First_Lexus

This is worth a watch. Always found Johnny Smith entertaining, and I think this - although not a review as such - sums up the ES and Lexus in general. Mmmm, comfy!

Spot on. I drive a Lexus because it’s beautifully made and comfortable. I could drive a BMW if I wanted something more entertaining to drive (albeit that would be useless for me as I’m not that kind of driver, but you know what I mean). I could have chosen a Mercedes as I love their new interiors and - I have to confess - their image. I could also have bought an Audi if I was a middle-management photocopier salesman from Telford… There are many reasons why people choose what they choose to drive. Most, if not all, are a compromise of some sort. I think the article was a pretty fair reflection of why most of us bought a Lexus.

Back in the 1970s I, as a child, had various opportunities to see motoring journalists work first hand. I’m sure things aren’t that different now. I once remember a review (for a respected magazine) on the new 2.8GL Granada being completed purely using the press pack that was on the front seat. The car itself was never driven by the journalist who wrote the review. I believe that sort of thing happened often…

Musical

https://www.driving.co.uk/news/jeremy-clarkson-lexus-es-dull-car/ Not the full article, but enough to give a decent taste…

It’s Monday morning and I feel like a good moan is in order. First, I’d like to moan about the internet. Bear with me here. It strikes me that pre-internet, ‘crackpot’ views were far harder to promulgate. Media (generally) wouldn’t entertain them, and in order to reach a wider audience they’d need funding to publish a book that few others would read. Outside of that, Speaker's Corner was about as good as it got. These days, the internet enables anybody with an opinion to present it as a fact. It’s not, in my opinion, helpful. Witness anti-vax propaganda, and various conspiracy theories. “But…” I hear them cry, “…all we’re doing is challenging the status quo/elites/Lizard people/Government falsehoods” (insert your own tinfoil hat conspiracy theory here). Not really. An echo chamber is an echo chamber however we dress it up. The internet feeds the view with other views that reinforce the first view (are you keeping up at the back?), and there is less and less real academic challenge. It worries me. Worth adding that being able to use Google search to find articles that reinforce an existing opinion is no substitute for an education that encourages debate and critical thinking. Context is important. Always. Next, those who use the word ‘like’ after seemingly every word. Like, that drives me crackers… Two more. People who overuse the word ‘literally’ in order to (in their eyes) add weight to their opinion. Actually, used incorrectly, it diminishes the validity of their statements. Finally, shaving. I can’t get on without shaving as I find stubble all itchy. However, actually having to shave every morning is a real bind. Happy Monday!

This is like the opening minutes of Casualty. You know something bad is going to happen, you just aren’t sure exactly when and to whom…😇

As an aside, I for one really miss those threads where the endless debate was whether the 300h power train is powerful enough…

Uh-oh. I sense the pin is out and the grenade is rolling slowly across the forum… …who will jump on it to save us all from that debate again?! 🤣

The issue is, and since the formation of our current system of Government always has been, that ‘the people’ demand services from Government - education, a health service, roads, sewers (the list is almost endless) - and yet too many people believe that somebody else should pay for it. Ask somebody if they’re ‘rich’ and see what answer you get. Taxation is raised for the common good. Yes, there is inevitable ‘waste’ in such a huge and complex system but ask yourself if you have never ‘wasted’ money from your own household budget. Regardless of what people may think, or want to believe, actual ‘corruption’ in UK Government is very low. VED isn’t used purely for road maintenance - and shouldn’t be by the way - any more than National Insurance is used just to fund the Health Service. It is all in a pot for Government to allocate in the way it feels is best. It isn’t simple, either, although often media present it as so. A great example a couple of weeks ago was a newspaper ‘splash’ about the waste of money on hire cars for Civil Servants. There was outrage. It was just a pity the report failed to mention that the use of the hire cars actually saved money… Cyclists would like budget raised from taxation spent on more bicycle lanes. Motorists want new roads or potholes filled. An oncologist wants the latest drug, an orthopaedic surgeon wants the latest MRI scanner, a teacher wants the latest computers…but I’m afraid they can’t all have exactly what they want. None of us can. People will usually argue in favour of their own priorities. Political parties argue in favour of what they think will gain them the most support. As EVs become more popular, Government will HAVE to increase taxation on them, otherwise we’ll have a hole in the budget. Taxing cyclists, taxing cake, taxing food…something has to be taxed, and some people won’t like it. The role of Government is to find the solution that delivers the best outcomes while irritating the fewest number of people, in order that they remain in power. Imho Governments of all colours have done a pretty good job since WW2 when you consider what this country has been up against. The decline of Empire leading to massive loss of revenue, whilst trying to convince ‘the people’ that we are still a ‘great power.’ Paying back WW2 lease-lend and reducing the National Debt. Re-building and maintaining the national infrastructure which was largely Victorian built and is now crumbling. An NHS which is ever more cash hungry because of medical advances and an ageing population. This is not simple stuff. We’d like to think it is. We’d like to think we know better. This is simply about choices, right and wrong, but I’m convinced mainly made with good intention.

Exactly. Somewhere in HM Treasury, somebody will have a tracker showing the likely uptake of EVs by year. They’ll have estimated how much more those still driving petrol or diesel cars can stand without switching and then at the cross over point the tax advantages of an EV will have to end in order to fund Government (unless some alternative income stream is found, which I doubt). Let’s be honest. EV tax advantages are only there to encourage motorists to switch. They’ll end soon enough, and road tolls are likely to be the answer for most Governments.

How so…do share with the group!

The only issue with all of this - just as with house prices - is if you sell, any replacement will also have risen in value…unless you were to go for something undesirable (or in house price terms, buy something either needing work or in a cheaper location). Otherwise my view tends to be that it’s all relative…

No dead BMWs here, but RIP one Velar and some fancy jacked up old Discovery really struggled 😁 Also, who doesn’t love a good tractor?! Awesome…

If I had a pound for every car I wish I bought and kept…I’d have at least £10 🤣

Good grief. I suppose I ought to be surprised… As has been said before, EV batteries will get more efficient over time with longer ranges possible (hopefully driven by battery evolution rather than simply bigger batteries!) The issue is - and I’m afraid will remain - the infrastructure. Government needs to act centrally to stop madness like this. They won’t of course. I call for a (series of) five-year plans, Comrade! 🤔

Mailer

The problem is that Amazon don’t have the same fixed costs as ‘bricks & mortar’ retailers. Yes, they can offer cheaper prices but at what cost to their employees, tax revenue etc. I won’t use Amazon. I do shop online, but only with retailers that I consider to operate (at least to some extent) ethically.

Moving the moan needle slightly - and I do feel increasingly like a grumpy old man (stop sniggering at the back!) - I’d like to submit ‘tribalism.’ I’m not sure exactly when this happened, but so many people seem to want to identify with a particular group and defend the views and actions of that group sometimes without reason. I was always taught that, in any debate, the real solution was often somewhere in the middle of the two opposing views. These days, I fear too many people simply believe their view is ‘right’ and every other view is ‘wrong.’ Thus, almost everything becomes tribal. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I enjoy tribalism as much as the next man. I’m a football fan - but when tribalism becomes violent or unpleasant it has gone too far. A good example in recent years are Parliamentary Select Committees. They used to be excellent forums for cross-party understanding and debate for the public good but - and I think this started with the Public Accounts Committee - these days they are more of an opportunity for reinforcing the various political tribes. Those called to answer questions are now often criticised that their views are ‘wrong’ in some way with the result that they simply stop telling their version of the truth and accept the consensus. That’s just madness. Another example. I was always taught that ‘nationalism’ for its own sake was dangerous. Perhaps not surprising given the events of the C20th, but when did ‘some nationalism’ become acceptable? Step forward Nicola Sturgeon…

A friend of mine recently (well, about a year ago) gave birth to their first child. He’s a slightly older Father, and quite traditional in his upbringing. As you’d expect, they have started to review local schools and went to look around some of the local options. In one, they were slightly staggered to be told (words to the effect) that “…grammar and spelling isn’t as important as allowing the child to express themselves freely.” This was a state junior school. To be fair, others were better, and he is content that - for the early years at least - there are good enough options without resorting to the private sector. High standards when speaking or writing now seem to be seen by many as ‘old fashioned.’ However - and I know the clip I’ve embedded is light-hearted - it IS still important. It’s hard to complain about an ‘old boys’ network and ‘the establishment’ when we are reinforcing it through the education of our children.

Romanov

A quick update on fuel economy. I’ve read a few times on these pages that RX 450h economy is ‘…not much worse’ than economy in the NX 300h. Having owned an NX for almost four years, I would regularly achieve 38-40mpg, almost regardless of whether it was Winter or Summer. I’ve now completed 1200 miles in my RX - driven in exactly the same way, on the same journeys and by the same driver. The best I’ve managed is 34mpg. Seems like I’m achieving 30-32mpg typically. Should add that in both cases I’ve simply used the on-board computer figures. I’m aware they may not be completely accurate, but at least I’ve used both so should be closer to a fair comparison.

One of the main reasons Ancient Greek used to be taught alongside Latin was the - seemingly largely lost to history - fact that so many of the Germanic languages were heavily influenced by both in antiquity (see what I did there?!). Nearly everybody knows about Latin, but these days fewer people seem to recognise words of Greek origin. My personal experience was that the main (only?) reason we were taught (force fed) Ancient Greek was so we could recite passages from The Iliad at an annual event in front of our parents. In lower school we were allowed the script, but in upper school the relevant passages had to be recited from memory. I’m sure our parents were thrilled having to sit through that every year…😆 Like most people of my vintage, we also had to be word perfect on a selection of hymns sung at the daily school assembly or in chapel. This brings me to a proper moan. I’m not a religious man, although I do confess (sorry, couldn’t resist it) that I enjoy going to church. It’s something about the routine and the comfort that something so familiar, attended with others, brings. Anyway, I digress. What on earth is the point of ‘updating’ hymns or prayers into more modern language, when the whole premise is ancient? Madness I say, madness! While I’m adding moans, and on a totally unrelated subject, I’ve completed two long motorway journeys in the last couple of days. People who cut in too early when changing lanes. Idiots. They mess up my radar cruise control…😡

Seem to remember we spent a term learning that…

Looks nice. It’s no Toyota Crown, but still…