I just had to laugh at this article

Donkey® · 07-18-2007, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by article

Hummer Owner Gets Angry Message
Vandals Batter D.C. Man's SUV, Slash Its Tires and Scratch In an Eco Note

By Allison Klein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 18, 2007; Page B01

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, 32, who lives with his mother in a three-story home in the 3400 block of Brandywine Street NW in American University Park. "I've kind of been in shock."

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.

"I'd say one in five people who come by have that 'you-got-what-you-deserve' look," said his friend Andy Sexton, 27, who is visiting from Arkansas and has been helping Groves deal with fallout from the crime.

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.

"The neighborhood in general is very concerned with the environment," said Liem, whose Prius gets about 48 miles a gallon compared with the Hummer's 14 miles a gallon. "It's more liberal leaning. It's ridiculous to be driving a Hummer."

Liem added quickly that she does not condone violence.

Another neighbor, Lani Fremaux, 58, said she bought a T-shirt months ago with a picture of a Hummer and above it the word "Bummer." She wore the shirt proudly but said she is so upset with recent events on her street that she might retire it.

"They've got everything at their disposal in this city to make a statement in a legal way," Fremaux said of the bat-wielding men who struck out at the Hummer. "I consider this a hate crime."

Police said they see small acts of vandalism in the area from time to time, but they have not seen anything so severe, or with such a clear political message, in recent years.

"This seems to be an isolated event," Cmdr. Andy Solberg said.

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.

Groves's mother, Phyllis Groves, 70, said she is sad for her son because he has wanted a Hummer for a while. But even she did not exactly approve of the purchase.

"I teased him because of the gas mileage," she said. "But he wanted a Hummer. He didn't have other gas guzzlers in mind."

He bought the used 2005 vehicle a month ago from a dentist in Fairfax County and left it in a shop for several weeks so it could be outfitted to his specifications -- new, bigger tires and a "lift kit," meaning it would be higher off the ground.

Groves, who grew up in the District and works in marketing for a local radio station, said he wanted the car in part because he is starting a company, Washington Sports Marketing, that is "image-based."

He said he wants to get it towed and repaired but fears extremists might not be done making an example of him.

"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?"

Cliffs:

Paul Wallnabe who lives with mom gets his POS Hummer trashed by liberal hippies.

Linzyhop · 07-18-2007, 04:44 PM

that is pretty damned funny.

hummers are stupid.

Publius · 07-18-2007, 05:02 PM

Ha Ha!! I'm laughing at the willful destruction of private property!!1!1!!

WickedLou9 · 07-18-2007, 05:05 PM

Eco terrorism is the new hotness. Didn't you all hear? Everyones doing it these days. I heard Paris Hilton joined the ELF just the other day.

Donkey® · 07-18-2007, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

Ha Ha!! I'm laughing at the willful destruction of private property!!1!1!!

How about you take your sense of humor out of your ass and find OTHER things funny about the article?

Publius · 07-18-2007, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Donkey®

How about you take your sense of humor out of your ass and find OTHER things funny about the article?

the fact that he is a 30-something living with his mother is amusing.

thomez · 07-18-2007, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

Ha Ha!! I'm laughing at the willful destruction of private property!!1!1!!

hilarious isn't it!!!

WickedLou9 · 07-18-2007, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

the fact that he is a 30-something living with his mother is amusing.

Talk about having your priorities out of wack. You have enough money to buy a 40k dollar hummer, but you live with your mother. He probably has a 40k a year job and spent 50% of his take home on the stupid car.

Linzyhop · 07-18-2007, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Talk about having your priorities out of wack. You have enough money to buy a 40k dollar hummer, but you live with your mother. He probably has a 40k a year job and spent 50% of his take home on the stupid car.

yup. exactly the type of idiots who drive hummers in the first place.

thomez · 07-18-2007, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

yup. exactly the type of idiots who drive hummers in the first place.

ha! ha! I generalize too! ha! ha!

Donkey® · 07-18-2007, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

the fact that he is a 30-something living with his mother is amusing.

There ya go...plus the fact the lady called this a "hate crime" made me chuckle. I personally found it funny that it was his "dream car" and it's a pos. But I guess that's just me.

Linzyhop · 07-18-2007, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by thomez

ha! ha! I generalize too! ha! ha!

sure. because people have to be idiots to be driving around gaz guzzlers that are nothing more than a sign screaming "I'M COOL BECAUSE I DRIVE A RIDICULOUSLY OVER-SIZED SMALL-DICK MOBILE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SHORTCOMINGS IN MY PERSONALITY AND LIFE IN GENERAL!".

WickedLou9 · 07-18-2007, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

sure. because people have to be idiots to be driving around gaz guzzlers that are nothing more than a sign screaming "I'M COOL BECAUSE I DRIVE A RIDICULOUSLY OVER-SIZED SMALL-DICK MOBILE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SHORTCOMINGS IN MY PERSONALITY AND LIFE IN GENERAL!".

I drive a Honda Fit.

Linzyhop · 07-18-2007, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

I drive a Honda Fit.

Honda's get broken into a lot.

Ardentfrost · 07-18-2007, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

I drive a Honda Fit.

Nice, my wife wants one of those. I drive a Nissan Versa... same class, but I went with it over the Fit b/c of interior room.

thomez · 07-18-2007, 06:09 PM

I drive a 4x4 truck with big tires and a 4x4 Jeep with big tires.... truck gets 18-20mpg and the Jeep only gets 12mpg...

that's also why I have the motorcycle

Roonie · 07-18-2007, 06:15 PM

I didn't know Washington D.C. was environmentally conscious. They made the beginning of the story sound like Seattle when they said Northwest Washington and the Volvo Prius stereotype and eco terror stuff.

On a side note there were several eco-terror incidents in our neighborhood in Seattle. It all involved new construction and usually condo units or townhomes almost completed. They would go in and torch em and write eco graffiti everywhere. It happened 5 times in my old neighborhood alone in 2 years.

Linzyhop · 07-18-2007, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by thomez

I drive a 4x4 truck with big tires and a 4x4 Jeep with big tires.... truck gets 18-20mpg and the Jeep only gets 12mpg...

that's also why I have the motorcycle

my subaru got 370 miles on my last tank of gas. but that was a road trip. i'm coming down to empty and i'm at 320 right now.

thomez · 07-18-2007, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

my subaru got 370 miles on my last tank of gas. but that was a road trip. i'm coming down to empty and i'm at 320 right now.

my truck can go 300 miles on a tank of gas, I'm not sure what your point is

your Subaru is also wasting energy by using a full-time AWD system when it is unnecessary in the age of traction-loving FWD automobiles

Linzyhop · 07-18-2007, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by thomez

my truck can go 300 miles on a tank of gas, I'm not sure what your point is

your Subaru is also wasting energy by using a full-time AWD system when it is unnecessary in the age of traction-loving FWD automobiles

not really considering I use it for long trips mostly and bought it for the winters so I can do snowboarding in the mountains when all the wussy cars get stuck in the snow.