Friday, November 20, 2009

Chrome trim inside - why?

I recently had the misfortune to rent the most awful car I've driven in a long time. It was a GM product but I can't remember which one. What struck me the most, apart from the bad ergonomics and incomprehensible onboard computer, was the sheer volume of chrome that had been used in the cabin. They'd outlined all the instruments, centre console and vents in chrome. Now I've never been a big fan of chrome - I think it looks tacky and cheap and is a quick way of attempting to gussy up an otherwise dull design. But putting it in the cabin of a car is just inexcusable and I'll tell you why:- the sun. More specifically, when the sun reflects off all the bling inside the cabin and blinds you whilst you're driving, especially at this time of year when the sun is low in the sky. I was constantly fighting reflections and highlights from the chrome bezels as I drove - it was distracting, it was annoying and frankly it was dangerous. Add that to the laundry list of reasons why GM are failing - you simply don't put chrome inside a car.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Too lazy to park in the right place.

People with an over-inflated sense of self-importance are the worst drivers. They're so filled with perceived entitlement that they think they have the God-given right to drive wherever the heck they want and park wherever the heck they want. I have a lot of pet hates in motoring but this is my number one - people who are so lazy that they'll park in a clearly-marked no-parking area simply to save 10 steps. These people just have no common decency - no sense of the greater good or concept of - you know - following rules. Typically these cars are sporting handicap stickers but the people driving them are just friends or relatives of the person who's sticker they're using. That's low, but what I find intolerable is when the car in question actually does have a handicap driver and they simply can't be bothered to use the designated handicap spaces. In this parking lot in question, the spaces are the same distance the other side of the entrance door as this Jeep was parked. And they were all empty bar one. You can see them in the photo behind the lady with the shopping cart - they're the spaces with the blue paint. But no - whoever this person was just couldn't be bothered. I don't know if they were actually handicapped or not - I didn't see them park, but the Jeep was there for a good five minutes (empty, doors locked) before I took the photo. Selfishness like this makes me sick. I would say this person should be ashamed of themselves but if they park like this, chances are they couldn't give a flying rats ass about anyone other than themselves.