Oppo, Something has been bothering me...

"Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif" (lumpy44)
07/08/2015 at 17:06 • Filed to: None

I feel like since we are .Kinja and not .Jalopnik anymore I can say this without being pulverized.

The thing I have trouble with is the lack of actual driving I think lots of the FP writers do. People like Doug, Tavarish, and Travis (R.I.P) were drivers, they can speak fluently about how a car moves and can compare one against another. I know I’m not this first person to have this point of view but when I hear people say I don’t own a car anymore and then read their story stating should you buy this car or this car is great I have a tough time believing it. I think it more came out with the Youtube channel, either people taking her first track experience or proudly stating they don’t own a car it makes me think they are out of touch with the driving experience.

This is probably just the rant of a moron but who knows maybe some of you agree.

DISCUSSION (40)

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:10

this is probably because they are based out of NYC. From what I can tell, it’s just not the easiest place in the world to own or drive a car with any regularity. I could be wrong though.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:10

That's a pretty valid point.

Azrek > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:12

Grandma (she is from Finland) once told me never to trust a Dentist with bad teeth, a hair Doctor who is bald or a skinny Chef.

But her best profound knowledge was about dating/marriage. “You never buy the first pair of shoes you try on.”

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
07/08/2015 at 17:23

I completely agree that geography makes it tough for them. NYC is not the most car friendly place at all but you would have to think people who write about cars have some sort of access to them.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:27

jbh gets it done!

Takuro Spirit > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:27

When it comes to back seat of taxi and bus seat reviews, Jalopnik is the place to go!

StingrayJake > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:27

It could be worse. The weekend editors could be full-time editors.

RallyWrench > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:28

Travis, yes. Patrick less, but yes (though I think he’s the best writer and journalist, by far). Doug, also less, but yes. Raph, getting there in earnest. Matt, maybe, but I don’t even remember the last road test I read by him so can’t say. Andrew, about trucks, yes. Tavarish, not yet. Others, not yet.

Matt Hardigree > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:38

You realize that even though a few of us don’t own cars (Of 12 full time writers/editors, I think only four of us don’t currently cars and that’s on account of living in NYC) all of us have access to different press cars almost every week, right? Like, we drive about 100-120 cars between us.

PatBateman > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:39

Meh. Patrick is based out of Austin, as is Stef (the only blogger here that actually races). Isn’t Torch based in California? I thought he was.

Being someone who can discern the minute differences between similar vehicles, the advantages/disadvantages of said vehicles, and stay on top of auto news is important for a Jalopnik author. Being able to properly communicate all of that to the readers is paramount. Being a driver of a car daily... Not so much.

LongbowMkII > Matt Hardigree
07/08/2015 at 17:45

1:0

RightFootDown > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:46

Shameless plug.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Matt Hardigree
07/08/2015 at 17:50

Oh ya, I do realize this. And I’m not 100% sure how the press car thing works. Do you get the car whenever you wish for a certain amount of time? Or do you have do it on a schedule.

Like I said I’m probably just assuming to much (IE: ass of me and mostly me). I know I’m no Chris Harris and am sure you guys do a huge amount of research into the cars but it just seemed to me lately that it came up more often that some of you don’t have cars of your own. I guess the variety of cars you do get to drive would up for that even though its not like you are commuting in a 918. Is that 100-120 the number of cars you guys have access to, or the number of cars Tavarish is planning on flipping?

Not meaning this to be a shot at you or any of the other Jalopnik staff, just wanted throw some thoughts out there and thanks for clearing up most of my misconceptions.

mcseanerson > StingrayJake
07/08/2015 at 17:51

Remember when Murilee was the weekend editor? How times have changed.

mcseanerson > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
07/08/2015 at 17:52

and Orlove drives a Baja Bug around NYC.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > RightFootDown
07/08/2015 at 17:56

Kinja'd!!!

mcseanerson > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:57

Apparently not even the .kinja will keep you safe from.... THE HARDIBIRD!

Kinja'd!!!

Under_Score > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 17:58

I’ve been telling people which car to buy since I was in elementary school. They still trusted me, because I used sources to confirm or deny which cars were good or bad. Same for these guys; sure, they (maybe) haven’t actually sat in or driven a 1989 Ferrari Testarossa, but they know how they are from other sources. Everyone is different; some hate how the Prius drives, others love theirs. Some have a lot of space in a Suburban, others don’t (me). The reviewers give what they can about a car, but the driving and comfort is up to the individual buyer.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > PatBateman
07/08/2015 at 17:59

Not sure most of these guys location but I’m sure that factors into it.

I didn’t mean for this to come off as a “you don’t commute therefore you know nothing about cars” though in reading it again I can see how that might come off. Hardigree did just explain some stuff to me and I see how I was kind of off in my assumptions.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > mcseanerson
07/08/2015 at 18:00

That gif is magic. Maybe he won’t find me at Photography.....

mcseanerson > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 18:01

This took longer to find than almost any other gif I’ve ever searched for. Like six whole minutes.

Matt Hardigree > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 18:03

http://jalopnik.com/the-truth-abou…

Most of the videos we shoot are in NYC, of five NYC -based full-time employees only one of them has a car (Raph), but the rest of us get press cars. This is actually the first time since I’ve been 16 that I don’t have a car and I’m generally in the market but the subway works a little better.

SteveLehto > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 18:10

Which is why I have pointed out the cool cars I HAVE driven (Turbine Car, Bobby Isaac’s K&K, Viper GTS coupe) and owned (1969 Dodge Charger, M35A2 Deuce and a half army truck) and so on. I don’t dispense advice on which cars to buy but I think these things do go a bit toward credibility.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Matt Hardigree
07/08/2015 at 18:15

Thats fair enough, never been to NYC though I assume its a little different than the Canadian prairies I call home. Thanks for the info boss!

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > SteveLehto
07/08/2015 at 18:18

I’m sure it helps though through the rest of the comments Hardigree and some others have sort of swayed my thinking as far as just owning a car goes.

I’m super jealous of that list though! Keep on fighting the good fight for the average joe and his car!

RightFootDown > PatBateman
07/08/2015 at 18:44

Our founder has owned over two dozen cars and raced nearly each one of them. Not only that, they were his daily drivers. NSX, daily driven and tracked at time attacks and HPDEs. Three V8 Mustangs, drag raced, autocrossed, drifted, engines rebuilt, suspensions modifed. He’s instructed for four years and now writes for us and makes videos. Personally, I want to watch people who have that level of experience and knowledge. Isn’t this why we enjoy watching people like Matt Farah and Chris Harris? They’re not just talking, they’re living.

Matt Hardigree > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 18:45

Actually, two of us have cars.

jkm7680 > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 18:56

There’s like two Jalopnik writers that don’t even have cars...

B_dol > RightFootDown
07/08/2015 at 19:14

Well said, I respect the opinion of those who live and breath this car addiction. I would buy a car sight on the video/words of Chris Harris alone, the million other internet blog/vloggers, not so much.

DylanToback > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
07/08/2015 at 19:32

To be honest, I do not have any problem with the fact that some of the writers do not own cars, or do not have a lot of track experience. Those are just two facets of “car enthusiasm”. While I certainly prefer driving experience when reading a road or track test of a vehicle, it is far from essential to an article about the history of a particular racing team, or the technical intricacies of the Porsche 918 hybrid system.

That said, I do agree with your sentiment in part. Though my complaint is not that certain people do not own cars, or may have less experience, but rather that some of the writers (more specifically, some of the weekend editors) barely seem interested in cars at all. Jalopnik has historically been a place for enthusiasts to read, learn, and interact with people who share their passion for cars. This seems to be less true now than it was in the past.

Obviously these too could be the musings of a moron.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > mcseanerson
07/08/2015 at 19:41

OH YEAH!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Matt Hardigree
07/08/2015 at 19:44

So, what cars are high on your “list”?

Needs/wants in your personal car?

mcseanerson > Matt Hardigree
07/08/2015 at 22:48

You should have Jalops pick your next car!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > mcseanerson
07/09/2015 at 15:52

Oh man, that would end poorly.

mcseanerson > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
07/09/2015 at 16:06

No it wouldn’t. I’m calling it right now. Matt, just get a brown GLA AMG. I don’t care if you’ve gotta get Denton to plaster it with Gawker and Jezza vinyls to make it happen just do it. Think of the children!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > mcseanerson
07/09/2015 at 16:09

Ugh. No. Think of the children!

mcseanerson > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
07/09/2015 at 16:23

Dammit Dave! This is why we can’t have nice things.

Kinja'd!!!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > mcseanerson
07/09/2015 at 16:39

Okay, let’s get serious then.

Can’t be a Miata - too obvious, too Okulski.

Can’t be a Beetle - Torch and Orlove have that covered.

Can’t be an Elise, CTS-V wagon, Ferrari, PT Cruiser, RHD GT-R or Hummer - because Doug.

Can’t be a old Mercedes super-sedan - Tavarish has that market cornered.

Can’t be a GTI - Tom got there first.

He’s from Texas, and American makes aren’t well-represented above. Manual transmission, of course. Chevy SS? It’s porky, but I love a good sleeper...

mcseanerson > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
07/09/2015 at 16:43

I’ve always seen Matt as more of a truck guy. Maybe a Colorado.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > mcseanerson
07/09/2015 at 17:06

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/what-would-har…