Zimbabwe to close it's beaches!

[Mad Manny]

No. Zimbabwe has no beaches & they aren't closing them!

But we on the Southern tip of Africa like to believe the worst of ourselves.
But if similar crap goes down in other parts of the world we either ignore it or justify it.

Examples:
A building collapses in SA - It's because we are corrupt & incompetent,
But a large section of Terminal 5 @ Charles De Gaule Airport in Paris (A really crappy airport) collapses & we see it as unfortunate.

Our government makes nonsensical Lock Down rules (in 2020) like you can't buy open shoes & we say Our Dear Leader is an idiot.
But when the NZ PM makes even dumber rules, or the British PM, Boris, does it, we are not as critical.

So this Thread is to point out rules or decisions, made in other countries, that show that here, in sunny South Africa, we are on top of our game.

Obviously, unlike the two examples above, the examples must be 4x4/Outdoor/Camping/Overlanding/Lifestyle related...


I'll start...

[Mad Manny]

In the UK, where Kurt lives, you may no longer buy a Suzuki Jimny because of their CO2 emissions regulations.

Now, you may be a tree hugging, Greta-loving Millennial who supports the CO2 laws, But!
In the UK you CAN buy a brand new Lada Niva 4x4.
It's basically a Russian Jimny.
Same poor CO2 (1.7 liter motor vs the Jimny's 1,5)
The only difference is the Lada is less safe & has the spare mounted on top of the engine (a stupid idea the Surrender Monkeys came up with).

[Mad Manny]

In SA we have the MIDP, a programme where Government & the Motor Manufacturers work 'together' to protect our Motor Manufacturing industry.
The reason for this is to attract foreign investment & protect jobs.

In Arestralia, government gave no support to their motor industry, as a result everyone eventually closed down their Aussie motor manufacturing plants.
Holden, Toyota & Ford all left Australia.
Those vehicles are now all imported, many from Thailand.

[BushWacker]

This... not going to be a long thread ...

[Shane]

Arsestralia + those...

[KurtG]

In the UK at the moment I can walk into a pub with 5 others and order a beer.

But I have to be sitting.

If I’m standing, I can’t order it.

Stupid.

[Mad Manny]

South Africa has made a Prisoner a President and an ex-President a Prisoner...

Unfortunately we cant have a beer to celebrate.

But soon... soon we will...

[Mad Manny]

Portugal drives on the Right (LHD vehicles).
Ergo, Angola (a former Portuguese Colony) drives on the Right.

But... Mozambique (also a former Portuguese Colony) changed to drive on the Left (RHD).

This was to make it easier for us (South Africans) to visit...

[Mad Manny]

If you are angry that Lockdown Level 4 has prevented you from going 4x4'ing or camping in July 2021 because our people and government have not taken the pandemic seriously...

Right now, 4 of Australias major Cities are in lockdown and interstate travel between most states is prohibited.

Australia, like SA, has Vaccinated less than 5% of it's people.

So guys like Shauno and Graham of 4WD24/7, Andrew St Pierre White of 4xOverland and Ronnie Dahl of 4Wheelin Australia are just as screwed as you...

[LesseW]

Back in the days when I lived in Germany I remember that you had to get a certificate issued by TUV (Technischer Überwachungsverein) for any modification done to your vehicle, and the certificates had to be in your vehicle all the time.

This one tappit that I worked with, had a whole file with certificates in his car for all the aftermarket spoilers he had installed. He even had the whole car branded with his logo “Silver Surfer”.

Yet, all the other EU countries’ cars passed through Germany and these cars did not need certificates for mods done, it was only mandatory for German cars.

[Ricof4e]

In Nam I can still buy booze.

We are a funny people.

[Mad Manny]

If they ban booze sales in Nam everyone will leave...

[HenriSteyn]

We regulary used to have visits from German Technical people to assist us with modifying theri mining vehicles for local conditions.

During off hours we used to take this lot to lunch or dinner.

You should have seen their jaws drop when they see a baķkie full of workers driving past.

"Mein Got! Zey haf no seat belts!"

[Apocalypse]

In Nam I can still buy booze.

We are a funny people.

Can you imagine them trying to ban booze in Namibia?

[Mad Manny]

During my rise from Awesome Contractor to Ceiling SuperGod I went to France to do a Ceiling course.
The course was at Barrisol's Head Office outside Kembs, which is a short drive from Mulhouse in Alsace.

Each day they'd take us to a different restaurant for lunch.

On the first day the host from Barrisol went around the table asking each student what he wanted to drink.
Each guy ordered a beer.
So I said 'A glass of dry white wine please.'...

The host was alarmed 'No drinking in working hours!'.
So I took the beer.

I wasn't aware they didn't regard a beer as a drink.