Don'tClick-Bait

What's the opposite of Click-Bait?

Don'tClick-Bait, of course.

Like this story title from Autoguide.com yesterday:

2018 Lexus LS 500 Pricing Remains Competitive

I clicked on it.

But only out of morbid curiosity.

Apparently, "Despite offering more powerful, comfort, and safety than ever before, the new Lexus LS 500 has a base price that is $3,820 less than its current long-wheelbase predecessor."

Also, "The Interior Upgrade Package adds quilted-stitch, perforated semi-aniline leather-trimmed interior, 28-way power driver’s seat with multifunction massage, power front seatbelt buckles, heated rear seats, and more for $3,730."

Unfortunately, "The Interior Upgrade Package is not available on the F Sport model."

Autoguide rather hopefully add, "Discuss this story on our Lexus Forum"

No thank you.

They are doing a bit better today.

There is Entertainment news:

New Hyundai Veloster Set to Star in ‘Ant Man and the Wasp’

and some gossip:

‘Merican Dream: Danica Patrick is Dating Aaron Rodgers

I had not heard of Aaron Rodgers but the article informs be that he plays for The Green Bay Packers.

There is also a headline that means you really don't need to read the article if you don't want to:

Refreshed 2019 Jeep Cherokee is No Longer Ugly and Gets New Turbo Engine

And then they go and spoil it all with:

10 Interesting Facts About the History of the Volkswagen Jetta

None of which particularly are.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of each of these stories you have the crappy advertising by Taboola showing why click-bait is such a derided term:

Now, to decide which picture from these stories I should use to promote this post with.

 

Danica Patrick in a swimsuit?

 

No.  After all, this post is titled "Don'tClick-Bait"

Indycarn't

Saw this F1 story yesterday in my new favourite car news site, Autoguide.com. It claims that "many companies associated with the commercial side of the sport are very concerned about a decline in popularity" possibly as a result of rule changes such as reducing the number of engine cylinders and the max rpm.

I don't see these changes affecting the popularity of the sport - maybe the engine notes won't be quite as roary - but that won't affect the majority of spectators - ie viewers at home. Those at the circuits may survive longer before deafness kicks in as well.

As for the reduction in engine revs, it's already having a positive impact with considerably more cars finishing races. Mind you, the cameras do enjoy a big engine blow-out and cars skidding on dropped oil.

The biggest threat to the popularity of F1 at the moment is Sebastian Vettel winning every race. Last year was much more exciting.

The promoters are considering moving over to Indycars.

This may be fine if they are American-based but the rest of the world is not interested in Indycars. It's a bit like the sport Americans call "Football" and the rest of the world calls "American Football".

Looking at the official Indycar Website, they have a lot of drivers, currently led by Britain's own (OK Scotland's own) Dario Franchitti but the only other ones I've heard of are Danica Patrick and Takuma Sato. They do, rarely, travel outside of the US but only as far as Brazil, Canada and Japan.

I don't ever see Indycar rivalling F1. A1GP tried and failed to do so - they will never have the magic of Monaco or Silverstone or the personalities or the glamour.

They've managed to find an awful picture of Bernie for the article - nearly as bad as his black-eye pics. He seems to have some sympathy for the argument. I don't.

I think I generally like Bernie - he is a ruthless businessman - but not a Rupert Murdoch. He was good fun on Top Gear last week directing Jeremy around the Monaco circuit. I don't even hold it against him that he is a co-owner of Queens Park Rangers Football Club - although some QPR fans might! He also sometimes gets it wrong like when he was reluctant to postpone or cancel the Bahrain GP - as time goes on, it still looks very wrong to go there.

There is one thing that Indycars has over F1 though...

I bring you back to one of the three drivers I'd actually heard of, Danica Patrick.