Dateline: London
Did a lot of walking yesterday. I must be the only guy who doesn’t own an Aston Martin. Geez, they’re like Honda Civics over here. Even the maids drive them.
It takes awhile to get used to seeing cars without drivers coming down the street towards you.
Was walking along Walton Street, runs behind Harrods towards Chelsea, and hear this really wound up sound coming the other way. Ferrari. Or course. Why bother shifting out of first when you can run it down the road at 6000 rpm and scatter the dogs and pigeons? Exactly. You would too if you could.
I saw a copper with a digital camera at the head of a row of cars parked along the curb (same street). Seriously dangerous looking Range Rover HSE in all black everything, Ferrari 430, Aston Vantage, and a couple of other pricey sleds. I really thought for a moment he was taking snaps for his collection, but I suspect it’s part of the ticketing process.
In neighborhoods like Belgravia and Chelsea in particular, the quantity of high quality cars parked at the curb is just astounding. Rolls? Boring. Bentley? Who cares. Jag XK 120? Saw one. Current Jags? Whatever. How many would you like? Porsche Turbo (various years)? I’m sorry, did I doze off? Like ants at a picnic. It’s just nutty. Why go to the auto show when you can just walk the streets?
Walking home from the theater last night along Pall Mall I turned to watch some guy in a BMW X5 parallel parking yet another Aston Martin. I held my breath the entire time. No he didn’t hit it. If he had, his bumper would have made contact mid hood, or bonnet as they say.
Tags: Harrods, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Belgravia, Chelsea
