Ah, but they can't attack sports/performance cars, because they
arn't (necesserily) that easy to spot and their friend may well
own one, whereas (what they mean by) 4x4's stand out  - in other
words, the anti's (as ever) go for the easy target rather than what
(they percieve) is the problem. Ask them if a Fiat Panda 4x4
should also be banned and they'll probably look at you blankly
- the chances of them knowing they even exist, never mind spotting
one, are not good. Pointing out that a Series motor is (for all
practical purposes) 2-wheel drive also throws them......they won't
have bothered checking out the facts, and they won't listen to
what they don't want to hear [1]

Just my 2p.

Richard

[1] applies to all anti's on any subject. The Ramblers Association
having better rights than everyone else's boring old everyday rights
is the classic example.

I have survived my life by operating on the principle that paranoid is
the only possible sane way to be . Having observed that 4x4s are only
the latest of a long line of targeted minorities (4x4 sales last year
160,000 against total car sales of 2.6 million or so the Times has
mentioned) I have to assume that there are paid publicists keeping the
pot stirred and Mr/Mrs/Miss average British brain dead, it would seem,
responds every time.  

As to who pays them I have yet to satisfy myself, but government would
seem to be a good bet as they take another punt at countrymen and women
before another discriminatory tax hike.  It could of course be others
but a competitor is likely to lose as much as the target which seems
unlikely for such a minority market, and it seems unlikely that anybody
would privately fund such a scheme, although I did come across a
researcher who was a rabid anti-smoker years ago and who felt quite
justified to falsify all his research results!

It might, of course be a quango, who are paying for this in order to
remain relevant and therefore funded, but what we need are a few whistle
blowers to point us in the direction of these evil bastards.

Years ago it was generally an anonymous MP who felt the need to attach
his/her name to some campaign to enhance their chance of re-election,
the campaign had of course to be proved a go-er before attaching the MP.
Perhaps this is still the case, they get paid enough and with the graft
most are pretty reluctant to give it up.

Generally the dictum "who gains, where does the money go" leads you to
the answer, but as yet it is hard to see who profits by the demise of
4x4s. Most manufacturers now produce one as do pretty well all car
manufacturing countries.  This might be the route to look at as 4x4s are
pretty well the only cars produced in the UK with a British feel to
them.

Did she dress in leathers and carry a whip :)

This Ian Rawlings anon leet fle a fart,
As greet as it had been a thonder-dent,
That with the strook he was almoost yblent.
and said....

Fwoooaaaarrrrrr.  Bet she had the third year lads going.