Sopranos Escalade vs. Continental
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From: Knoxville, TN
^^^^^^^ OK...what I meant by PC (and perhaps I could have used a better term) was that the traditional front-bench seats and column-shifters have pretty much gone out of fashion in the American auto industry...and probably in most of the rest of the world, too. The last traditional front-bench seat I can remember (with the column-shifter included, of course) was a special-order option on the Toyota Avalon.....and it was dropped a number of years ago. A few column-shifters still remain in production (as discussed earlier in the thread) on some large American-designed SUVs and pickups. One nice thing about the column-shifters is that they often include a nice, easy-to-find button, at the very end of the stalk, for the vehicles's Tow/Haul mode for carrying heavy loads.
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Do you see any serious safety-risks in the split-bench? If designed properly, I don't.
It's best to have a child or small adult in the middle position, though, for two reasons...first, so he or she doesn't interfere with the driver's right-arm/hand motions, and second, so that he or she doesn't have to sit on the (probably-uncomfortable) uneven split if the driver and right-front passenger each have their portion of the bench in way-different positions.
Last edited by mmarshall; Jul 12, 2020 at 05:43 PM.
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Thanks for the heads-up. Didn't know the center position got a shoulder belt now. That only helps with safety.
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From: Maryland
Well for one, children aren’t supposed to ride in the front at all. The person in the center seat has no airbag protection. The safety issues with someone riding in the center of a front bench seat, especially a child, are obvious.
When I was a kid I rode in the center of the bench seat, but that was a different time. We’re much smarter now than we were then and it keeps us much safer.
When I was a kid I rode in the center of the bench seat, but that was a different time. We’re much smarter now than we were then and it keeps us much safer.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Knoxville, TN
Oh yeah.
Everyone remember the old blocky, ugly GM station wagons from the 80s?
I was watching Flight of the Navigator the other day and they were driving around with the kids in the back, playing. It seemed sooooo weird and out of place to me, then I remembered I actually did that. A lot. We had a Cutlass Sierra wagon at one point, I believe around a 1985 model year. Not as big as the vehicles I mentioned at first, but oh yeah.
Kids car seats today??!? WTF?? They look like you'd need to take out a loan to buy one!!! I'm glad they're safe but they are humongous.
Everyone remember the old blocky, ugly GM station wagons from the 80s?
I was watching Flight of the Navigator the other day and they were driving around with the kids in the back, playing. It seemed sooooo weird and out of place to me, then I remembered I actually did that. A lot. We had a Cutlass Sierra wagon at one point, I believe around a 1985 model year. Not as big as the vehicles I mentioned at first, but oh yeah.
Kids car seats today??!? WTF?? They look like you'd need to take out a loan to buy one!!! I'm glad they're safe but they are humongous.
Last edited by AJT123; Jul 12, 2020 at 06:06 PM.
I never watched The Sopranos when it was on. I was too busy with watching Pokémon and Dragonball Z back then but I heard good things about it. I’ll have to check it out.
Those old Escalades had a lot of power. My mom had one just like that back in the day and the factory exhaust sure sounded mean. The way he was whipping that Escalade through traffic reminds of how all the crazy rich soccer moms drive in theirs around here.
Those old Escalades had a lot of power. My mom had one just like that back in the day and the factory exhaust sure sounded mean. The way he was whipping that Escalade through traffic reminds of how all the crazy rich soccer moms drive in theirs around here.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Southeastern PA
Well for one, children aren’t supposed to ride in the front at all. The person in the center seat has no airbag protection. The safety issues with someone riding in the center of a front bench seat, especially a child, are obvious.
When I was a kid I rode in the center of the bench seat, but that was a different time. We’re much smarter now than we were then and it keeps us much safer.
When I was a kid I rode in the center of the bench seat, but that was a different time. We’re much smarter now than we were then and it keeps us much safer.
if you like watching horrible violent and ignorant people doing horrible things you'll like sopranos. Not for me. I just don't like american mobster shows/movies much. And it's not like i avoid all violent shows. I liked breaking bad for example. Perhaps because walter white, while in a jam constantly, was an intelligent person, unlike thug tony soprano, who is an idiot.
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if you like watching horrible violent and ignorant people doing horrible things you'll like sopranos. Not for me. I just don't like american mobster shows/movies much. And it's not like i avoid all violent shows. I liked breaking bad for example. Perhaps because walter white, while in a jam constantly, was an intelligent person, unlike thug tony soprano, who is an idiot.
of his own circumstance and his own self loathing. Watching him is the struggle between rooting for someone personally and then coming to understand that he’s really a terrible person.
As characters he and Walter White are more similar than they are different.
Thats not what the Sopranos is about though. Tony Soprano actually isn’t an idiot, he’s a victim
of his own circumstance and his own self loathing. Watching him is the struggle between rooting for someone personally and then coming to understand that he’s really a terrible person.
As characters he and Walter White are more similar than they are different.
of his own circumstance and his own self loathing. Watching him is the struggle between rooting for someone personally and then coming to understand that he’s really a terrible person.
As characters he and Walter White are more similar than they are different.
walter white found out he was dying from cancer but didn't tell his family. He turns to the drug business (from being a high school chemistry teacher) to raise money for his family without telling them and the drug biz turns him into a bad person.
walter white was trying to provide for his family in a twisted way. tony soprano was a thug and picture of violent mental illness and evil. No way i could root for him, ever.
very different shows imo. I will say the acting and writing in both shows was excellent so i get why the sopranos was popular.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 16,858
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From: Knoxville, TN
if you like watching horrible violent and ignorant people doing horrible things you'll like sopranos. Not for me. I just don't like american mobster shows/movies much. And it's not like i avoid all violent shows. I liked breaking bad for example. Perhaps because walter white, while in a jam constantly, was an intelligent person, unlike thug tony soprano, who is an idiot.
WW killed far more people than TS ever did and turned way more evil than Tony ever was.
(I love WW, too. I was team Walt. Couldn't stand Jesse.)
Interesting to me that you dislike Sopranos but like BB.
BB would be my #2 show after Sopranos. Nothing else comes close.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2020
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Hell, Land Rover used footage of their Defender getting wrecked in the latest James Bond movie just to show off in a commercial:
Last edited by Motorola; Jul 15, 2020 at 10:45 PM.