MSNBC article: Hummer owner gets angry message

[Telco]

Damaging vehicles for a cause would be like going to the doctor and having your head cut off to cure a headache. It makes the problem worse. Same as the ELF attack. When they spray painted the vehicles in both cases, they caused toxic materials to go into the atmosphere. And as was stated before, damaging the vehicle means resources wasted to make repairs. On the ELF SUV massacre, the only ones that lost there were everybody. The dealer is insured for damages, and the SUVs were replaced with more SUVs. The dealer got a free makeover to repair the damages caused. People buying SUVs simply had to go to other dealers. The manufacturer made 12 more SUVs than they planned that year, which made it appear SUVs were better sellers than they would have been, which made it more likely for them to want to make them the following year. Toxic materials were emitted into the atmosphere. Gasoline and oils in the vehicles were made with all the environmental damages associated with them, then wasted. ELF did themselves and the environment more damage by destroying those vehicles than they caused the dealership and the manufacturer.

A better way to deal with a Hummer driver in the land of Prius's would be to speak to him directly, not take it out on the vehicle. If vandalism is a must, then deflating the tires would be a harmless way of expressing your feelings. Shoe polish his windows with derogatory messages, once. Once it dries on it can be cleaned off, but every time you get dew or fog on the glass the message will faintly return for the next few months. Stick potatoes in the exhaust. But don't be surprised if you aren't confronted with a shotgun on one of these overnight visits.

[cfg83]

theclencher -

Originally Posted by theclencher

His 27 year old buddy came from -how far away?- to "help" him through this... two masked guys did it... hmmmm... publicity stunt?

His 27 year old buddy doesn't exist anymore. The article has been trimmed down. The "victim" no longer works as a marketing dude at a radio station.

Wait, I just found this longer rewrite :

Vandals Smash, Scratch 'Eco' Message Into Hummer - Updated: 7:07 p.m. PT July 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19836967/

WASHINGTON - Gareth Groves said that when he brought home his recently purchased Hummer sport utility vehicle, he knew his eco-friendly neighbors disapproved. But he didn't expect it to be vandalized.

Groves said he had the vehicle only five days before the vandalism On Monday, two masked men were seen taking a bat to every window, knifing each tire and scratching a message into the body -- "For The Environment." The message was clear, News4's Shannon Bream reported, even though "environment" was misspelled.

Groves, who lives in upscale the upscale AU Park neighborhood in Northwest with his mother, said he saved for months to purchase the vehicle.

Neighbor Margaret Olivier was startled awake at about 3 a.m. Monday by the sound of shattering glass.

"Went to my window and looked out and saw two tall, skinny guys just wailing on the car with bats -- running around with no plan -- just breaking all the windows, slashing the tires, hitting the doors," she said.

Groves said some people who have driven by and seen the Hummer since the attack glare at him in satisfaction.

Groves grew up in the neighborhood and said he couldn't imagine anyone there personally plotting the attack, but he doesn't feel a great deal of sympathy from others now that it happened.

"I honestly feel maybe people feel, like, because I bought the car, I deserve this to happen to me," he said.

Police said they haven't seen vandalism so severe with a clear political message in recent years.

Police told News4 there's no trend, but Bream reported that at least one other Hummer vandalism is being investigated. That incident happened Tuesday in Georgetown. The owner told News4 it was scratched down one side and acid was splashed on the other side. He also said he has received Hummer hate mail at his home and other mail was left on his car for months.

So far, police are not publicly connecting the cases.

Groves said insurance will cover about $12,000 in damage to his car.

Some neighbors admit they don't like gas-guzzling Hummers, but said they aren't condoning the vandalism.

"People were commenting that it was a bit ostentatious," Olivier said. "It doesn't quite fit in with the minivans and Suburbans and things like that."

One neighbor, however, hopes the Hummer never returns.

"I think you should suggest to them to get a more discrete vehicle -- discrete and economical," Athena Adams said.

Investigators said they don't have many leads in the case.

Double-Plus-Good!

CarloSW2

[jcp123]

Last I checked, we were in the land of the free. I think it's absolutely abhorrent for someone to come along and cause so much damage to someone's PERSONAL property which they had to work so hard to acquire. I don't go around destroying Prius hippie-mobiles even though I'm no fan of them in the least, and I don't think there should be any right for anybody to do the same to anybody's Hummer either. You drive what you want; that's no skin off my teeth.

Seriously. Just let people live their lives. If you don't agree with what they do, then practice what you preach in your own life and don't associate with those with whom you disagree if it causes you so much grief.

[/rant]

[rh77]

What the Crap, people!

I'm honestly disappointed that someone would approve of this activity

Publicity stunt or not, what was demonstrated in this thread makes me ill.

End of story.

RH77

[jcp123]

Originally Posted by rh77

What the Crap, people!

I'm honestly disappointed that someone would approve of this activity

Publicity stunt or not, what was demonstrated in this thread makes me ill.

End of story.

RH77

Agreed 100%.

[Bill in Houston]

Mmm-hmm.

[skewbe]

Do you think Mr Hummer should compensate the innuit for helping to destroy their habitat? Should he pay for n'orleans or any other financial loss due to environmental change?

This is really a time in our history where we are trading lives for oil, and people dont even THINK of rationing?!?

Do we still think the state of the environment is "as debateable as the number of angles that can dance on the fuzz of a tennis ball"?

If so, dissapointment doesn't come anywhere near to the magnituded of what I'm feeling. We've got so damn far to go and people want to play nurse maid to humvee owners?!?

[VetteOwner]

lol hummers suck period

but anyways, to do such a personal act on anyone by dystroying thier car is dumb. if they had such a problem with it why didnt they tell it to his face or if that doesnt work hold a boycott. but those neighbors did it and the guy knows it lol. id be the same guy on that block pissin off the neighbors with all the "fun" things i do. but where i currently live i dont. i respect my neighbors because they respect us. i do all my loud annoying things after 9 am and usually done by 10 even tho the ordinace is 7am but who likes getting woken up to the sound of a saw or hammering or cussin (very rarely but when i smash my thumb ur gonna know about it)? so i wait...

lol if i was that guy, id do some very loud annoying things at liek 7:01 am and wont stop will 9:59pm...

[88HF]

Try not to get sick over words. Drink more vitamin water, or Gatorade. Don't need you passing out over a difference of opinion.

[OdieTurbo]

Dude! Destroying someone's personal property just plain sucks! It's a free world man! Mob mentality will get us nowhere every time.