Mercedes is the new Volvo - an explanation. 7/26/2006
In response to Hming’s comment, which basically shows his age, and basically just about how old I am, the following is an explanation of what the title means.
In the age of the dinosaur biker, with air cooled engines, and 19 inch front wheels, Volvos were the bane of the motorcyclist. Volvo at the time, (as a matter of fact, they still do), produced cars built like tanks. They were well built machines, and the Volvo engineers did everything they could to ensure the safety of the occupants of the said vehicle.
Unfortunately, this had the effect of insulating the driver from the road, along with the whole “might is right” thing. 2 tonnes of Volvo, as you can well imagine, can do a lot of damage to a motorcycle. And Volvo drivers, especially in the UK and Australia, quickly picked up the catchet of being clueless drivers, oblivious to anything going on around them on the road.
All bikers will have stories about car drivers being idiots, pulling out without looking, lack of lane discipline and so on. And a common feature of the stories was a Volvo. Hence the reputation of Volvo drivers being clueless on the road. But this has changed somewhat lately. Mercedes drivers, especially here, seem to have taken over from Volvo drivers for absolute cluelessness.
- Posted in : On the road
- Author : thesnark
Comments»
Count me among the young’uns who didn’t get it. Since I started riding, Mercedes have always been the enemy of all that is good and right in the world.
Riding between lanes and there’s a car blocking you: 9 times out of 10, it’s a Benz.
Car cuts you off: Yup, more often than not, it’s a Benz.
Car repeatedly switching lanes without checking because he’s in a hurry and more important than everyone else: usually a Benz.
Car riding your ass even though you’re passing other cars at well over the speed limit: Benz.
I’m pretty sure they have a test at the Mercedes dealerships where they won’t hand you the keys unless you’ve proved yourself to be a self-centered asshole.
I’ll agree to this one… I’ve been behind more than one cow in a Merc who thinks he owns the road… usually, leaning on the horn gets the message across…
hehe.. thanks for explanation, I understand now..
But..
“bikes don’t run by themselves, they are riden..
car don’t go by themselves either, they are driven…”
user is all it matters…
I hadn’t really thought about it, but you’re absolutely right.
The wankers in the Mercedes SUVs being the absolute dead-dog worst for not only being clueless but not caring if they’re clueless.
I suppose I probably didn’t notice because I never drove into the more affluent suburbs while I was doing IT Support for the homeless shelter, but now that I work in the nicer part of town it’s as obvious as the day is long. (at least up here at the 47th parallel)
Volvo, the first road legal APC.
what about them JEEP drivers?
Hey, I drive a volvo too but then I am the good driver. Talking about drivers. Yesterday, 27th July 2006, there was this group of Jap expatriates driving a Ford Focus through the roads of Bangsar. It was 10pm, and I was doing my night cycling in prepration for my Interstate suicide during the Merdeka weekend. All of a sudden the car just turned into one of the apartments without signal being given. The poor rider on the scooter couldn’t brake in time and crahsed into the back left pessager door. He managed to jumped out of the scooter and I braked in time because I was about 15 feet away.
I got down from my bike, pick up the guy on the road and pointed my birdie finger to Japs and also pointing to their brains to fucking think when they are driving. The motocycle was damaged badly and then the managers of the service apartments came and settled the problem. I was on way fucking pissed with the Japs.
It doesn’t matter what car you drive ler, it is the idiot behind the wheel. However, sad to say, some motorist also put thier lives in danger by not riding defensively and it is a sad attitude to have while riding a bike.
Then you have the idiot, taking on two kids in the between two riders and the front basket.
When will we Malaysians learn?
Dangeours Variable: you mean like this?
http://anothermotorcyclediary.blogspot.com/2005/09/if-fuel-price-continues-to-rise.html
Oh yes man!