news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4351289.stm
The dispicable 'erberts to trashed this car should be throughley ashamed of themselves, but wait. Maybe it was targeted 'cos it looked like a scrapper. With respect to other Fiat Panda owners, most E reg examples probably look like they are dumped.
So respect to maybe the future first lady then for ignoring newer souless cars even though no doubt she could afford one! and driving an older car. Proves a point though a lot of people buy flashy cars as a status symbol. Not Mrs Howard!
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Not to bring politics into it or to been seen to express a political preference however the leader of the opp's wife driving a 17 year old Panda is a nice counter to the current "Two Jags" era. Something kind of reassuring about her having a 4x4 that is NOT an X5, ML, or RR Vogue.
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I wonder if Ken will try and ban her 4x4 ?
On the actual subject, car vandalism in this country amazes me. I've lived in some pretty dodgy places; places where given even half a chance they'll be off with your car, dotting you on the head to get the keys if neccessary. But they wouldn't understand mindless vandalism - which is after all a bunch of insecure, insignificant, resentful and jealous/envious scum trying to justify their own credibility to those even more hyena-like.
How often do you see nice cars with key scratches, broken aerials, kicked panels, missing badges and the like ? I do hope that what goes around comes around and that the people who do these things subsequently lose something very precious in their life and are forever disadvantaged.
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I wonder if Ken will try and ban her 4x4 ?
Ha !
As usual Mark you've got it one - done an Youth Court today................
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I think this kind of mindless vandalism is something that we can stand up proudly and say is very much a British thing. A kid in America would probably see a nice car and say, "wow dude, I?m gonna drive a car like that some day". It?s only our wonderful, heroic youth than would run a key down it.
I lived in pretty rough places in London for ten years without incident. Then we moved to the idylic, wealthy environs of Hampstead Garden Suburb for a couple of years, where my car was damaged three times in a matter of weeks - not by vandals, but by the brainless, dishonest neuveaux-riche idiots who not only couldn?t negotiate out of our cul-de-sac, but couldn?t own up to the destruction they had caused and leave a note on my windscreen.
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I'm afraid it's got the better of me. I've always admired nice cars but have never had the money to indulge, what with mortgages and kids etc but would never have dreamt of hurting someone else's pride and joy.
Finally, a couple of years ago, mortgage paid off, it was now my turn to indulge a little and we could now afford to replace our old bangers with something a little better, not brand new but a fair bit newer but only one at a time. Being ever the gent, I'll learn one day!, the wife had first dip and choose herself a nice neat Vectra CDX with all the bells and whistles and a nice dark green metallic finish; not everyones choice but she was very happy with it. We're now in a position to replace my old 91 Fiesta, but I can't bring myself to do it having seen what has happened to the wife's car. Over the last 18 months she has been scraped twice in car parks once at work and once in the supermarket on neither occasion did anyone own up. Then to top it all it was 'keyed' outside a restuarant one evening about three months ago. The only panel which has now not been damaged is the front offside; until last week when someone reversed into it in the company car park, again without owning up. She has now given up and will not spend anymore money on cars.
I'm now of the same mindset as Mrs Howard, I have a 14 year old car which is economical on fuel and spares, peanuts on insurance, relable and does what I require of it when I want it to. It's worth washers and certainly has seen better days body wise but what is the point in spending hard earned cash so some cretinous little oik can amuse himself for 30 seconds scrawling on it with a key?
Cockle
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>>I do hope that what goes around comes around and that the people who do these things subsequently lose something very precious in their life and are forever disadvantaged.
I can only agree with Mark.I wont say anymore.Mark said it all!
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Steve
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>>> that the people who do these things subsequently lose something very precious in their life and are forever disadvantaged.<<<
I bet they probably already have and are! Hardly something a well adjusted professional would do.
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"I'd driven my Panda for 15 years and it was very close to my heart," Mrs Howard told The Daily Telegraph.
Didn't anyone tell her sitting that close to the steering wheel was dangerous?
::No need to pass the coat, I still have it from the last time.::
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news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4351289.stm
In the political game, what a gift. Six weeks before a general election, wife of tough-on-crime party is a victim of crime.
I doubt that the vandals were aware of the impact, and I'm sure that Mrs Howard is genuinely upset -- I would be -- but her husband's spin doctors must be delighted.
So respect to maybe the future first lady then for ignoring newer souless cars even though no doubt she could afford one!
It sounds like what is known in the trade as a consituency car. Lots of politicians keep a banger in the consituency so they don't look too flash in front of the voters, but may have a posher car in London.
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That's a very cynical view...
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Very cynical. You wouldn't be insinuating something there would you NW.
You? Without being in full possession of the facts making some sort of assumption? I simply don't believe it. ;-)
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Adam
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Very cynical. You wouldn't be insinuating something there would you NW.
Not insinuating anything about how it happened.
But once it did, I'd be very surprised if the spin-machine wasn't straight on the case.
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You aren't a spin doctor yourself are you NW? I've never come across anyone who can argue as well as you.
Your arguments are always flawed of course but they're very good. ;-)
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Adam
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You aren't a spin doctor yourself are you NW? I've never come across anyone who can argue as well as you.
Not directly, but I sometimes have to do go up against the spin doctors. Most of them are quite formulaic, and not very imaginative, tho some of them can be quite good fun in a chutzpah sortof way.
That's why I know that any press officer in would either make sure that story leaked out PDQ, or expect to be out of job the following morning.
Your arguments are always flawed of course but they're very good. ;-)
The days I start think I'm not flawed is the day I'll know I have lost it :)
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And why not make political capital out of it? There is far too much shrugging of the shoulders and an "Ah well, thats life" attitude to the continual drip of petty crime that can make this country a misery to live in if you happen to have the wrong postcode.
It's a pity politicians and police don't prioritise vandalism to a greater extent. I doubt if there is anyone on here who has not had a car damaged or stolen at some point in there lives, I've suffered both. Being given a crime number for my insurance company who will pay me out but load mine and everyone elses premiums to recover the cost is small consolation.
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Still, it outlasted most Fiat Pandas!
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I made the point in another thread, before I saw this one, that I'd be very concerned about the safety (both primary and secondary) of a 14 yr old Panda. It's not what I'd want my wife driving around in.
Also, it's a different kettle of fish choosing to drive this kind of car, as opposed to those who can't afford to do anything else.
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I'd be very concerned about the safety (both primary and secondary) of a 14 yr old Panda.
Ok fair enough but you don't drive *any* car with the intention of having an accident do you?
Regardless of whether this particular car is 17 years or 6 months old it's basic and flimsy design renders it unsafe i'd say?
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Point is imagos.It should not happen..
>>it's basic and flimsy design renders it unsafe i'd say?
Whats that got to do with some mindless iriotts that decide you are going to be the next victim..I wonder where we are going.Certainly not in the right direction crime wise..
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Steve
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I was answering bill payers point.
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>And why not make political capital out of it?
Because a single case means absolutely nothing if you're a rational, intelligent, well educated human being. It works a treat if you want to appeal to the "Oi! You! Shut it!" element though. And if you're desperate, you will.
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Britain is soft, socialist and touchy-feely, that is why these things happen and one reason I'll never live there. Singapore has the right idea - a public whipping concentrates the mind very effectively.
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Because a single case means absolutely nothing if you're a rational, intelligent, well educated human being. It works a treat if you want to appeal to the "Oi! You! Shut it!" element though. And if you're desperate, you will.
It is not a single case. It is a daily occurrence for thousands of people, especially those who live in certain areas. It is largely ignored by those in power because they are often isolated from the effects of what they term as petty vandalism, and the problem needs highlighting to spur them into action.
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>It is not a single case. It is a daily occurrence for thousands of people, especially those who live in certain areas.
Firstly, says who? But also what are the actual figures, what proportion of the total number of cars, what's the cost of the damage, is it better or worse than it was ten years ago, what's being done about it?
See what I mean? It's a single case and making a meal of it for political gain is spin, pure and simple. If this is a major problem for thousands of people every day then let's talk about what we can do about it. If it's just a new style poster campaign then I don't care.
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Leaving a car in a station car park is not exactly wise: something to be avoided in fact, which is a big minus point against integrated transport policies.
And from the reports it sounded as if it was left overnight, something which no sane person would ever do!
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Why don't they put up some security cameras.
It is a bit useless if you can't park in a station car park, what would it be used for?
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Vandalism? Nonsense.
After 15 years of ownership and with the car failing to start on numerous occasions, the usually serene Mrs. Howard finally lost it big style in true "Fawlty Towers" fashion and trashed the car herself.
"Now Michael will have to buy me a decent motor and it better be that nice new MX5 I've been eyeing up" she told the Daily Telegraph at its emergency Fiat Panda press conference yesterday.
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Now that has to be ultra-cynicism, doc - I assume it may be genuine with no smileys? Or were you at that press conference?
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Now that has to be ultra-cynicism, doc - I assume it may be genuine with no smileys? Or were you at that press conference?
I'd be surprised if there was any press conference, let alone a press release.
That tends to be the sort of news best handled by a casual aside: "Sorry Jim, Mrs H can't talk this morning -- she's still sorting out the hassle over her car..."
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Not cynicism just irony. I haven't worked out how to do smileys so sometimes get taken too seriously.
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I was waiting for a colleague yesterday in a pub/hotel car park
by J15 of the M40, I counted seven cars with windows smashed.
Nice evenings work for the chavs.
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Do we consider that there may be any connection between more smashed windscreens and an increase in binge drinking? Another moronic jape used to be running over the roofs of parked cars in hobnail boots.
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Is mindful vandalism OK? bax
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In complete contrast watch the news today and see all the young people who peformed heroics on behalf of their friends, strangers and country. Not motoring related other than the bit about a Warrior APC but still good and makes a change about all the moans.
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