Bad but funny thing happens in Australia (involves tank)

[Wesley Dodds]

Basically, a guy in Sydney got his hands on a tank and went on a rampage (http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/14/ap3914406.html).

But, don't worry, it's all good, nobody got hurt, he was just after the mobile phone towers.

A man went on a rampage with a stolen armored personnel carrier through suburban Sydney on Saturday, crashing into several mobile phone towers, telecommunications buildings and an electricity substation before being arrested.

The man led officers on a 90-minute chase across six western suburbs before the vehicle stalled as it was being driven toward another mobile phone tower, New South Wales police said in a statement.

The armored personnel carrier was from a company called A-One Lift Truck Services in the town of Minchinbury, and was popular with students hiring it for school formals, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Uh... Grand Theft Auto fan?

Australia: We've poured you a beer and it's surprisingly easy to get your hands on a tank and go on a two hour rampage. So where the bloody Hell are you?

[OzBat!]

Drinkin' the beer in the back of the tank with the girl on our way to the formal, DUH!

[TheLazy]

Aussie steals tank you say? I can imagine it now.....

http://www.kideternal.com/Jetgirl/Pictures/Jet%20Leads%20Tank.JPG

[Drew Van T.]

The company that owned the tank - I mean the "armoured vehicle" if you want the less aggressive-sounding word that the article adopted - hired this guy to do maintenance on it.

Maybe they fired him for being mentally unstable.

Morris said he believed his former employee and friend had targeted mobile-phone towers because he believed radiation from them had upset his mental state.

[ACertainMrDoe]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TankGirlCover.jpg

I always thought that this is based on reality. Or is this some kind of self-fulfilling prophecy?

[Alex]

Wes knows how to get me to read a thread.

[BlairH]

The company that owned the tank - I mean the "armoured vehicle" if you want the less aggressive-sounding word that the article adopted - hired this guy to do maintenance on it.

Maybe they fired him for being mentally unstable.

"Armoured vehicle" isn't actually a euphemism for "tank". A tank is just one kind of armoured vehicle, there are many others such as APCs, IFVs, self-propelled artillery, etc. In this case the vehicle was an APC and not a tank.

Wesley may be an apostrophe Nazi, but I am a military hardware Nazi.

[DonC]

"Armoured vehicle" isn't actually a euphemism for "tank". A tank is just one kind of armoured vehicle, there are many others such as APCs, IFVs, self-propelled artillery, etc. In this case the vehicle was an APC and not a tank.

Wesley may be an apostrophe Nazi, but I am a military hardware Nazi.


Admit it, Blair, you're already trying to make reservations to rent this tank. ;)

[Alex]

Admit it, Blair, you're already trying to make reservations to rent this tank. ;)

Blair in ten years
http://www.spaced-out.org.uk/images/stargal/nick/mike.gif

[DonC]

No way, man. Blair's gonna grow up to become Burt Gummer from Tremors.

http://www.parrygamepreserve.com/images/camera/burtGummerReal.jpg

[Michael P]

I'm disturbed by any country where you can rent a tank out for prom.

[rick]

A few years ago here in Colorado we had a soldier over at Fort Carson get really drunk, steal a tank and then get half way to Denver before they finally stopped him.

The damage, just from stuff he drove over, was impressive.

[BlairH]

Blair in ten years



According to Wesley, I'm actually the illegitimate Son of Mike Dukakis.

http://www.happyfunpundit.com/hfp/images/dukakis.gif

[BlairH]

I'm disturbed by any country where you can rent a tank out for prom.

You can purchase tanks over here in the UK, and the gun doesn't even need to be deactivated (most tank guns don't have rifling, so they can technically be registered as "shotguns". The ammunition is illegal however.)

Buying up old tanks and restoring them is an expensive, but rewarding hobby. At least it's cheaper than restoring old aircraft.

[Loren]

Morris said he believed his former employee and friend had targeted mobile-phone towers because he believed radiation from them had upset his mental state.

Once again, life imitates the Simpsons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother's_Little_Helper).

[morna]

Principal Skinner calls a meeting with Homer and Marge, where he recommends that Bart be put on medication by a drug. Homer and Marge doesn't want their son to be put into the dangers of a drug, but Skinner threatens that if Bart doesn't take it, he will be expelled.

wow that's a hell of a sentence right there!

[Fenris]

This is why Mad Max can only happen properly in postapocalyptic Australia. You're already prepared!

õ
Best thread title Corrie!

[Black Atom]

A few years ago here in Colorado we had a soldier over at Fort Carson get really drunk, steal a tank and then get half way to Denver before they finally stopped him.

The damage, just from stuff he drove over, was impressive.

It happened here in California back in the 90s. Face it, Aussies--boosting tanks is so last millenium.

[Magneto_X]

Maybe they fired him for being mentally unstable.

You'd think a company like that would do better at weeding candidates like that out.

[Paul McEnery]

You'd think a company like that would do better at weeding candidates like that out.

And ruin my entertainment?

[Serik]

Anyone know the specific armored vehicle that was used?

[Pól Rua]

I remember another dude going bonkers in a tank a few years ago in Western Australia.
*snif*
Makes me all patriotic, it does.

[Wesley Dodds]

I'm disturbed by any country where you can rent a tank out for prom.

Well, here in Australia, the government took away our guns. As far as I know, we've never had a school shooting.

But we do have the occassional tank rampage and/or angry guy with a katana. Freedom: it's all about trade-offs.

I just wish I'd known about tank rental when I was 17.

[OzBat!]

Renting one is easy. It's the return policy that's murder... don't you dare scratch the paintwork!!