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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

1493.0. "ENGLISH or BRITISH?" by IRNBRU::WILSON () Mon Jul 08 1991 16:12

     
    A few comments on the commentators: FRENCH GRAND PRIX.
    
    While listening to Murray Walkers comments on the French grand prix,
    across came the old "yes he is English" garbage, when in fact everyone
    else in Europe knows Nigel Mansell, as being BRITISH!!!!
    
    Why on earth do BRITISH commentators forget that they are BRITISH, when
    an English person does well for their country (BRITAIN).
    
    Between listening to James Hunt and Murrey Walker, you'd think that it
    was only the English who had ever won any real glory in motor racing.
    
    Comments: "it is the best performance by any Englishman in grand prix
    	       racing"...true it is, but compared to the quantity of wins
               by, Jim Clark (Scottish) an a certain Mr J Stewart (Scottish), 
               old Nigel has a VERY long way to go!
    
               I'd like to mention that all three drivers drove/drive with
    	       the UNION jack on their helmets, although Jackie Stewart
               also had the St Andrews flag on the left-hand side of his 
               helmet, he always drove for BRITAIN!
    
    Whilst not wishing to take anything away from our Nigel M, the  
    ISLE OF MAN resident, I wish Murray-W  and Jim boy would keep their mouths
    shut sometimes. The fact that he is English is a purely incidential and
    trivial fact.
    
    Maybe they should re-name next weeks BRITISH grand prix to the ENGLISH
    grand prix?
    
    This was a great win for Britain.....hopefully more will follow!
    
    John.
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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1493.1VANGA::KERRELLDave Kerrell @RDL 899-5279Mon Jul 08 1991 16:173
Shouldn't this be in EF91?

/Dave.
1493.2WOTVAX::MEAKINSClive MeakinsMon Jul 08 1991 16:335
    Can't say I noticed Nige being called English except when mention was
    made of the new English record - this is an English record for number
    of GP wins, not British.
    
    Maybe we should be called Europeans?  Definately for EF91 now!
1493.3CERRIN::PHILPOTTCol I F 'Tsingtao Dhum' PhilpottMon Jul 08 1991 16:437
Mansell broke Moss' English record for number of wins. However a certain well
known Scot has about 10 more wins, so Mansell has a long way to go to get the
British record.

I suspect most Europeans could care less about sub-national records like Moss'

/. Ian .\
1493.4KERNEL::WATTERSONEscape from BasingstokeMon Jul 08 1991 16:447
    
    re .0
    
    Didn't I hear Mansell himself say he was proud 'as an Englishman' to
    overtake Moss' record ?
    
    Paul (from the Isle of Man)
1493.5Been there, done that...HUGS::AND_KISSESScott MarshallMon Jul 08 1991 16:4912
This is a very old debate...

Sports commentators always do this, almost subconsciously:

English person does well -> (English) commentator says "English"
English person does badly -> commentator says "British"
Scottish/Welsh/NI person does well -> commentator says "British"
Scottish/Welsh/NI person does badly -> commentator says "Scottish/Welsh/NI"

Not fair really...

Scott
1493.6GOOD, BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH!IRNBRU::WILSONMon Jul 08 1991 17:2820
    
    
    Being a British citizen, of Scottish nationality, I would love to 
    see Nigel Mansel "or any Brit", break Jackie Stewarts record for grand
    prix wins. Somehow though, I don't think think that old Nigel has the
    ability to do it, which is another reason for the English commentators
    NOT to put him up on a pedestal too quickly...only to be shot down
    again!
    
    As far as I am concerned, he is not in the same class as Stewart, Hill,
    Clark and the likes, who's driving abilities helped to shape the world of
    grand prix driving. To state facts like" the best English driver" only 
    belittles Nigel Mansels, and the true great Brits, influence on the British
    and world grand prix racing arena.
    
    Yes he is good, but there is a long way from being good to great!!
    
    John. 
    
                        
1493.7BalkanismDCC::HAGARTYEssen, Trinken und Shaggen...Mon Jul 08 1991 17:473
1493.8Another tryerVIVIAN::C_NICHOLSMon Jul 08 1991 18:033
    
    Bring back Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards.......
    
1493.9Chin Up Edward Old Chap.IRNBRU::WILSONMon Jul 08 1991 19:035
    Should it not read Eddie "the English eagle" Edwards....
    
    Rather him than me......I hope he does well next season. 
    
    
1493.10Eagle rathole continuationUNTADH::TOWERSTue Jul 09 1991 10:468
    The last time Eddie put himself in hospital for a few weeks (two
    seasons ago?) the skiing authorities introduced new rules to
    effectively ban amateurs who when they fly off a big hill can't
    guarantee which way up they will land.
    
    So, until he learns how to ski jump properly, no more Eddie the Eagle!
    
    Brian
1493.11Go for it Edward!IRNBRU::WILSONTue Jul 09 1991 11:369
    What a pity....could his chin (landing gear) not take the strain?
    
    I bet old Nigel-M could do it though. I've no doubt that 'somebody'
    would say that because Nigel tried it, he should be eligible for
    another Grand Prix Win, therby taking him over the 'driving' record set by 
    'David Demon Dixon'....the Derbyshire car thief, THE only guy capable
    of evading to cops 17 times!!
    
    
1493.12HAMPS::LINCOLN_JWhere sheep dareTue Jul 09 1991 11:515
	In the post race interview Mansell expressed himself as
	being "overcome" at "having made history", so there is at
	least one person who thinks it matters.

	-John
1493.13Perhaps there is another reason....CEEHER::MCCABETue Jul 09 1991 13:086
Wasn't Moss the driver with the most Grand Prix wins, who had not managed to
win a world championship? Perhaps not a mantle that Mansell would be so happy
to wear.

Terry
1493.14He re-wrote what history book??IRNBRU::WILSONTue Jul 09 1991 13:119
    
    Of course it matters to him. I too would be "overcome" if I had driven
    to my 17th grand prix win. It is a good personal performance.......but, as 
    for making "history", it all depends on your definition of history, does it
    not? 
    
    My budgie lived for 17 years, possibly it too made "history".   
     
    
1493.15A Great EnglishmanVANGA::KERRELLDave Kerrell @RDL 899-5279Tue Jul 09 1991 15:367
I don't know for sure but I would be willing to bet that if you checked through
the results of all moderen GPs and compared the driver results, Mansell would
be amongst the best.

How many GPs did The Shunt win?

/Dave.
1493.16The hall of fameIRNBRU::WILSONTue Jul 09 1991 16:0013
    For the record: GRAND PRIX WINS
    
    Jackie Stewart    (27) 
    
    Jim Clark         (25)
    
    Nigel Mansel      (17)            
    
    Rod Stewart       (0)
    
    Johnathan Palmer  (0)  << WHO??????
    
                                   
1493.17WorralorrafussDOOZER::JENKINSseriously 'ken shabbyTue Jul 09 1991 16:0013
    
    Re .14 and before
    
    Why make so much fuss about this? Mansell, an Englishman, broke
    an English record. He didn't break the Scottish record, nor did
    he break the British record. 
    
    In other sports, like athletics, there are English, Scottish,
    Welsh AND British records so why not in Motor Racing too?
     
    Richard.

    
1493.18hee hee heeLARVAE::HUTCHINGS_PI don't make misteaksTue Jul 09 1991 16:325
     re .16
    
    :-) :-) :-) 
    
    brill..!!!
1493.19He couldnt do it for FERRARINIBLIK::THOMSONSTue Jul 09 1991 16:403
    Perhaps old Nigel was so happy at his new ENGLISH record because he
    knows himself that he will never be a World Champion far less a British
    record holder.
1493.20Hit it harder the next time!IRNBRU::WILSONTue Jul 09 1991 16:489
    
    I heard that he was so angry, that he could not get the gearbox in the
    Williams to break this time. Apparently he was spotted with a 15lb hammer
    just before the race started....interesting!!!!!
    
    Anyhow, he has promised all the fans (all 10 of them), that he will retire 
    with gearbox trouble at next weeks British GP!
    
    Go for it Nigel...
1493.21RUTILE::GUESTSomeoneTue Jul 09 1991 17:1012
    re a number i've read over the few weeks.
    
    I presume you would be happier if he was the traditional 'it's not the
    winning but the taking part' type of Englishman wouldn't you.
    
    It's that sort of attitude which first of all led to the decline of the
    Empire, and a steady deterioration in Britains standing in the world
    during the 50's, 60's and 70's.  The attitude of 'someone else can do
    it', 'Jobsworth' etc.
    
    
    Nigel
1493.22CHEFS::BRIGGSRFour Soft Tyres on a Muddy RoadWed Aug 14 1991 12:5426
1493.23HUGS::AND_KISSESScott MarshallWed Aug 14 1991 15:073
re .22  The other advantage of Scottish roads is that the scenery is nicer...

Scott
1493.24Hey Yeah, that's interesting manHAMPS::NISBET_DDougie NisbetThu Aug 15 1991 11:1320
    On an interesting rambling aside - I've noticed a really wierd sort of
    inverted snobbery about living and driving in the South-East. I
    sometimes find myself boasting about things which we really should be
    ashemed off. For example, on returning home to Edinburgh;
    
    "Call that a traffic jam?! Why, if I don't get on the M25 before 7AM I
    might as well just give up and go home. It has millions of lanes, you
    know ... None of this 4-lane motorway nonsense. What do you mean, you
    don't need more?"
    
    So that proggie on telly last night about Jumbo jets and concorde? I
    must admit, its pretty impressive sight when driving along the M4 and
    Concorde flies over. Perhaps that should be in the Seen in Passing
    note?
    
    Which reminds me, I've always wondered. If Concorde is flying away from
    you, at Supersonic speed, does that mean you can't hear it ....
    
    Dougie
    
1493.25NEWOA::SAXBYTrailing Edge TechnologyThu Aug 15 1991 12:118
    
    You can't hear where it is, just where it was! :^)
    
    
    
    I think!
    
    Mark
1493.26NEWOA::MACMILLANSo many V****s, so little timeThu Aug 15 1991 12:284
    But you can never hear something where it is if it's moving (unless
    you're in/on it)
    
    Rob
1493.27:^)NEWOA::SAXBYTrailing Edge TechnologyThu Aug 15 1991 12:295
    
    What about if you're in front of it? Will you hear it where it's going
    to be?
    
    Mark
1493.28PUGH::FRENCHSSemper in excernereThu Aug 15 1991 13:126
just to spoil the current thread, Concord doesn't go supersonic whilst over the
mainland. I believe it does its thing at the end of the Bristol chanel. Can
someone confirm this.


Simon
1493.29NEWOA::SAXBYTrailing Edge TechnologyThu Aug 15 1991 13:138
    
    Yep, Concorde is not allowed to go supersonic over land.
    
    
    
    Or so I've heard... :^)
    
    Mark
1493.30Mach 1.4 possibleKETJE::SHASTA::RUTTERI'd Buy Other SoftwareThu Aug 15 1991 15:0713
1493.31Fun!NEWOA::SAXBYTrailing Edge TechnologyThu Aug 15 1991 15:165
    
    Errr, how are you supposed to breath in/on this thing at supersonic 
    speeds?
    
    Mark
1493.32If anyone buys one, I'll go as a passengerKETJE::SHASTA::RUTTERI've Been Out Supping !Thu Aug 15 1991 19:5619