Thanks to the laws regarding “fair use,” TTAC can blog on your behalf. Obviously, we don’t cut and paste entire articles. Except when we do. This is one of those cases where a misleading headline deserves the full monty [via ekathimerini.com]. Or, as the Greek sage/storyteller Aesop said, “We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.”
Our politicians’ obsession with their public personae and the emphasis that they put on public relations stunts often causes serious problems for public policy and prevents political staff from doing their job properly.
The most recent example of this phenomenon was the government decision to replace public officials’ luxury gas-guzzling automobiles with smaller, more environment-friendly hybrid vehicles.
The decision has obviously not been thought through properly.
One of the consequences of this decision is that the prime minister and senior ministers will be using hybrid automobiles which cannot be armor-plated because of their relatively small engine capacity.
However, given the country’s terrorist threat, government officials must realize that their personal security should not be compromised by efforts to please the media through communication tricks.
After all, any incident involving these vehicles would, above all, jeopardize the image and stability of the country.
A few of those GM Web 2.0ish greenwash logos will placate the plebs. Or…
Finally! a market for the Yukatahoburbalade hybrid, as armored limos.
Terrorist threats? What terrorist threats? Get rid of the corrupted governments and there are no terrorist threats. How about an armor that stops bullets, but lets eggs and tomatoes through?
I dunno, maybe hybrids are an alternative to armour-plating. Have you ever known a brick-throwing, dreadlocked left-wing anarchist to attack a Prius?
Worth mentioning is the fact that at the moment in Greece, it costs far less to own a Lexus Hybrid SUV than eg a 1999 Toyota Yaris. Regardless of use: Even if you drive everyday downtown in Athens in your 2 ton SUV it is considered (by the lawmakers) far more “environmental” than say use your Yaris once a week or so. If it is a hybrid it is OK, no matter size, price, consumption etc. It feels like Toyota / Honda land…
I meant regarding taxes and annual fees: a hybrid gets a nearly free “ride”.
LOL @ hybrid fad
LOL @ politicians PWNED by hybrid fad. And by their own bullshit
The soggy brakes and no-grip tires on most hybrids are far more likely to kill you than any terrorist.
So the article criticizes a government decision because it may place high-ranking government officials in danger? What’s the issue?
I love the misleading headline: “Hybrids fundamentally unsafe.” Anyone with a dislike of hybrids and just browsing the headlines would think ‘hell yes!’ and move on. But it seems the Greek government is worried about the lack of armour plating options for their hybrid vehicles. Aha! Now there’s an issue that doesn’t concern 99.9% of the car buying public.
Our gov’t didn’t think things through properly? Well hell yes – it’s not like most of our politicians are actually intelligent and would actually think their actions through rather than jump on the current popular fad.
Aesop was Greek?
Okay, okay, so you can’t put armor on a hybrid, due to weight limits? Well, duh!
But even so, I refuse to believe they’re that dumb. I’m convinced that they enacted it as an alternative to term limits.
I guess you can’t armor-plate a hybrid Mercedes S-class…oh wait, you can!
this all sounds ass-backwards
don1967: +10
Oh, I think they could manage if the hybrid in question was an LS600h.
Well, they could, but it would have to be Kevlar-based armor, whose cost would offset the hybrid benefit.
Kathimerini (καθημερινή) is not a reliable newspaper. It’s one of the worst conservative-driven newspapers you can find in Greece. And since the convservative party of Greece lost the elections a month ago, they are attacking the new government in every way possible.
As regards the hybrid cars, it’s part of a bigger plan of the new government to cut costs and be more environmentaly friendly. Not a bad move if you ask me, as long as it continues.
As regards the armoring, not all goverment owned vehicles are armored here, and I don’t see why armoring can’t be fitted in a hybrid, it’s not that heavy after all. Generally, the article is full of junk science, just what I would expect from this rug newspaper..
kurkosdr:
I had the impression that Kathimerini is something like “The Guardian” of Greece.
As for conservative, the last 3 years they run several editorials flaming the conservative party for the policy of “far niente” which inevitably led to the elections result.