Could this be the worst rationalisation of the year?

Flexicar welcomed the Victorian Auditor-General’s recent report challening the justification for the 8,800 cars driven by government officials. The report pointed out that the government had failed to set targets to reduce the number of fuel-guzzling, greenhouse-gas-emitting cars in its fleet.

Now of course if any Councils or government departments would like to start using Flexicars, we’d love to have you. (City of Yarra, you already get a big green star for being members of Flexicar!)

But it seems like one MP wouldn’t be willing to use Flexicar.

And why? Apparently, riding in any of our Flexicars might give him a back injury?!

From a Sydney Morning Herald article:

Opposition water spokesman Peter Walsh, who has a six-speed Falcon, says it is important for MPs who spend many hours in the car for work to be comfortable. “You could cram yourself into a little car and you’ll end up with issues like back injury,” he said.

Who knew that driving a small car, like Flexicar’s star car the Honda Jazz, could damage your back? It’s a wonder that our 2,200 members haven’t all had to spend every week at the osteopath, isn’t it?!

Yes, I am being a bit cheeky, but I think Mr Walsh gets my “worst rationalisation of the year” award.

And big ticks to all the Flexicar members and other Victorians who are opting to drive less, and in less powerful cars. You all know that it’s possible to try to be green AND still stay comfortable!

Kimberly the Flexicar marketing chick

The Team does the Melbourne (half) Marathon

 

Do you want to run the Melbourne Marathon?

That’s what Pete, our Ops Manager, asked the team in early August. At the time it sounded like a brilliant idea. And in retrospect that was still pretty awesome – but boy was that hardcore!

During the marathon my race feeling gradually went from enjoyable to tiring to painful to dying – I’m not sure what kind of terminal-action junkie runs a full marathon but after doing half of one, I say: respect!

In the last kilometres, I had a couple of stitches, some sweat in my ears, and my vision was screwed up to the point where I was seeing round out of one eye and square out of the other.

I must say though, the arrival at the MCG is just magic. For one minute I was Hussain Bolt breaking a new world record, sprinting under the ovation of a crowd in trance.

And I had a free massage. And a free banana.

OK to the Team results now:

1st Our local Zimbabwe runner, my man Justin. He finished 1437th in about 1 hour 40 minutes. Man he’s fit. We don’t like him anymore at Flexicar. See a video and pictures of Justin at the marathon here

2nd Myself in 1 hour 53, 2919th. By the way, I’d like to insist on the fact that my net time was equivalent to the arrival time. Which is impossible as we started the race 3 minutes behind – if you read me St Georges Marathon people, please rectify! So my time is 1 hour 50 minutes. Also note that my dreadlocks are a bit of a handicap, I’d probably have bought a couple of minutes without it. Anyway. See a video and pictures of me at the marathon here

3rd Pete did it in 2 hours and is 4465th. See a video and pictures of Pete at the marathon here

4th Mister Shane, our local nerd and Operations guy, did it in 2 hours and 4 minutes and is 6014th. See a video and pictures of Shane at the marathon here

Ruth did the 10 kms walk – oops sorry Ruth, I meant 10 kms run – not sure of the time though. I couldn’t retrieve her results as she ordered half a dozen race packs and ended running under somebody else’s name.

Now there’s some talks in the office about doing the full marathon next year… Saying that we’ll do it for sure would be presumptuous but stay tuned.

And so much for the marathon.

Greg, half-marathon runner