Clarkson causes a fuss with latest editorial

[jjs 64]

I love the article (Times online), but many people don't - check out all of the comments at the bottom of the page...

I think resentment is alive and kicking on our roads too.

I don’t yearn for many aspects of the American way but they do seem to have this dreadful bitterness under control. When they see a man pass by in a limousine, they say: “One day, I’ll have one of those.†When we see a man pass by in a limo, we say: “One day, I’ll have him out of that.â€

All this past week, I’ve been driving around in a Rolls-Royce coupé and it’s been a genuinely alarming insight into the bitterness of Britain’s obese and stupid underclass. Because when you drive this enormous monster past a bus queue, you realise that hate is not an emotion. It’s something you can touch, and see and smell.

Just yesterday, a man in a beaten-up van deliberately straddled two lanes to make sure I could not get past. It would have made no difference at all to his life if I’d done so, but there was no way in hell he was going to let a Roller by. I find that shoulder-saggingly depressing.

[briancol 3]

I love Jeremy, most of the things he says are what a lot of motoring journo's would like to say but are too scared to.

Have you seen the DVD that he did about American cars, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly? It compares Yank tanks with Euro cars and is very funny.

I gave a copy to Glenn to share about so if you would like to see it, contact him.

[Cale 36]

Certainly is the same here. Not that I have a Roller.

I get a lot of that sort of thing when I'm on my motorbike. It goes from one extreme to the other- people are too polite and sit on the shoulder kicking up dust and stones in your face waiting for you to pass when it's impossible to do so.

Or they pull out in front of you, don't let you pass on passing lanes etc.

Treat everybody like they're out to kill you.

[camera doctor 25]

Yep,

I am sure it is the same here. That is why my BMW got keyed right down the side I am sure!

I get lots of snide comments about driving a BMW too - Especially when they see it is a V8.

Thing is, it cost 1/4 or less than a new Falcondore V8, so where is the 'prestige' anyway!

[Apex 693]

I don’t think we have the same “class†perception here at all.

We are a "mongrel" nation with a low to middle class majority and what the English call the upper-class only exist in very small numbers.

Generally cars get keyed by middle class teens that are bored or because the driver has pissed someone off! I have never seen a car keyed in my life and that’s coming from someone that lives in lower class aeries.

[Avenged.SSE 0]

I don’t think we have the same “class†perception here at all.

We are a "mongrel" nation with a low to middle class majority and what the English call the upper-class only exist in very small numbers.

Generally cars get keyed by middle class teens that are bored or because the driver has pissed someone off! I have never seen a car keyed in my life and that’s coming from someone that lives in lower class aeries.

Very small upper-class yet there are more than 2000 cars on trademe going for $40k+, I don't get how NZ, with such a low average earnings figure per household (I've been quoted figures from $20-50k) can afford such cars, or indeed have so many expensive cars floating about, only explanation I can think of is car dealers over exporting expensive cars, which I don't think is true!

Is there a secret hidden underground upperclass society somewhere, or is the average joe on $30k per annum really out to buy a $40k+ car O_O

I'm sorry for being off topic, but this is something that I've been curious about for a while!