Globe and Mail article

Topics may eventually be moved to other Delica Canada forums.

Moderators: BCDelica, mark

RadarGrrl
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:41 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=22564
Vehicle: 1998 L400 Chamonix
Location: Comox, BC

Globe and Mail article

Post by RadarGrrl »

There's an article in the Globe and Mail right now that seems to be doing its best to completely slam our favourite little vans, with some very unfavourable and uninformed commentry to go with it. Check it out!
It's not just a van, it's an entire subculture!
User avatar
Big-Bird
Posts: 1218
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:57 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=20974
Vehicle: 96 PE8W Spacegear
Location: Calgary

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by Big-Bird »

As far as articles go this one was based on points that were not the writers but of the insurance and regulatory bodies and we have known those opinions for some time.

Stats are misleading when they get interpretted with missing or omitted data. What might paint a more accurate picture is of they produced a graph of all vehicle makes and segregated them by type.....vans to vans, trucks to trucks, 2 door and 4 door compacts and sedans and compare the numbers along side their RHD counterparts. They won't do that though as it would produce a more intellegent metric with very low bias in the evaluation.

Instead you get an arbitrary number of 40% more likely to have an accident which is based on what? My thoughts are a very skewed lot-size of data.

1400 delicas on the road and 40% of us are likley to have an accident? Not cause one...just have one OR be in one...

or 6000+ RHD across Canada and 40% of them are likely to have an accident.....How many RHD's have you spotted in a wrecking yard on any given day vs the locally home grown stuff?

and the comment about Japan Junk on the roads in Canada...not likely given their strict maintenance requirments for ownership. I see more junk on the road that was sold locally than I do with RHDs out there today. If Canada were to implement stricter vechile ownership rules there would be many dangerous domesticcly sold vehicles pulled off the road....bad tires, rusty floor pans, broken windshields and other damage...oil leaks, no brakes, CO emissions getting into the car.....geez....the list goes on forever.


We all know the truth...one article won't change that. Still good coverage for the stretched Deli... How did they find him I wonder?
Yeah I joined the Dark Side because the medical plan is top shelf!

Image
RadarGrrl
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:41 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=22564
Vehicle: 1998 L400 Chamonix
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by RadarGrrl »

I think I just worry about this sort of misleading story getting into the heads with the power to make decisions, and next thing you know, our Delica fun gets shut down. When someone comes along with a bunch of misleading or outright false information, and there's nobody there to counter, this is what happens.
It's not just a van, it's an entire subculture!
psilosin
Posts: 1045
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:31 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
Vehicle: L400
Location: BC

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by psilosin »

If you look on ivoac.ca that 40% ICBC study is quite old and has more holes in the methodolgy than swiss cheese. Even though proven a farce (as they used any claim as a collison and had many LHD US imports included and there was also many vehicles duplicated). This was corrupt to the core ICBC at its finest. And even though it was proven a a farce it did have a HUGE impact as it is still being used for smear today and on its release impacted the sales of RHD vehicles massively to which it has not recovered.
User avatar
Super Exceeded
Posts: 620
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:09 am
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
Vehicle: 1993 L300S
Location: South Surrey

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by Super Exceeded »

I would not have participated had I known the core of the story..
User avatar
konadog
Posts: 1815
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:25 pm
Vehicle: 1992 GLX L-300
Location: Campbell River, BC

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by konadog »

They raise their ugly, uniformed heads once more...
Image
Happy Day!
philmeup1
Posts: 515
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:20 am
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
Vehicle: 1992 Delica
Location: Ontario

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by philmeup1 »

People always ask me, Isn't it unsafe to pass a vehicle on the highway when you can't see if there's oncoming traffic?? And my answer is..... ALWAYS!!! That's why I never do it in my Deli or any other car for that matter. Is there a problem here?? Nope, we're good.

And the other line I love is that we're buying Japan's junk... Really????? What the ^&%$#@ do you think people are doing when they buy a GM??? Lol. (And that's no disrespect to GM owners) I just prefer my Japanese Junk:)
User avatar
mark
Site Admin
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:56 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos
Vehicle: 1994 L400
Location: North Vancouver
Location: North Vancouver

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by mark »

The story leans a bit too heavily on the "Automotive Backlash" angle.

I don't fault the reporter - objective journalism requires that he gather opinions from both sides. Some opinions should focus on the joys that come from Delica ownership; other opinions should focus on any relevant concerns. A reporter's job is to report, and that's exactly what this reporter did.

It just so happens that reporters, on occasion, will stumble on a "National Anti-RHD Working Group" type who draws his $191,501-per-year salary to think up "we're taking their junk" and other catchphrases. Makes me proud to be a taxpayer!

:-D

On a related note, perhaps we should make up a batch of new decals that read "Delica.ca - Keep Your Hands Off My Junk"?
RadarGrrl
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:41 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=22564
Vehicle: 1998 L400 Chamonix
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by RadarGrrl »

I understand about balanced reporting, but it's not balanced reporting when they keep bringing in the anti-RHD crowd, who keep parroting the same already-debunked myths.
It's not just a van, it's an entire subculture!
User avatar
patriceboivin
Posts: 226
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 1:45 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=23122
Vehicle: Mitsubishi Delica L400 Super Exceed
Location: Canada
Location: Dartmouth, NS

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by patriceboivin »

To me, objective reporting is reporting the truth, not the usual "let's get differing opinions". Reality isn't based on people's opinions.
(someone I know once said: "I don't believe in beliefs")

I haven't bought the G&M (or any other newspaper) for over a decade now.

They don't do investigative journalism, you can see on http://newsnow.co.uk on any topic how "news" outlets often copy paste each others' stories, they change words a bit or slant the articles this way or that, but you can track who broke the story and see how it spreads around the world. Some news outlets tend to copy others more often. Media firms cut research budgets to benefit investors, they become partisan to pander to segments of the audience they believe will bring them the most profits.

I read the article, there wasn't much research done. Mostly just a reaction to the ICBC's statements (tax-deductible lobbying?).
Maybe most readers will see it for what it is and decide they want a Delica as well?

I find 95% of people on the road don't even notice the Delica. I know of only three here in the Halifax area.

Regarding the stickers, I've been thinking of putting a sticker like this on the back of my van: Most people wouldn't get it but...
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4079/486 ... a8f8_b.jpg
Last edited by patriceboivin on Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
mark
Site Admin
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:56 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos
Vehicle: 1994 L400
Location: North Vancouver
Location: North Vancouver

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by mark »

I don't disagree with you Radargirl and Patrice - the story does give an unbalanced picture.

However, in my view the cause of this imbalance isn't the reporter. The imbalance came from the Anti-RHD Crusader who was interviewed.

It would certainly be nice if objective reporting always led to the truth. However, news stories are written by news reporters, not academic researchers. Reporters can only allocate a couple of hours (at most) to research and write a story like this; under these circumstances, crafty rhetoric tends to win out over the truth...
RadarGrrl
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:41 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=22564
Vehicle: 1998 L400 Chamonix
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by RadarGrrl »

patriceboivin wrote:Regarding the stickers, I've been thinking of putting a sticker like this on the back of my van: Most people wouldn't get it but...
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4079/486 ... a8f8_b.jpg
Oh, go on...
It's not just a van, it's an entire subculture!
User avatar
patriceboivin
Posts: 226
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 1:45 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=23122
Vehicle: Mitsubishi Delica L400 Super Exceed
Location: Canada
Location: Dartmouth, NS

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by patriceboivin »

:-D

It's things like the fuzzy fog light rules that helped me appreciate that game.

Someone at work told me he had fog lights on an older vehicle, and he turned them on while the low beams were off. Worked like a charm. He couldn't tell me if it was legal though, because the way the laws are written, probably nobody can tell you.
User avatar
Big-Bird
Posts: 1218
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:57 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=20974
Vehicle: 96 PE8W Spacegear
Location: Calgary

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by Big-Bird »

I dropped the writer an email and we had quite the discussion about the article being a little too far to the right side. He did acknowledge it took that flavor and had more content to balance the article out but he was space constrained and had to cut it out. I went through a litany of JDM import facts he wasn't aware of...but Mark is right, he only reported items from iterviews, these were not his opinions and he quite admired the stretch Deli!

In fact it was his interest in the Delica that inspired the article. Don't hate the writer.....just be puzzled about the opinions he collected and acknowledge that we all know are out there in the general public.

My own father hated the fact that I won't buy a Chevy/Ford/Dodge....My retort was if/when they start building decent stuff I would consider it...still waiting!!!! He was floored when he saw my L400 and he likes it! The man never ceases to surprise me.
Yeah I joined the Dark Side because the medical plan is top shelf!

Image
User avatar
patriceboivin
Posts: 226
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 1:45 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/index.php?cat=23122
Vehicle: Mitsubishi Delica L400 Super Exceed
Location: Canada
Location: Dartmouth, NS

Re: Globe and Mail article

Post by patriceboivin »

In my case I only discovered the Delica after a city plow crashed into my Odyssey and I couldn't find a 4x4 van from any of the North American vendors... So I broadened my search and found they had made some in Japan.

I still don't understand why they won't let people import vehicles when North American manufacturers absolutely refuse to make the products people want.
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”