The Tyre Extinguishers

[DRM]

This was my first thought. Maybe it’s just the area I live in, but most Range Rovers and the like are driven by drug dealers. Not the sort of people you want catching you fiddling with their motor…

Got to agree, the AMG Merc G-Wagen starts at £164,500 rising to £182,200, the Range Rover SVR starts at £99,500, when you see young men driving these things, they aren’t getting that income from the take away and used car sales outlet that they run, if you catch my drift,

 

[matticus]

There are, however, still enormous SUVs with massive engines out there. Stuff like Range Rovers and G Wagens and the like. The lentil tyre people seem to be misinformed.

So we agree - there is a problem out there, on your streets, on my streets.
I haven't spoke to any lentil people, so don't know how well informed they are; but one fact is that they are actually doing something about this problem. And risking death-by-drug-dealer in the process.

What are us posters on this thread doing about it? Yourself? Mrgrumpy? Brandane?

 

[Brandane]

Brandane?

I'm doing nothing. Why would I?
I believe in personal choice, as long as it's within the law. If people can afford to buy and run the todger extensions, they have that choice. It's no-one else's place to make the decision for them, or embark on a form of terrorism to make the decision uncomfortable.

It is going down a very dangerous path if we start protesting about lawful things that we don't approve of. I can think of several, personally, but we live and let live.

 

[matticus]

It's no-one else's place to make the decision for them, or embark on a form of terrorism to make the decision uncomfortable.

It is going down a very dangerous path if we start protesting about lawful things that we don't approve of. I can think of several, personally, but we live and let live.

"terrorism"?!? Blimey, but anyway ...

The point here is that issues around the environment are ENTIRELY about breaking of the "live and let live" principle. Laws are imperfect, they cannot keep up with every form of selfish idiocy we invent, especially around vehicle use. SUVs aren't illegal, because some people deliver pianos every day to disabled aunts. In fact if you have enough money to burn, you can do untold damage to the environment even at local level - the environment in which we all live - without breaking any laws.

You'll probably find that most significant protests across history were about things that weren't illegal. Heard of slavery?

 

[Brandane]

You'll probably find that most significant protests across history were about things that weren't illegal. Heard of slavery?

Heard of car drivers who don't like cyclists being on the road?
Yet we, myself included, rightly bleat on about the law and the highway code and how we are legally entitled to be on the road. Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but the same applies to every other road user out there, assuming they are legal.
It's not your place to decide where the line is drawn between what is an acceptable level of damage to the environment, and what is not. We ALL damage the environment to some extent, cyclists included.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Are you saying the situation could mushroom in Portobello?

LOL Dogtrousers, I never had you down as such a fungi....

 

[MrGrumpy]

So we agree - there is a problem out there, on your streets, on my streets.
I haven't spoke to any lentil people, so don't know how well informed they are; but one fact is that they are actually doing something about this problem. And risking death-by-drug-dealer in the process.

What are us posters on this thread doing about it? Yourself? Mrgrumpy? Brandane?

I’m doing my bit or was in other ways to reduce my carbon foot print . Whether you agree that’s enough I don’t really care. My choice of vehicle is my choice. I’ll make adjustments elsewhere to offset. Until such times that I cannot buy said type of vehicle.
Manufacturers are already swapping over to electric. Even JLR have been in development with electric and I think all their new SUVs from a certain date will be electric. Could be 2025?

On the subject my original post , Do you agree with the course of action they are taking ? Do you think it’s fair game ? You do know that after they have finished with SUVs they will decide on the next in line target ? Geez might even start targeting houses whom haven’t swapped over to heat source pumps or something ??!! Jokes aside if they find this action does work , what’s to stop them doing something else even more radical ?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Personally, I'd worry about safety aspects. What happens if the lentil fails after only reducing the tyre pressure and someone drives off with a partially deflated tyre. Would that be safe? I know nothing about cars so I don't know. Call me Mr Risk Assessment.

Putting leaflets under their windscreen wipers, while it involves "touching other people's property" which some people don't like, I would see as perfectly fair game. If a bit ineffectual.

That said, if someone were to use concentrated sulphuric acid to spray all the cars that park in the bike lane on South Eden Park Road I'd applaud such an action. Parking in the bike lane doesn't actually inconvenience me much, I just ride round them, but it really gets on my wick so they must all die.

 

[Ian H]

We seem to have come to an argument between tyre extinguishers and nit-pickers.

 

[matticus]

On the subject my original post

Yeah about that. From 4 pages back, care to address this? ->

Still stand by the fact that this will not win hearts and minds .

Just to get our facts straight:
- what protests have you carried out that you feel WILL win hearts and minds?
- what protests by others have you shown support for (preferably in some medium that we can verify)?

Seems only polite to respond, before launching yet more rhetoric.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Personally, I'd worry about safety aspects. What happens if the lentil fails after only reducing the tyre pressure and someone drives off with a partially deflated tyre. Would that be safe? I know nothing about cars so I don't know. Call me Mr Risk Assessment.

Walking back home after picking my granddaughter up from school the other day I heard the familiar thump, thump, thump, thump of a car being driven on a flat tyre & sure enough a VW T5 went passed doing about 30mph with the rear tyre completely flat but the driver was either ignorant of the fact or simply didn't care, which was surprising as the aftermarket wheels looked very expensive.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Yeah about that. From 4 pages back, care to address this? ->



Seems only polite to respond, before launching yet more rhetoric.

So you support such action and the potential consequences? I don’t that’s obvious. My protests in the past usually have involved spending my money elsewhere or long time ago even withdrawing my labour and manning a picket line . However I would never damage or touch someone else’s property or get involved in such things .

 

[Stephenite]

I think there's an opportunity going to waste here. As long as you have a Schrader valve on your pump.

"Pump your tyres up, mister?! 10 bob!"

 

[MrGrumpy]

Air compressor FTW here

 

[matticus]

So you support such action and the potential consequences? I don’t that’s obvious. My protests in the past usually have involved spending my money elsewhere or long time ago even withdrawing my labour and manning a picket line

How is that going to help with this issue? I ask again: how do YOU propose to "win over hearts and minds" [your phrase, not mine]? What protests have you seen that have your support?

"So you support such action and the potential consequences? "
If by consequences you mean violence against the protestors, and possible arrest for damages: well, yes, I support the protestors in taking that risk..
Just as the suffragettes risked arrest and significant injury in their protests.
And I support their cause - at least until you show me the better way [assuming it exists]. I don't regard shrugging, and saying "well some tiny minority of people need these things" cuts the mustard.