THEGAYUK

Category: Lifestyle

  • Britain’s first high profile racing driver, Danny Watts comes out as gay

    Britain’s first high profile racing driver, Danny Watts comes out as gay

    Danny Watts, an award-winning, high profile racing driver has come out as gay and is believed to be the first in the sport.

    CREDIT: Danny Watts/ with Permission / @jacobebrey

    Danny Watts, 37,  is believed to be first high-profile racing driving to come out in Europe. Speaking to THEGAYUK.com he said it was “such a good feeling” to be out.

    He came out in an interview with Autosport.com in which he revealed that he felt he had to hide his sexuality within his industry because “it’s a very masculine sport”.

    He told them,

    “There was something burning inside that said ‘right, you can’t hide it anymore, you’ve got to be free and be true to yourself and let it go out there’.

    “I told close family members and friends. There was obviously shock to start with but people were also very supportive, which was nice.

    “So I thought if they’re cool with it, let’s go with it.”

    Danny ended his driving career after Le Mans last year to focus on driver coaching. He admitted that he was “concerned” about coming out before he retired from racing, about how sponsors and team members might have reacted to the news about his sexuality.

    Speaking about how he feels since coming out and advice for others considering coming out, Danny said,

    “So what’s the best solution?

    “Just come out and just do it. If it’s out there and everyone knows about it then they can think what they want, whether it’s good or bad or ugly.

    “At least I can get into bed at night not having to think about it and know that it’s out in the open and I can live life a lot happier.”

    Danny joins just a handful of out professional sportsmen and women in the UK.

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus NX h Sport

    There was much excitement at THEGAYUK headquarters with the arrival of the new Lexus NX. A car I had been looking forward to reviewing ever since I had a play in the bigger RX.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    The adverts interspersed in between my favourite Channel 4 drama, Humans further heightened thus feeling. Sadly like a domestic synth, it left me feeling a little cold.

    Dynamically it is a marvel. A true powerhouse of an SUV this time living up to the Sport in the title. You can hustle it along the road and it will reward you with as much grip as you could wish for in an SUV while also remaining poised and neutral. Unlike the bigger RX, the NX doesn’t lean into corners. Sitting high up it also didn’t throw you off your senses. I was sure all SUV’s should be like this or so I thought.

    The steering was nicely weighted. When overriding the CVT gearbox with manual inputs the gear changes were smooth. Only when pressed hard, the CVT gearbox would show its one true weakness inherent in these systems and that was high revs, a lot of noise and a sense of not a lot happening propulsion-wise. That said, most of the time the intrusion was minimal because it got to where you needed it to very quickly.

    Speaking of quickly it belies its 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds. Pulling out in traffic it could be frighteningly rapid with wheel spin curtailed by the traction control system. The accelerator pedal did exactly what you wanted it to.

    However, there are faults aplenty in this £34,000 machine. For a start, the spec sheet looks a little lame compared to the bigger RX model and others within this SUV segment.

    There were no parking sensors fitted.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    For something so big, so premium and with many gadgets, the lack of these is a fundamental flaw. Having them as an added accessory for £800 was a bit of an insult.

    That said, they are well worth it, if a little expensive. The front and rear extremities are very difficult to judge. While you should be able to park a car you own, the sensors do make it a touch easier. The reverse camera helps but it doesn’t show where the bulbous curves of the rear wheel arches are in the dark.

    It was delivered to me with just 40 miles on the clock. It was at 70 miles old that I almost added the first dent while reversing into my drive!

    There is also the absence of the Lexus touch and that is the retracting steering wheel. Many Lexus models I have tried over the years have had this. It is a bit gimmicky I know but I look at it as a Lexus signature piece. It’s a bit like the electric windows that slow just moments before they shut to reduce noise.

    These add up to make a Lexus more than a dressed up Toyota.

    Living with the NX is a bit hit and miss too. The boot is a good size. Very easy to load things into and all the space is available. However, the rear door doesn’t rise high enough for me. That was the miss. Or not as it proved when I clonked my head against it.

    The hit is that it is quite a vehicle. Over its RX sibling, the NX can be hustled around with great ease. The road manners retain a squat feel when hard cornering or taking S bends at rapid speed. It shouldn’t really feel like it should behave in this kind of way.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    Four up and in a hurry, no one said slow down. The only thing that lets it down when going fast is that CVT gearbox. It doesn’t really make the best of the engine’s torque. Revs stay high up at and the engine screams. It doesn’t pay to keep your foot planted into the carpet if it isn’t necessary. The engine is too vocal without sounding sexy. The V6 of the RX is far better.

    Again this gearbox system, that I am not a real fan of, ruins the fine ambience of luxury. Thankfully you can override the gearing and I found selecting 4th, 5th and 6th gear made it far more pleasurable to the ears while not leaving it vulnerable when pulling out in city traffic and rush hour madness to getting in the way of other traffic.

    The hybrid system on the NX is in keeping with the Lexus brand and used as a supplementary system only using it for brief periods or in slow traffic. Most of the time it goes into petrol mode. This didn’t really damage the impressive fuel figures Lexus state or what were achievable in the real world.

    The fit and finish in the NX are above and beyond what you would expect. It was all nicely wrapped up and made to make you feel like you have spent your money wisely. I just can’t get over the missing pieces in the spec sheet.

    It all adds up to an expensive car. As a proposition, I have to say that for the money the more expensive Audi Q7 is far better value even without the bonus of a hybrid system. It has more kit on it. And at £17000 less than the Lexus RX450h I tested.

    I am inclined to say beg steal or borrow the extra and buy the RX. And then there is Toyota’s C-HR that is some £5k cheaper. Now that is a strong contender to consider even if it is in a class lower. It’s where I would be looking.

    Love
    Finish
    Comfort
    Ergonomics

    Loathe
    Cost
    CVT gearbox
    Lack of equipment

    The Lowdown
    Car – Lexus NX300 h Sport
    Price – £34,640 (as tested)
    MPG – 54.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 115bhp @ 5700rpm petrol (bhp 197 for electric motors)
    0-62mph – 9.2 seconds
    Top Speed – 112 mph
    Co2 – 121(g/km)

  • OPINION | Banning homophobes from stadiums is not the answer

    Apparently, there’s a school of thought that if you hide something under a rock or you stick a head in the sand, the problem goes away.

    Banning homophobes from stadiums isn't going to help

    Except it doesn’t.

    So this week there’s been a lot of talk about banning homophobes from sports’ arenas and stadiums if they shout anti-gay, homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse and I’m flabbergasted. Since when did banning anything actually solve any problem?

    And who exactly is the banishment going to help?

    Whilst I agree that something must be done to solve the anti-gay culture that you’ll find on many of the UK’s sports’ grounds. This toxic environment means that gay or bisexual sports stars and athletes find it impossible to come out – why are there so few openly gay or bisexual sportsmen and women?

    But isn’t this part of the problem? There’s a complete dearth of out and proud athletes in sport, particularly men. There’s a handful of noteworthy sports professionals in diving, a sprinkle in rugby and absolutely none in football. Perhaps if we had more out and proud players homophobic fans would be exposed to other types of gay or bisexual men – not just the overtly camp fodder that entertainment formats on TV rely on to provide entertainment. Some could argue that stereotyping feeds into a homophobic mind frame. Gay and bisexual men, still in 2017 aren’t seen by some as “real men” but campy, effeminate and weak and these people need education. We are all types, shapes, sizes, colours and creeds – and all of us are worth protecting.

    Organisations that own the grounds have a responsibility to keep its patrons safe but it does not, I believe, hold the remit to educate or punish people with bigotted opinions. That responsibility lies with the police and society. Homophobes need education. Not the naughty step and time out.

    That’s why I would advocate an anti-discrimination workshop for those who are found guilty of hate speech – whether it’s gay, religious, race or other hate speech. These classes could run just like the speed awareness classes – when you’re caught speeding.

    You’d pay £100 for the class, money which could be ploughed into running the courses. On that course, you’d be given the opportunity to learn about discrimination and it’s damaging effects. You’d learn about equality and other lifestyles. Once you’ve completed the course you’d be allowed back.

    Surely this would be a better option than banning a homophobe indefinitely and letting him fester in his own hatred, as he watches the match in front of his TV. How does this help the LGBT+ community?

    It doesn’t. Instead, he’ll continue to live in his own echo chamber, feeding his own negativity.

    I agree with MP Damian Collins, who chaired the Culture, Media and Sport Committee who found that there should be “a zero-tolerance approach to the use of all homophobic language and behaviours”, but the sanctions that are implemented against those who are homophobic must be thought out as to not exacerbate the problem.

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, it’s management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • RECIPE | Rainbow Pancakes

    RECIPE | Rainbow Pancakes

    Get your rainbow on this Pancake day with these incredible Rainbow Pancakes

    how to make rainbow pancakes

    Ingredients.

    –          1 large egg

    –          135g plain flour

    –          130ml milk

    –          2 tablespoons butter

    –          Food colouring – red, yellow, green, blue, orange and purple

    –          Toppings: rainbow sprinkles, raspberries, whipped cream and strawberry laces


    Method.

    Add the flour, egg and milk into a bowl and whisk to a smooth batter.
    Separate the batter into five separate bowls for each of the different colours of the rainbow.
    Add food colouring to each of the bowls until you’re happy with the shade. You can combine primary colours to make a wider range; for example, red and yellow can be mixed to make orange.
    Add a little oil or butter to a medium-sized frying pan and put on a medium-high heat.
    Add the batter to the pan once hot and cook for one minute on each side – with the all important Toss Off in between.
    Repeat this process with all of the different coloured batters until you have enough for your rainbow pancake stack.

     

    Comedians Katherine Ryan and David Morgan battled it out for the title of Biggest Tosser at the launch of Terrence Higgins Trust’s pancake-themed fundraiser, Toss Off.

    And to mark LGBT History Month, the TV favourites whipped up a stack of rainbow pancakes.

    The charity is urging supporters to host a party for Pancake Day (28 February) and raise money to support people living with HIV.

    David, who co-presents I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! NOW, said,

    “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first Toss Off because I love rainbows and I love pancakes. As a gay man, HIV support, prevention and awareness-raising is very, very close to my heart and I’ll happily flip some pancakes with my friends to support Terrence Higgins Trust this Pancake Day.”

    Friends Katherine and David came along to East London LGBT venue Dalston Superstore to see just how much fun it is to Toss Off for Terrence Higgins Trust.

  • Vandals Write-off Yellow Car ‘For Blighting Picturesque Village’

    Do you remember the banana coloured car that villagers said was ruining one of Britian’s prettiest villages… well it’s been destroyed.

    A pensioner’s bright yellow car blamed for ruining the view in one of Britain’s most picturesque villages has been written off by a vandal who has scratched ‘MOVE’ on it.

    Peter Maddox, 84, parks his banana-coloured Vauxhall Corsa outside his Cotswolds cottage in 14th century Arlington Row, which is owned by the National Trust.

    The chocolate box houses are the oldest inhabited properties in the UK and appear on the inside cover of millions of passports.

    But a row erupted in 2015 when visitors complained that Peter’s “ugly” car was wrecking the classic English scene in Bibury, Glos.

    The retired dentist insisted he had nowhere else to park and continued leaving his car on the road – until it was vandalised last week.

    A yob scratched the word “MOVE FREDDIE” onto the bonnet, scratched every other panel and smashed the driver’s side window and rear windscreen.

    Mechanics have told Peter it will cost £6,000 to repair with a full respray, making the car a probable write-off.

    But defiant Peter has said if that was the case he would buy a replacement – with a lime green colour.

    Daughter-in-law Marie Kraus said,

    “Peter is understandably upset at the loss of his car and his independence, but he is also very fond of his lovely yellow car.

    “Everyone in the village is very supportive. It is horrible to think whoever has done this has come out of their way down this little road to do something like this.

    “It will be a struggle to get another car. It will leave Peter out of pocket.”

    Peter moved to Bibury after his wife died 15 years ago and bought his car three years ago.

    In 2015 he attracted attention when photographers took to Twitter to complain about the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty being ruined by the “ugly, yellow car“.

    Villagers are supporting Peter and calling the crime “disgusting”.

    Some have suggested there is “a financial aspect to the crime” and pointed the finger at a photographer who sells pictures of the village.

    Postmaster Richard William, 48, said,

    “We are all shocked and horrified that such mindless destruction should be visited upon a normally quiet and tranquil village.

    “A lot of people make money out of photographing Arlington Row. I should think there is a financial aspect to the crime.

    “I think it is related to the exposure it received on the internet and the objection to it parking in front of Arlington Row.”

    Ian Howard, owner of The William Morris Tea Room, said the culprits were “nasty vandals” with “small brains”.

    He added: “Peter has not done anyone any harm.”

    Rose Francome-Robinson, 73, also of Arlington Row, described the crime as “disgusting” and “malicious”.

    She said: “I didn’t hear anything, I saw the glass at the parking spot and the car had gone.”

    Police have valued the damage at £6,000 and believe the crime happened between 4pm on Sunday 22 and 7.40am on Monday 23.

    Sergeant Garrett Gloyne said,

    “We have conducted house to house inquiries. We are aware that presence of the vehicle was the bone of contention to some people.

    “Nevertheless the damage caused to vehicle is beyond the pale and we would appeal for anyone who knows anything to contact us.”

  • COMMENT | So what is the best car in the world?

    When asked “What is the greatest car ever produced?” there is only one country that can make such a car. It comes from a company that is not shy of failures. Maybe without these they wouldn’t have been so good when it came to the things that worked well?

    By Tony Harrison – originally posted to Flickr as Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 IMG_9403, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4811977

    Without this companies motoring passion we would never have had some great ideas that just needed a little more investing. They were engineers. They are also one of the greatest shames of motoring of the twentieth century. I knew at a young age the nation was good at everything automotive. In primary school we had to pick a country and present it in assembly. l choose this country purely because of its cars and one manufacture in particular. It’s in Italy that we find the greatest car ever to have been produced.

    Embed from Getty Images

    The Lancia Delta is an utterly amazing car. The humble beginnings of the Delta are nothing special yet the illustrious history and development of the Delta should in reality make it a brand name like Mini, Beetle and 500. Launched in 1979, the Giugiaro designed body was crisp and clean. It had minimal fussing along the flanks that were a signature mark of Giugiaro’s Ital design studio. It was a sharp dressed car. A 5 door hatchback with sophisticated style.

    The Delta followed a typical tradition for Italian car manufacturers of the 70’s and 80’s. On its launch it was a very important car that people hoped would carry the Lancia brand into the future following the disastrous recall of the Beta from epic rust around the subframe. To help in the costs and using a proven platform from new owners Fiat, it was based on the Fiat Strada though it shared very little with it. Even the Fiat based engines had Lancia developments in them and it used MacPherson struts all round instead of the single rear leaf spring of the Strada. The Delta won the coveted prize of Car of the year 1980.

    Embed from Getty Images

    The risk of Fiat taking control of Lancia was that their ideas would be shaken out of the company and it would end up as badge engineering of Fiat products in a way Peugeot had done with Citroën. This was not to be. Those ideas were still in full flow at Lancia as we will see. Saab on the other hand did have some input into the development of the Delta’s heating system and between 1980-82 it was sold as the Saab-Lancia 600 in the Nordic countries. Already then the Delta is proving to be a little bit different.

    Those engineers at Abarth that were all part of the Fiat group were quick to make their mark on the Delta with the 1983 launch of the Delta HF (High Fidelity) with a turbo. It wasn’t until 1985 that the turbo name was mentioned with the launch of the short lived Delta HF Turbo i.e. 1983 saw strange changes made to the humbler GT i.e with the cylinder head being spun 180 degrees and the exhaust now being at the front of the engine to aid cooling whilst also lowering the gravity of the unit.

    We mustn’t forget Lancia’s rally program that was continuing while the Delta was being fettled. While the little hatchback was being made in several guises it was their 037 rally champion based on the Beta Montecarlo that was being watched on the international circuit. A car that was loosing rapidly despite its sheer speed ability to the all conquering Audi Quattro.

    1985 was a good year for the Delta. Lancia had comeback with a double bang to the world rally championship with their Delta S4. A mid engined turbo and super charged road warrior with 4 wheel drive and almost 500 bhp from its 1800cc engine. The Delta shared nothing with the hatchback except for the name. Unlike the WRC offerings from Austin Rover, Peugeot and Audi, the Delta S4 didn’t even look like the Delta except for a hatchback type style body.

    The Delta S4 was a beautiful brute in WRC. In its 12 races it won 5 of them. It could have gone on to do better if it was one little problem that it had. The Delta came with fatalities. In group B rallying it was a weapon of the road. A 4 wheeled killer claiming the lives of 29 year old Henri Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto. Ironically a year to the day that Attilio Bettega died at the wheel of a Lancia 037. The writing was on the wall for Group B and the Delta S4.

    http://gty.im/638416708

    1987 started as a quiet year for Lancia. Numb from the latest fatalities they entered the Delta HF 4WD in the new standard Group A WRC. Lancia were the best equipped for rallying at the time. Over the 13 races that year the Delta won 9 of them. Not a bad start to a new chapter in world rally dominance. 1988 was even better with 10 out of 11 races being won with a Delta. However something hot was just around the corner for 1988. The Delta Integrale 8v saw Lancia engineers perform magic. The Delta HF 4WD had its fair share of problems and to combat these the Integrale sported bulging wheel arches allowing for bigger wheels and brakes to be used thus making the car even better on tarmac. As a road car it was only available in left hand drive form and would remain so until its demise.

    The Delta was once again an unstoppable force and dominated the WRC until it started to see challenges from Toyota and Mitsubishi. So the engineers upped their game and launched the Delta Integrale 16v. To mark the occasion it was painted red with Martini stripes. By the second to last rally, Lancia had every award and trophy going so decided to party into 1990 by not partaking the last race of 89. However 1989 was not without a fatality for Lancia. Though not connected with the Lancia Martini team, the Delta cost the lives of Lars-Erik Torph and Bertil-Rune Rehnfeldt when Alex Fiorio lost control of his Delta at 90mph and ended up down an embankment.

    Between 1990 and 92 the Delta continued to be a dominating force but the writing was on the wall despite half the rallies won by a Lancia and again Lancia collecting a lot of trophies for their bulging cabinets. 1993 saw the Delta, no longer in Martini colours, take not one victory. A sad end to a car that gave 46 rally wins to Lancia in a just a few years.

    The Delta Integrale continued as a left hand drive only road going car for another 6 years until its total demise in 1999. This was some 5 years after the original Delta hatchback had ended production. After 13 years in production, 1993 saw a new Delta being produced on the Fiat Tipo platform. You could be forgiven for thinking that you have never seen a new Delta before because in 1992 Lancia pulled out of the UK market. A day l remember well.

    And so in 1999 the Delta story ended. It restarted in again in 2008 to 2014 when Lancia resurrected the name for the trilogy. These were then effectively badged as Chrysler Delta’s in the UK and I’ve not really got a good word to say about them. They cannot be unseen once you have seen them.

    http://gty.im/638418868

    And so the Delta story finally ends. From a little car with a big job on its hands to an all conquering race winner, the humble Delta became the greatest car of all time. At one stage you could get a Delta with a 1300cc or 2000cc engine and fuelled by petrol or diesel. Power outputs ranged from 75bhp to 500bhp. From 1983 to 1990 you could also get it in a 4 door saloon style called the Prisma. It offered 5 seat comfort and hatchback practicalities while also offering super car performance. Name me another car that can match those credentials?

    There are many who still hold a passion for Lancia. Davide Cironi from Drive Experience on youtube who is one such man. Check out his homage to the Delta in over 16 minuets of pure glory below (also check out his other videos. The Lancia Theme 8.32 in particular).

    Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli commissioned a one off 2 door convertible Delta Integrale for himself. You could take it into a multi-storey carpark, load it up with flat pack furniture and annihilate almost anything at the traffic light grand prix. Now I’d like to see you try and do that with your Lamborghini Gallardo!

    The Lancia Delta. The best car in the world!

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Inamo

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Inamo

    ★★★★ | Inamo

    A beautiful branch of the small restaurant chain Inamo has opened up in a huge beaux arts building right across from Mornington Crescent tube station – and it’s delicious, classy and wonderful.

    Inamo, which also has branches in Soho and Covent Garden, and which means being a slave to, is just that, being a slave to it’s food as it’s simply elegant and divine.

    On the Sunday of Chinese New Year (the year of the Rooster), a friend and I paid a visit to the Camden branch for dinner. The two story restaurant, neatly tucked away in the massive British Heart Foundation headquarters, was practically empty. We didn’t really care – we were there for the food. And oh the glorious food! But to get to the food you have to order via a computer tablet on the table (with photos of the food – which really helps!), and a little push button device for each diner which enables one to change the color of the table via the lighting system above the table. (You can also change to a ‘tablecloth’ of many different types – bamboo, chinese lanterns, lilies of the field, moving patters or to my favorite a ripple effect). Ping Pong is also an option in case you and your dinner date get tired of looking at your phones.

    The starters we had were the Iberico Baby Pork Ribs delicious ribs. The large five were glazed in plum sugar and shredded bell pepper on top – and at £8.75 worth every bite. The Char Sui buns (£8.95) were three very large BBQ pork buns – served with a tangy Thai sweet chilli sauce – very good but also very filling! My dining companion ordered Black Cod for her main course. At £24.95 it’s a bit pricy, but it’s garnished with cabbage and onions and bits of apple – she felt that it tasted very plain and looked too plain. I, on the other hand, was very happy with the Sliced Pork Chop with Yakiniku Sauce (corn syrup, apple juice, garlic salt soy sauce and vinegar), served with rice and Thai Mango Salad. I think this was the best course on the menu – tasty, different, and at £15.95 – good value for it’s money. We really wanted to get a good handle, and taste, of the menu so we had a few more dishes coming our way. The highly recommended Crispy Vegetable Tempura (£9.95) was deliciously-breaded vegetables (courgettes, asparagus, and mushrooms), absolutely yummy with a tempura dipping sauce. Also recommended is the Chicken Poké – a light and lively large bowl of chicken, served over a bed of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and edamame beans and was good but lacked something – perhaps it needs a kick of salad dressing instead of the olive oil it’s served with.

    It was very hard to initially chose what to eat, and we tried as many dishes as we could, but there were lots more that I wanted to order. The Wagyu Burgers & Fries (£15.95), Duck with Pancakes (£18.45) plus various tapas (Asian, Sushi and Sashimi) including Tuna, California Rolls, Beef, Crispy seafood, chicken gyoza, etc. etc. etc. – there’s just so much!

    I have to mention the drinks because Inamo knows how to do drinks! Wines are categorized in different categories – so there’s pretty much everything for anyone. Sparkling wines add a kick, and their cocktail list is wonderful. My friend had the non-alcoholic Guava Cooler – she found it very refreshing! I had the thirst-quencher Tropical Storm – passion fruit, lime and guava juice with a hint of cinnamon. I loved it, and both were a great deal at £5.95 each.

    And the coup de grace was dessert! The Passion Fruit and Mango Dessert was divine! Mango mousse, passion fruit, apricot jelly and a layer of chocolate cake on a crunch base (£7.95) put me over the top! My friend had the Baked Alasparkla – creamy Baked Alaska served with Asian Strawberry and lemongrass soup and served with cherries! She loved it!

    Inamo is a classy restaurant with very delicious food. All plates are beautifully presented in a beautiful setting with a very nice and attentive staff. There’s really nothing bad to say about this place – it’s in a non-foody location which will make it a destination restaurant because it deservedly is a good find!

    Telephone: 020 7484 0500
    Website:http://www.inamorestaurants.london
    Email: reservations@inamo-restaurant.com

    Address: 265 Hampstead Road, Camden NW1 7QX

    Opening hours:
    Mon-Thur 12:00 – 23:30
    Fri-Sat 12:00 – 00:00
    Sun 12:00 – 22:30
    Closed from 3PM – 5 PM from Mon – Fri

    Photos by Samphire Communications

  • COLUMN | Okay, basically I want a VW Beetle

    COLUMN | Okay, basically I want a VW Beetle

    Everywhere around Bird towers, you will spot something relating to Volkswagen.

    More-so relating to the old school ways of the Beetle and bus. Most things during my school days related to the little VW even down to my GCSE art project. Outside of school I could always be found with my head in a VW book or making models of Beetles. I even made a radio controlled Beetle similar to the one Barbra Streisand was in from the film What’s Up Doc? I suppose it isn’t surprising then that there is a 70’s camper van in the garage and a Mk2 Golf on the driveway.

    Indoors, I am strict and have nothing car related in the lounge or my bedroom. A petrol head needs a place or two to get away from the motor vehicle. That said, the man lab has plenty of Beetle based memorabilia on the shelves and there is even an engine deck lid stuck to the shed disguising the pots my creepers grow from. There is also a Beetle bonnet behind the garage that I’ll make into something for the garden.

    So it might come as a surprise to you that I find the Beetle an absolutely awful car.

    Anyone who has owned one will be getting ready to scratch my eyes out with that above statement but I stand by it. Anyone who has just driven one may actually agree with me. They are an acquired taste and are like nothing else out there, from way back in 1948 to the day in 1978 when it was discontinued in Europe, although the convertible did continue until 1980.

    The driving position was cramped. The doors were just millimetres from your elbows. The pedals mounted from the floor giving an unusual feel. The extremities of the vehicle were impossible to see and there were no parking sensors in the 70s. The steering wheel almost horizontal and there wasn’t really any kind of dashboard until the arrival of the 1303 with its panoramic windscreen. Come to think of it the passenger compartment was cramped.

    One thing I will say is that the heating was good. It’s a complicated system full of levers by the handbrake and relies on engine speed. Badly maintained it is also prone to haemorrhaging vital air reducing the output to the breath of half a dozen kittens. Citroën’s 2CV wasn’t this bad and that relied on little heat exchangers and two cylinders.

    Considering its overall length of over 13 ft, it also lacked luggage space of anything reasonable. The bulletproof engine took up the boot area leaving the front compartment under the bonnet to resemble what should have been a spacious area for luggage. Though it was essential in propelling the Beetle forward, the fuel tank sat in the boot area along with the spare wheel. It left you with 4.9 cu.ft of space. despite it not being the easiest car to clamber into, there was some extra space behind the rear seat. The rear seat did fold down but it never turned it into an estate.

    The ride could best be described as entertaining and bouncy made even worse when lowered. The 1302 and 1303 models with McPherson struts was better. The swing axle rear end was lively.

    After the second world war, AC cars, Ford and Rootes group performed a vehicle analysis on the Beetle. None found the Beetle particularly good. It’s interesting that Baron William Rootes of the Rootes Group who owned Humber taking a dislike to the vehicle. During their testing using a Mk2 Hillman Mink, Rootes were quite keen to penalise the Beetle for the smallest indifferences. Ironic then that the flawed Beetle would go on to become a market leader, world conqueror and champion of the people’s car while his company failed and in 1979 was bought by Peugeot.

    Looking at two group tests from 1968 and 1976 one thing remains: the Beetle. In ’68 the Beetle was pitted against the Austin 1100, Ford Escort and Vauxhall Viva. In ’76 it was relegated to the cheap end of motoring with the Citroën Dyane, Honda Civic and Reliant Kitten. The Beetle was consistent in two areas. It was expensive. It was well made. It was also not the best in many areas where others were doing it so much better. FYI in ’76, the Beetle was more expensive than the better packaged VW Polo.

    Today the Beetle is still regarded by many as a wonderful car. I’m sure in some ways Disney are responsible for a generation who love the little bug. It’s true that after the first feature film, sales grew in the US.

    The Beetle had its heydey in the UK in the 80s when the Cal-look became popular. It continued to grow into the 90s. The scene for the Beetle shows no signs of slowing down. It’s true that the club scene has changed over the last 10 years. The bus that could once be bought really cheaply took over but looking around, there is a resurgence for the Beetle once-more. Probably in some part due to the bus being so expensive and the Beetle being so cheap. The trend at the moment does look set to change. The bus will never be cheap and the Beetle isn’t looking that cheap now either.

    Here then is my dilemma. Despite its flawed ways I still want one. I almost bought one 3 years ago. I want to make a Herbie replica and the one I found was perfect. I just wasn’t the highest drunken bidder on a Saturday night.

    And why do I want one? There hasn’t been a car made since the Beetle that has so much character. The sound of that engine talks to you. You can’t help to smile when you see one. It’s classless, that can cause great envy. A vehicle designed to move people from A to B and yet it moves them in other ways too.

    Watch this space.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Openly gay rugby ref Nigel Owens asked doctors to be chemically castrated

    Openly gay rugby ref Nigel Owens asked doctors to be chemically castrated

    Rugby ref Nigel Owens asked his doctors to be chemically castrated after he realised that he was gay.

    By Mark Geater (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
    In a horrifying revelation by one of the world’s only openly gay professional sport’s referees, Nigel Owens, 45,  asked his doctor to chemically castrated him when he realised he way gay. He also revealed that he suffered from bulimia and also attempted suicide as a young adult after describing that his sexuality was “totally alien” to him.

    ALSO READ: There is a depression crisis amongst gay men as one in four reveal they’ve tried to kill themselves

    The referee came out in 2007 at the age of 35 and was the first openly gay referee at the highest level of the game.

    Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, he said,

    “Refereeing that World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand in front of 85,000 people and the millions of people watching at home, scrutinising every single decision you make under a huge amount of pressure, was nothing compared to the challenge of accepting who I was.”

    When he released he was gay he went to his doctor and asked, “I do not want to be gay. Can I get chemically castrated?”

    He told listeners on the popular BBC radio programme that he had felt great support from the Welsh Rugby Union.

    He went on to say,

    “Unless you are happy with who you are, you cannot excel and be the best you can be at whatever you are doing. You cannot enjoy life if you are not happy within yourself.”

    Owen’s full interview can be heard on Desert Island Discs at 11:15 GMT on Sunday.

  • RECIPES | Pancakes

    RECIPES | Pancakes

    It’s that time of year again to dust off the mixing bowl and dig out that half-empty tin of syrup from 1998. If you’re looking to make some pancakes here’s how you do it.

    How to make pancakes
    CREDIT: Pixabay / CC / RitaE

    Ingredients.
    100g Plain Flour
    2 Eggs
    300ml milk

    Method.
    1. Sift flour into a large bowl.
    2. Add eggs to centre of flour and mix in.
    3. Slowly add milk and whisk to a smooth batter.
    4. Leave the mix for at least half an hour before cooking.
    5. Once ready to serve heat a little oil in a pan and add a ladle of batter to the hot oil.
    6. Let the mix coat the pan and cook for 30 – 45 seconds. (Thicker batter may require a longer cooking time)
    7. With a spatula slide around the edge off the pancake and shake ready for the first flip.
    8. Confidence will ensure a successful flip. It’s all in the wrist!
    9. Finally, add a choice of fillings from traditional lemon and sugar to chocolate spread and marshmallows.
    Happy Shrove Tuesday! Send us your pancake tossing pictures to newsdesk@TheGayUK.com

  • Motorists are being baffled by clashing speed limits

    Motorists have been left baffled after council workers painted two conflicting speed restrictions on the same road.

    CREDIT: SWNS

    • New restrictions are limiting speed limits to 20 mph across Edinburgh.

    • Around 80 per cent of Edinburgh’s road will have a limit of 20 mph.

    • Motorists caught speeding could be fined £100 and three penalty points.

    A controversial city-wide 20mph limit is set to be introduced across Edinburgh this year and some streets are already being painted with the new restriction.

    But on one road in Edinburgh, this has led to confusion with one side of the road saying the limit is 20mph and the other saying it is 30mph.

    Motorists have expressed their confusion on social media with one calling the situation “hilarious”.

    But council bosses have sought to reassure bemused drivers with the new limit set to come into force across much of the city a month from today on February 28.

    Similar signs have been spotted at the Leith Walk end of London Road.

    Accompanying the painted warnings will be traditional speed limit signs at the side of the road.

    The painted notifications of speed limits are part of a pioneering scheme to introduce 20mph limits across 80 per cent of Edinburgh’s roads.

    The initiative was rolled out in the city centre and rural west of Edinburgh last August to a groundswell of initial opposition – with a 2700 signature petition to get the decision reversed.

    CREDIT: SWNS

    AA spokesman Ian Crowder welcomed 20mph zones but only where “appropriate” – such as roads with schools.

    He said,

    “Most collisions occur in these types of streets and there’s a significant difference between hitting someone at 20mph, when there’s a good chance they’ll survive, and 30mph where there’s a good chance they’ll be killed.”

    But blanket 20mph zones across cities could be “counter-productive”, warns the motoring association.

    Mr Crowder added,

    “I would caution against putting 20mph limits across every street without good reason.
    “Drivers can become irritated by it. The majority of people respect 30mph limits but 20mph is quite slow and people can start to ignore them.”

    But subsequent city-wide consultations reported positive feedback – amid some remaining concerns around increased congestion, road safety and longer journey times.

    The scheme is the first of its kind in Scotland and is expected to be fully rolled-out by next January with £100 fines and three penalty points for drivers caught speeding.

    Key arterial routes are among the few that will retain 30 and 40mph limits.

    Bosses at Lothian Buses have previously warned the new limits could lead to higher fares and poorer services.

    A council spokesman explained the signs with the 30mph limit were for vehicles exiting onto the nearby Portobello Road while the 20mph is for those driving onto the residential street of Craigentinny Crescent.

    He said,

    “The 30mph road marking signifies the speed limit on Portobello Road on to which drivers exit.
    “This will be reinforced by an adjacent road sign signalling the end of the 20mph zone, which will be erected before the 20mph limit comes into force in this area on February 28.
    “The 20mph road marking refers to the 20mph speed limit on Craigentinny Crescent.”