarisdontexist comes to mind.

To have Clichees and wrong ideas about places where you?ve never been is totally normal ... the problem begins where one is unable to question these.

 

[Interrobang]

Speaking about cop cars in america ... it is a bit strange to the visitor why (it seems) every state/county/city has it?s unique look for it?s police cars and why there isn?t some basic Design/colors they all agreed on ... I mean ... the Firetrucks in america are all red, right? Why not do the same with the police? This can only add confusion ...

 

[Spectre]

Speaking about cop cars in america ... it is a bit strange to the visitor why (it seems) every state/county/city has it?s unique look for it?s police cars and why there isn?t some basic Design/colors they all agreed on ... I mean ... the Firetrucks in america are all red, right? Why not do the same with the police? This can only add confusion ...

Firetrucks are all red???

Since when???

The only fire trucks that have a uniform color scheme in the US are the ones at major airports; airport crash tenders have a limited palette of colors due to FAA regulations, IIRC. Most are painted "safety yellow-green" and are retroreflective. Damn near impossible to miss.