Gee, and I though I was a cynic!
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. . . er . . . I mean realist.
![]()
. . . er . . . I mean realist.
Posts by Mecoprop
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
The simple and sad facts of the matter are that if a full size motobike were unleanable, it would corner like a drunken sailor. Even a pushbike pedalled by an overweight octogenarian nun MUST lean in order to travel in anything but a straight line!
It follows that a small, unleanable model, no matter how exquisite in apearance, cannot handle one whit better than our drunken sailor or corpulent nun, except by addition of a magnet and outriggers to nullify the effect of a very high centre of gravity. And then it looks plain daft going round a bend in an attitude that bears absolutely no resemblance to what we have all seen in real life. The moment you see it doing what your entire lifetime's experience tells you is quite ridiculous, the necessary 'suspension of disbelief' is rendered completely impossible. The lack of lean is no trivial, pernickety detail, it is the absolute destruction of the slightest possibility of acceptance by slot RACERS as something to be raced on a slot track.
So, tremendous and very sincere admiration for Scalextric in producing truly gorgeous models of these immensely attractive machines. But simple, plain, common sense says they will never catch on as desirable slot racing machinery. They are unerringly destined and doomed to a life of shelf queenery, apart perhaps from the occasional demonstration to show that they are actually capable of propelling themselves - if only in a somewhat perverse and unnatural manner. All the upbeat talk that can be brought to bear, and I'm sure there will be plenty of that, can't alter the simple fact that they look plain DAFT going round a curve and any increase in cornering speed endowed byadditional magnet or weight only serves to make them look yet dafter in motion.
Shelf Queen - YES!
Slot Racer - No way José!
It follows that a small, unleanable model, no matter how exquisite in apearance, cannot handle one whit better than our drunken sailor or corpulent nun, except by addition of a magnet and outriggers to nullify the effect of a very high centre of gravity. And then it looks plain daft going round a bend in an attitude that bears absolutely no resemblance to what we have all seen in real life. The moment you see it doing what your entire lifetime's experience tells you is quite ridiculous, the necessary 'suspension of disbelief' is rendered completely impossible. The lack of lean is no trivial, pernickety detail, it is the absolute destruction of the slightest possibility of acceptance by slot RACERS as something to be raced on a slot track.
So, tremendous and very sincere admiration for Scalextric in producing truly gorgeous models of these immensely attractive machines. But simple, plain, common sense says they will never catch on as desirable slot racing machinery. They are unerringly destined and doomed to a life of shelf queenery, apart perhaps from the occasional demonstration to show that they are actually capable of propelling themselves - if only in a somewhat perverse and unnatural manner. All the upbeat talk that can be brought to bear, and I'm sure there will be plenty of that, can't alter the simple fact that they look plain DAFT going round a curve and any increase in cornering speed endowed byadditional magnet or weight only serves to make them look yet dafter in motion.
Shelf Queen - YES!
Slot Racer - No way José!
Actually camels DO lean and not just sideways either. Also notorious for bad temper, biting, spitting, belching, fearsome flatulence and obnoxious bad breath. Not to mention a touch of humping if they can ever find the time to fit it in between all their other entertaining acivities. I imagine that all these things could be emulated by the addtion of digital control especially the superior Margate model!
And how about some monocycle slot racing too?
On Mopterminilogy that should be even more entertaining than the bikes!
I read somewhere very recently, that the bike chassis are actually NOT all identical.
Oops, that's the 'ultimate and ideal' theory slightly holed.
I seem to recall that our most rabid Scaley proponent posted a figure of 58 or 59mm, somewhere. I can't find it to check and it might have been on another board. Probaby better to treat with a pinch of salt and have someone actually measure it reliably.
QUOTE Don't take the views of the neggies here to heart Scalextric
This translates roughly to
"Ignore anyone who disagrees with blinkered, tunnel-vision Mopedry"
Fortunately, Scalextric as a realistic company does not wear mop tinted spectacles and has the professional savvy to look very carefully at ALL points of view - whether 'possie' or 'neggie'.
A progressive company knows that there is considerably more to be learned from looking at and listening to the downsides, and addressing them with future improvement, than sticking the corporate head in the sand and pretending that everything in the garden is rosy.
This translates roughly to
"Ignore anyone who disagrees with blinkered, tunnel-vision Mopedry"
Fortunately, Scalextric as a realistic company does not wear mop tinted spectacles and has the professional savvy to look very carefully at ALL points of view - whether 'possie' or 'neggie'.
A progressive company knows that there is considerably more to be learned from looking at and listening to the downsides, and addressing them with future improvement, than sticking the corporate head in the sand and pretending that everything in the garden is rosy.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
