How to be different on wheels
Want to be different from the crowd? Well, it seems the best way to be driving something the rest of the crowd won’t be is to buy – a people mover or a large car!
Yes, sales figures for January show that a massive 40 percent of the market now opts for an SUV, 13 percent get a small car, 11 percent buy a 4x4 ute, nine percent will find themselves in a compact hatchback, and eight percent in 4x2 ute.
After that nothing tops four percent, while right at the bottom, with just a tiny blip on the radar, are people movers and large cars.
Sales figures for the start of the year show January’s were the highest on record, which bodes well for the rest of the year since January is usually a poor sales month. Total new vehicle in January were 13,823, up a massive 16 percent compared to the same period last year.
Motorsport is dangerous
On a more sobering subject, the news that Hayden Paddon had to withdraw from the Monte Carlo Rally, first WRC event of 2017, was sad, and once more highlights that motorsport is dangerous.
One point we’d like to make is that it appears Hayden was not responsible for the death of a spectator who died after Hayden crashed into a bank after losing control on black ice.
The spectator was in a prohibited area – on the outside of a corner – and reports indicate his sad death was attributed to a heart attack, not injuries.
Having competed in rallies myself (not at WRC level!) I have at times been amazed at the lengths spectators will go to find the “best” spot, putting not only themselves in harm’s way, but also the competitors, as well as other spectators who may become unwittingly involved.
We are lucky in New Zealand to be able to watch top-class motorsport all over the country, often without paying anything for the privilege; however, we should return the compliment by ensuring that we stick to the rules, and stay in designated spectator areas – or if there are none, use a bit of common sense!