Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber
-
If you need VR10 armor protection in your DD, you might want to find a new line of work. Or maybe donate a lot more to charities. Also might want to rethink those "particularly close ties" to Putin?
-
@Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom
This is going to be an unpopular opinion, and I hope this doesn't have to go into OppoPolitics, but I think it's disgusting that governments are seizing the cars/boats/planes of Russian citizens. I don't know the laws of other countries, but at least in the US, for the government to take your stuff, (supposedly) there has to be due process you have to be convicted of a crime by a jury of your peers. None of that has happened. If we're to the point of taking things from people we don't like, I don't feel we have much moral ground to stand on. And if there really were shady things going on with the oligarchs (nice loaded term there), then why were they allowed to have those cars/boats/planes to begin with? If they did something illegal, then they should have been punished before this, which again makes it seem like "well, we're not that interested in you right now, but if we ever decide we don't like you for some reason, we'll have an excuse to come after you." That doesn't sound like a democracy and "rule of law" to me. It kinda sounds like Putin where normal citizens are usually left alone until Putin doesn't like them for some reason and then they are disappeared.'13 Kia Optima - abject POS
'03 Malibu Response LX - 335hp 350 SBC -
@FourMalibus
And yeah, maybe they are close to Putin, but where does it stop? Next, the US government will want to build a road and take your property to do it, and when you protest saying that they at least have to pay you, they will come back and say "well, you see, you're Facebook friends with this felon, and we don't like that, so we're just going to take your land. Thanks." -
@FourMalibus "US government moral ground" is a laughable concept anyway.
The same thing thar Russia is doing in Ukraine, US did in Kosovo some 20 years ago, but US are the knights in shinning armor while Russians are big bad wolves.
After US went into Iraq for the second time because a bunch of Saudis caused 9/11, I lost any shred of belief that they are doing anything for the right reasons.
Perspective and media push for certain narrative influence whole nations way more than anyone cares to admit.
2022 Toyota Tundra | 2019 FIAT Abarth 500 | 2021 TREK Roscoe 6
-
@Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom
This is pretty clearly headed in a purely politics direction, and that's okay. It does mean I should move it to Oppolitics though, and especially so folks can feel free to discuss Kosovo, Iraq, etc.Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist
-
@Chariotoflove The Maybach was the focus of the story, before it went political in the comments. Not unexpected, I suppose.
-
@Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom said in Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber:
@Chariotoflove The Maybach was the focus of the story, before it went political in the comments. Not unexpected, I suppose.
I get where you're coming from, and as a courtesy, if you want to steer it back toward the car, I can leave it here while you try to do so? Honestly, the car is amazing. Ten cm windows?! Holy crap. Tell me more!
Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist
-
@Chariotoflove @Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom
I'm sorry for steering it away, but stuff like this just gets my blood boiling...I do wonder why someone would need that kind of protection in a foreign, safe, country. I mean, I don't think Elon Musk needs that kind of protection and he's worth just as much money, so I don't think it's that, and if this guy is close to Putin, he's fairly protected there (unless he falls out of favor as I mentioned before). I wonder if part of it is just status again like the yachts. "Ha! Your car only has 8cm windows? Mine has 10!"
'13 Kia Optima - abject POS
'03 Malibu Response LX - 335hp 350 SBC -
@FourMalibus @Chariotoflove @Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom
There's 2 really interesting topics here - IMO - maybe keep the car discussion here and add a topic to the Politicks section because that's one I find fascinating too
-
@FourMalibus Is tiny mercedes. Google tells me Facebook spent >20million last year to keep Zuckerberg safe and sound.
-
-
@FourMalibus said in Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber:
@Chariotoflove @Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom
I'm sorry for steering it away, but stuff like this just gets my blood boiling...I do wonder why someone would need that kind of protection in a foreign, safe, country. I mean, I don't think Elon Musk needs that kind of protection and he's worth just as much money, so I don't think it's that, and if this guy is close to Putin, he's fairly protected there (unless he falls out of favor as I mentioned before). I wonder if part of it is just status again like the yachts. "Ha! Your car only has 8cm windows? Mine has 10!"
Truly, it's okay. And if you want to go all in on the political aspect, make a new topic over there and have at it. It's a valid subject. All we try to do is take into account what the thread's author intended along with where things are headed.
I do wonder about the need for armor and what it says. One of our folks lives in an urban Mexican environment and has told us about the fairly common practice of ordering armor for cars. To a large extent, it may not be just that you have enemies in a government, but also that you could be a kidnapping target, etc. And maybe there is a status thing? The psychology of that is interesting on its own.
Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist
-
If that's true I guess I could be wrong. Maybe we just don't hear about the armored cars that tech CEOs have.
-
@FourMalibus I found it on the internet. It must be true!
-
@Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom I want to know how much that thing weighs?
And hey, Mercedes has a long history of selling cars to unsavory characters.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
-
@Chariotoflove said in Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber:
Ten cm windows?
At that point, why even bother with windows? This is 2022, the entire interior could be covered with 'digital' windows leaving you free to cover the outside with plate steel.
-
@WilliamsSW said in Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber:
@Turbineguy-Nom-de-Zoom I want to know how much that thing weighs?
And hey, Mercedes has a long history of selling cars to unsavory characters.
How much money do you think you could make if you had one of these and you could hire it out as a limo or a Turo for cosplay? I'd go all in as a dictator straight out of Miami Vice and pull up to a Halloween party.
Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist
-
@ibRAD said in Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber:
@Chariotoflove said in Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber:
Ten cm windows?
At that point, why even bother with windows? This is 2022, the entire interior could be covered with 'digital' windows leaving you free to cover the outside with plate steel.
Oooo, I like. That's next level.
-
“I had a dream that midgets were trying to assassinate me, so I bought a bullet-proof car. But since they were midgets, I bought a convertible.”
-Steven Wright.
-
@Chariotoflove You'd go bankrupt trying to maintain it, unless you gutted the hydraulics and the air suspension, replacing it all with conventional gear.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
-
@WilliamsSW said in Another Russian oligarch taking an Uber:
@Chariotoflove You'd go bankrupt trying to maintain it, unless you gutted the hydraulics and the air suspension, replacing it all with conventional gear.
Clearly the way to go then.
Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist
-
Referenced by
davesaddiction
-
Here's a post in OPPolitik if you want to continue down that path:
https://opposite-lock.com/topic/42171/russian-oligarch-discussion
-
@Chariotoflove Those two things are part of the allure of the car, though. A bachelor party or Turo renter wouldn't care, but the value would be hurt, and it would be taking away part of the car's magic.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
-
-
@FourMalibus are you familiar with civil asset forfeiture? One doesn’t need a jury trial to have assets seized.
