Comments
Oldenlame t1_jcv7vf7 wrote
Well, you'll have to lodge a complaint then with the Ministry of Redundancy, Excess Overages Agency, Department of Surplus Words and Phrases.
DarkAlman t1_jcv8838 wrote
Defense, Social Security, Health, Housing, Education, Silly Walks ...
gramathy t1_jcwrjho wrote
Silly walks just doesn’t get the funding it used to…
barnfodder t1_jcyfnp9 wrote
The redundancy department of redundancy.
buzz_uk OP t1_jcv9ymt wrote
I spotted that after I pressed post :( my inner pedant is crying.
DarkAlman t1_jcv41dl wrote
Often referred to by the derogatory term 'Spazwagon'
The program was ended in 1973 primarily due to safety concerns. The cars had virtually no crash protection, were notorious unstable due to the 3-wheel configuration, and the drivers did not have to take proper driving tests to qualify to drive one.
Most of them have been taken off the road and scrapped because they were owned by the Government program rather than personally owned. With the EU regulations on cars and motorcycles officially killing them off in 2003.
However like a similar fiberglass 3-wheeled car the Reliant Robin, they have a special place in British pop culture with many of the few remaining examples being tuned or modified. Remaining on the road under classic car licenses.
rachelm791 t1_jcvf3v6 wrote
‘Spaz chariot’ was the universal name for them growing up
TF2CutContent t1_jcwws2z wrote
Is that why it was called Invacar? Invalid car?
DarkAlman t1_jcwy8qa wrote
yup, Political correctness wasn't a thing back then
TurkeySandwich007 t1_jcwxmoi wrote
I’ve seen a Reliant Robin, except it was in Aspen, CO.
Good fucking luck driving that thing around there 9 months of the year.
PeeetUK t1_jcv87fc wrote
And made by AC who also gave us the iconic Cobra.
buzz_uk OP t1_jcva2jg wrote
Yes indeed around 9000 were built by AC with the remaining once built by Greaves motorcycles
PeeetUK t1_jcvalqk wrote
Greaves? Blimey, I didn't know that, cool.
2000feetup t1_jcvj68k wrote
I think I remember reading that the first one was made for one of the Greaves family.
buzz_uk OP t1_jcuyzat wrote
Though all 18000 examples were officially recalled and scrapped in the 1970s there are a number of examples which are in the British roads today as “historic” vehicles in private ownership.
Both-Brilliant-3433 t1_jcv3k91 wrote
ooks like the Invacar was too cool for the Ministry of Pensions to handle
buzz_uk OP t1_jcv6hmm wrote
Having seen some of these up close I think it was basic requirements safety that was the end of them :), they did have some funky features such as to get in you could actually slide the seat towards the door once seated you could slide it back into the central position. They were driven almost exclusively with hand controls, a throttle like a motorbike, handle bars for steering and most amusingly you pushed down on the handle bars to brake.
2000feetup t1_jcvild3 wrote
I remember seeing them on the touch lines at football matches, usually five or six of them at each corner.
Glitz-1958 t1_jcvck4s wrote
Also affectionately known as The Plastic Pig round us.
buzz_uk OP t1_jcvcq1p wrote
The plastic pig around us was almost exclusively reserved for true reliant robin :)
Glitz-1958 t1_jcvcwpj wrote
I wouldn't have known the difference.
PlasticMix8573 t1_jcw9rtm wrote
That explains the name of a major manufacturer of wheelchairs--Invacare. Drive around much in the Invacar and you will be needing to roll around in an Invacare!
olagorie t1_jcxcx0j wrote
Interesting thanks
Glitz-1958 t1_jcxg7hf wrote
By an amazing coincidence I saw a 3 wheel car here in France this morning. It was a small 1975 Vespa customised to be a little fourgonnette van. It was inside a large Corsican charcuterie delivery van. It looked in good nick. I wonder if it was going to a show, or more likely on its way back from one.
ElectroFlannelGore t1_jcv6yel wrote
>The Invacar was that vehicle
......redundancy