My Future Brother-in-Law and the Hummer Limosuine

[GiovanniC]

My sister is getting married in August. That's a great thing, and I'm happy for her, and I like the guy she's getting married to in a general sense. I think he's kind of a dumbass, but he's a good guy in general. I am to be one of the groomsmen in the wedding.

Yesterday he came to me and showed me a brochure for a Hummer limosuine. As if the Hummer is not a big enough monstrocity, they had to turn it into this gigantic SUV limo that I'm sure has such bad gas mileage that I don't know how they travel anywhere except from one gas station to another.

He said it would be cool to get this for the wedding party, but we would all have to chip in for it together. Then he asked me if I knew how much it would cost per hour.

I said, "I'm going to guess it costs about one or two US soldiers and about ten to twelve Iraqi civilians per hour, but that's just an estimate."

He said, "No, it costs $900 an hour."

So should I have said:

(A) "I'm not spending that kind of money to ride around in ANYTHING. And I wouldn't ride in THAT thing even if I didn't have to pay for it."

or

(B) "I'm not spending that kind of money to ride around in ANYTHING. But I'll ride in it if you figure out some other way to pay for it because if you're going to get that monstrocity we might as well at least carpool."

[warrior1]

1. Ask him

how small is his dick.

[Dudley_DUright]

2. or better, ask your sister (to obtain a more accurate answer)

:evilgrin:

[GiovanniC]

3. That Goes In The Category of "Things I Prefer Not to Know"

[No Exit]

4. Ask him if he'd be willing to drive around in the big Hummer..............

.... in Iraq.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. Just tell him to get a regular limousine

More tasteful if you ask me.

[ultraist]

8. I agree, how tacky for a wedding

Hummers are now a military vehicle. Why use a military vehicle for a wedding, even if it is a limo?

You can get a pretty nice stretch for about $500 per hour (at least in my area).

[ET Awful]

33. Now a military vehicle? They always were a military vehicle.

The civilian version came much later. Hell even the name came from the military abbreviation HMMWV (High-Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle).

Same goes for JEEP for that matter (originally General Purpose, abbreviated phonetically, then it became a civilian label later).

[bunkerbuster1]

6. Seriously? (this being future family and all)

Work with the guy. tell him that a stretch limo's one thing, but a Hummer limo is just obnoxious and that you'd rather ride in something more pedestrian.

[Warpy]

20. Pedestrian? Try ELEGANT

Tell him that you consider that thing entirely inappropriate for a wedding, but if he ever wants to hire it to go to a gun show, to let you know. I can't think of anything tackier than a stretch Chevy Tahoe with a military body on top of it.

Stretch limos have some dignity to them, at least, plus a bar in the back...

It's not HIS wedding. It's HER wedding, and she needs to have a say in this. If she's tacky enough to want that thing, so be it, but you shouldn't be compelled to chip in. You're responsible for your tux, usher service, and a speech at the reception. The best man has other responsibilities, but you indicated you aint him.

[Bouncy Ball]

40. To be fair, the wedding is both of theirs.

I don't think weddings should be thought of as his or hers, but theirs.

The rest of it, I totally agree.

[hiley]

7. A sounds

like the answer.
A frickin' hummer limo that is insane and a waste of gas and money.
I hope he is as worried about the marriage part as the Wedding Day !

[ultraist]

10. Generally, I agree but it is HIS wedding

Maybe you could say, "I realize it's your decision and your wedding and I respect that, but I must say I would feel extremely uncomfortable riding in a vehicle closely associated with the war and that is so overpriced. Would you consider a regular stretch limo?"

If he is asking you to pitch in, you certainly can voice your oppinion on it. Otherwise, let him pay for it himself. You do NOT have to put YOUR money into something you disagree with. Would you make a donation to the GOP if he asked you? FUCK NO!

[KC21304]

18. I disagree. If it is his wedding, than he should pay for it.

I've never heard of asking the groomsmen to help pay for the transportation. Sounds like he is starting off on the wrong foot by living beyond his means.


I see you have the same idea. Sorry, didn't mean to sound like I was attacking you on this.

[elehhhhna]

12. Tacky! Juxtapose the image of the Church and the Hummer

and you've got a reep recruiting poster.

[lady lib]

9. Talk with your sister about the cost

and how the money might be better spent - like on the honeymoon or their house. Then see if SHE would talk to her future husband about more appropriate transportation.

[elehhhhna]

15. Suggested transport for the groom: a straight-jacket.

and tell your sis nothing says "closet" like an overly-masculine gesture.

[Bozita]

11. GI's are dying in Humvees ... and you want to party in one?

I support our troops.

[ultraist]

14. Ya, that is really crass when you think about it.

[Bozita]

25. NEW in LBN: Three U-S soldiers killed after vehicle rolls over (1460)

Leftchick started this sad but necessary thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1234783

Here's her starter:

leftchick  (1000+ posts) Sun Feb-13-05 01:38 PM
Original message
Three U-S soldiers killed after vehicle rolls over (1460)Edited on Sun Feb-13-05 01:43 PM by leftchick

http://www.wstm.com/Global/story.asp?S=2940084

BAGHDAD, Iraq Three U-S soldiers died in Iraq when their vehicle rolled into a canal.

The accident occurred during a patrol today in the town of Balad (BEHL'-ihd), about 50 miles north of Baghdad.

Five soldiers attempting to rescue the men were evacuated for medical treatment, but were all expected to return to duty.

The U-S military says the accident is under investigation.

http://icasualties.org/oif /

[DefenseLawyer]

13. I'd say your sister will take care of the problem

because she probably has her wedding planned down to the last detail, and unless she is a wingnut herself, I doubt her vision of her "perfect day" involves military vehicles.

[elehhhhna]

17. The age-old bride-groom horse & carriage -harley argument...

[KC21304]

16. How many hours are we talking about here ?

Sounds insane to me. Ask him if this is theme they picked out for their wedding.

[elehhhhna]

19. The theme! LOL. Maybe offer to upgrade to a Tank?

[Bozita]

21. Yes, a stretch limo tank -- Tell him you know where to get one

See if his eyes light up.

[DefenseLawyer]

24. "Honey, instead of tuxedos

I thought we would go with desert camo. That will be okay right? Honey? Honey! Come back! Stop crying! Come back!"

[diamond14]

22. Good...maybe you can piss him off enough, that he WON'T marry your sister

and YOU will have saved her....yes, you could become a HERO...sparing your sister a life of misery should be a HIGH priority....

[knitter4democracy]

23. Weddings make people crazy.

I'm glad almost all of my friends are married because that means I don't have to go through any of that crap for at least awhile. Ugh. Just tell him that, if it's too much for him to pay for as part of the wedding costs, it's too much. Period. You have enough to pay for as it is.

[GoCubsGo05]

26. My advice....

For your sister's sake, stay out of it. Just tell him you don't want to chip in. I don't agree that it's just your sister's wedding. It's his as well. If they make the decision together, then you should respect it and call it a day. Just don't pay one dime. If they can't afford it individually, perhaps they won't do it and you will get your way without causing the strife!

By taking it any further than that, the worst case scenario is you risk alienating him, which in turn, could alienate you from your sister. Is it really worth that? I hardly think so. This is not the hill you want to die on.

But then again, it's your decision to make obviously. I have just seen to many tick-tack things during weddings effect sibling relationships, and yes, I am speaking from personnal experience.

[American Tragedy]

27. You've got to be kidding me. $900 AN HOUR?!?

Hell, forget the gas mileage, forget the military asociations. You don't even have to mention them, because that price is just outrageous beyond all reason. There is no way I would chip in for that. I'm sorry, but I find it astounding that there are people who are prepared to piss away almost a thousand dollars just to get a trendy ride to a wedding reception.

Incidentally, think of how embarrassingly stupid and tacky it will look in wedding photographs in a few years.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

28. You'll be walking from the edge of the parking lot a lot

I can't tell you how many times here in So Cal, Hummer limos pull up filled with people wanting to arrive in style...one big problem...the fucking monstosities are so huge they cannot negotiate most parking lots so their riders must be dropped off at the curb where they need to walk the rest of the way to whatever establishment they are going to.

The bridesmaids will hate him by the end of the day.

[glitch]

35. Now that is funny.. Dropped off at the curb. Love it! nt

[EC]

29. Hummer is also coming out with a pick up truck that looks like

a semi...8 miles to the gallow, 29,000 lbs. (just shy of needing a semi-truch drivers license) and I cannot imagine why people would want it, but I showed pictures of it at a local bar to some guys and they were creaming all over themselves over it, saying how cool it was...

[hfojvt]

30. I am guessing that is way out of your price range

so the proper humorous response would be "is that all? Let's get one for each groomsman for the whole day. I will put the whole thing on my titanium mastercard." or "let's see if Oprah will get it for us."

[CrispyQ]

31. I can't believe he let your answer

about the true cost of the thing go right over his head. What an insensitive lout.

[mitchtv]

32. I would prefer several regular limos

or a couple of antique/classics. My sister had an old Rolls , it was neat.

[noamnety]

34. Diplomacy during weddings is a good thing

"That's too rich for me. If your wedding budget allows for it, great, but I'm telling you up front I can't afford something like that."

How you spend your money is your decision, but your personal thoughts about the wastefulness or tackiness of the wedding details, although valid, aren't your decision to make in this case. Just be grateful he can't make you wear a peach satin hoop dress with a giant bow on your ass.

[mitchum]

36. People are going to assume that your sister will be VERY disappointed...

on her wedding night, if your future brother-in-law feels the need for this ridiculous compensation vehicle.

[lavenderdiva]

37. I got married recently, and I do not believe that other than tuxes,

and a gift, and possibly a portion of a bachelor's party, the groomsmen are responsible for anything like a limo. Those costs should be borne by either the bride's parents (traditionally), or the couple themselves (alot nowadays). Perhaps you could speak to your sister. Having been a bride, I have a feeling that she has had this day planned to the Nth degree for a long time! Most brides have a very distinct picture of how they want everything to look, down to the limos, if there are to be any. Is she working with a wedding planner? If so, they are more than worth their weight in gold, for just such issues as this. If your sister has a wedding planner, perhaps you could speak to her about how to work this out. Usually, they will take charge of any unpleasant situation, to avoid confrontations directly between wedding party members. That is what they are paid to do. Otherwise, speak to your sister. She probably is not even aware of the situation that is developing, and would be horrified. Once aware of it, she will be able to take care of it for you.

[Bouncy Ball]

38. Honestly, there's no way I could even RIDE in something like that

much less pay to ride around in it.

Isn't there something that's still decent that isn't such a vulgarity?

I mean, ICK.

[WillowTree]

39. $900 an HOUR? YIKES!!

Even if they only had that huge, hideously ugly thing for three hours, that's $2,700 they could be putting toward the downpayment on a house, for pity sake. Not to mention that it's tacky in the extreme to ask anyone else to pay for something as transient and useless as that.

I don't mind a bit of excess once in awhile, but that's insane. I don't care what it is.

Well, maybe Dennis Quaid..........