Posted on 07/18/2007 8:28:59 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
Vandals Batter D.C. Man's SUV, Slash Its Tires and Scratch In an Eco Note
On a narrow, leafy street in Northwest Washington, where Prius hybrid cars and Volvos are the norm, one man bought a flashy gray Hummer that was too massive to fit in his garage. So he parked the seven-foot-tall behemoth on the street in front of his house and smiled politely when his eco-friendly neighbors looked on in disapproval at his "dream car."
It lasted five days on the street before two masked men took a bat to every window, a knife to each 38-inch tire and scratched into the body: "FOR THE ENVIRON."
"The thought of somebody vandalizing it never crossed my mind," said Gareth Groves...
Now, as Groves ponders what to do with the remains of his $38,000 SUV, he has been the target of a number of people who have driven by the crime scene in his upscale neighborhood and glared at him in smug satisfaction...
Neighbor Lucille Liem, 37, who owns a Prius hybrid, said that a common sentiment in the neighborhood is that large vehicles are impractical and a strain on the Earth -- and Hummers in particular are a symbol of consumer excess... Liem added quickly that she does not condone violence...
Investigators said they are searching for the vandals but don't have many leads. Witnesses saw two men about six feet tall with bandanas or masks over their faces smash up the car about 3:30 a.m. Monday and then run off...
He bought the used 2005 vehicle a month ago from a dentist in Fairfax County..."I'm worried about what I do now," he said. "If I get it fixed, do I put it back in the same spot three weeks from now?"
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
There are plenty of SUV's, pickups and minivans built today that won't fit in yesterday's garages, not just Hummers. If you would have bought the Touareg with the smaller engine, you could save enough money to get the Porsche Cayenne you really wanted.
it’s DC, not State of Washington.
The reporter is trying to scare people via media generated hysteria.
This is like the psych 101 clases which discuss the HG Well’s War of the Worlds broadcast or the misundertanding of mere pebble impacts on windshields as a mystyrious bb gun vandal.
This type of class envy should be under the left wing “hate crimes”.
Moth balls, they are worse then sugar. Although the crystalline form of naphthalene works quicker if you can find it. Dump a pound or two into the gas filler and you will need a rebuild in short order. Also a box of Uncle Ben's converted rice in the radiator will do a good job of stopping leaks.
Regards and have fun, just don't get caught!
GtG
“I mean, what earthly good is an SUV that never goes off-road?”
— —
Xena, what part of “Sport, “Utility”, or “Vehicle” implies that it MUST go off-road?
Please explain.
I use my SUV for lumber, cement, shingles, air compressors, fertilizer, tools, hardware, etc. In other words, as a utility vehicle. The “sport” part is because it looks good.
Aren’t the Enviros concerned at the amount of energy and the loss of resources it will take to get the Hummer fixed?
WHy not?
Yep, thats what I'd do too......
I had a honda that someone thru a rock thru my side window while parked at a raquet club I belonged to. I had it fixed less than a week then the person tried it again, this time it didn't break but the rock was laying beside my car.
I had a real good idea who did it because his beat up old truck had identical rocks in the bed of it. I asked my dad who was a cop at the time to run the plate for me which he did but the person probably wasn't living at the residence assigned to the plate because for several times I took a late night drive to the residence looking for the truck. I never found it nor did I ever see it at the club again......
The guy was really, really lucky.....
In answer to your question about guys with BIG SUVs that rarely go off road, I will answer that many of us have a wife who says (when we are shopping for vehicles) “I don’t have but one question for you: Will it tow our boat anywhere I want you to take me?”
“..stopped building sedan based station wagons 30 years ago”
Not quite. The ‘80s was the last gasp. To wit, the Caprice, and the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis. Actually, the Caprice may have been into the ‘90s.
But basically, yes, station wagons were “outlawed”. Unless you count the Jap econobox versions. I don’t. Tiny is not practical.
It is American-built. It’s just not necessarily American-DESIGNED. What with Germans and all.
I am shocked you would say that.
What next? From each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs?
Makes a great daily driver. There is a dual path exhaust system; under 3500 RPM it runs through the mufflers. Over 3500 two butterfly valves open and it goes to straight pipes 11:1 compression, 427 CUI, and straight pipes make a noticeable sound.
That would be pretty cool.
My buddy had a 78 Pinto. Fire engine red.
He could make it backfire on command.
That car was great.
If you could get a gremlin to restore, I would help them do it.
A Magnum is not a “teeny hatchback”. But I will say it is not a LARGE station wagon, just medium.
There simply are no “large” cars any more.
Uhhhh....Washington DC...Redskins.
chrysler magnum. It is a station waggon with a macho PR campaign.
I love car threads!
www.digitalcorvettes.com - nothing but
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.