Berlin: Man torches BMW to protest gas prices (using $9.40/gal gasoline)

[phantom power]

BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- A German man doused his BMW with gasoline and torched it Friday in protest at skyrocketing fuel costs, police said.

The unemployed 30-year-old man drove a black 1995 BMW 3-series sedan onto the lawn outside Frankfurt's convention center grounds at about 7:30 a.m., police spokesman Karlheinz Wagner said.

He then jumped out, emptied a canister of gas over the vehicle and set fire to it, Wagner said.

(...)

As in many countries, gasoline prices have risen steadily in Germany; a liter of regular gasoline now costs about euro 1.55, or $9.40 per gallon.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/06/27/germany.gas.ap/index.html

[ET Awful]

1. Now if only all the Hummer owners in the US would follow his lead . . .

:P

[Zachstar]

6. Id rather that crap not go into the atmosphere.

[aquart]

2. HIS BMW?

[phantom power]

3. Yes...

He said "he could no longer afford to drive the vehicle."

The same question did cross my mind.
:evilgrin:

[CRF450]

4. Why? They get the same mpg as most cars on average.

[phantom power]

5. Because he can't afford the $9.40/gallon, I assume.

[NNadir]

7. Did he use one of Southern California's brazillion hydrogen stations to ignite the fire?

Let me guess.

He soaked the "personal transportation device" with um, well, gasoline.

[XemaSab]

8. I think the bridge between Berlin and LA is out right now.

:P

[NNadir]

9. Well he could have converted a hydrogen Hummer to an amphibious vehicle...

...taken it through the Panama canal and across the Atlantic.

That's no less elaborate than some of the "world's largest" schemes one hears about in this space.

[Occam Bandage]

10. He should have sold it and bought fuel, as a solo gift-of-the-Magi thing.

[struggle4progress]

11. What a great idea! As a follow-up, he can burn down his house to protest the high cost of heating it

Then he can set his pants on fire to protest the high cost of commercial laundries