Aussies love an underdog story. David vs Goliath, so to speak. A chance to show one’s distaste with their fellow man and to angrily type said distaste into the comments section for all their Instagram following to read.
Whilst their rage is usually directed at those parking Range Rovers with the arrogance of A Good Looking Man, this time it’s the humble Ford Ranger’s turn to get a spray.
Enter: the following Instagram Reel.
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Recently posted online by Australian meme account haha.kookaburra, the above video has been recorded by a guy in his SUV being tailgated by a Ford Ranger, the rich tradie (or flapping red P-Plate surfer’s) vehicle of choice (and the second best-selling car in Australia in 2020 with 40,973 models sold).
The Ford Ranger attempts to overtake the guy filming, only to be forced to remain behind when the guy in the video decides to speed up.
Some commenters found it hilarious. Others called it a: “Dog act.”
Our take? Neither party has covered themselves in glory here (if we had a dollar for the number of times we’d seen Ford Ranger’s weaving through highway traffic at 140km per hour, we’d be minted).
DMARGE of course does not condone dangerous driving in any capacity or for any reason. Both sets of driving (tailgating and preventing someone from overtaking) could cause fatal incidents. As could using your phone while driving.
That said, the man’s actions perhaps speak to Australians being sick and tired of rude behaviour (whether that be tailgating or oblivious parking).
Nowhere is this more evident right now than Byron Bay – a place whose constant desire to market itself as a relaxed, laidback paradise has led it, over the past decade or so, become a playground for the rich and famous (and Sydneysiders), and the new milieu for a nationwide pissing contest to see who has the best looking Range Rover.
That’s the impression one gets from Instagram accounts like @lordofbyronbayofficial, anyway.
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Venture to any of the town’s Insta-worthy hotspots: The Pass, Elements of Byron or any of the cafes and restaurants on what we call the ‘unofficial culinary tour’ – think Rae’s; The Mez Club; Bang Bang, The Byron Bay General Store – and you’ll likely spot your fair share of Range Rovers and similarly large SUVs driven by people who look as though they’d shiver just as the sound of the word ‘mud’.
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It’s indicative of the town’s current status, which has seen an extraordinary boom in property prices within the past year, all thanks to The Spicy Cough, and one that has forced many of the people who flee to Byron for exactly what it sells: healing, self-discovery and a chance to unwind, out onto the streets and into their vans.
Using Byron Bay as an example once again, we’ve previously heard how one resident, commenting on surf website BeachGrit, said “You can’t avoid the c*ntery in the car park… I was no sh*t squashed into my car park by 3 f***ers in Black SUV’s, I had one at both nose and tail and one on my wing waiting for me to move so he could gobble up my park, I felt both outraged and intimidated.”
“There was a time, not so long ago, that it was considered an uncouth act to drive a luxury vehicle in the Byron Shore. I used to joke that the secret to success around here was to have lots of money but pretend that you didn’t.”
“Now the Black SUV is the new surf van, Byron is long past trying to hide wealth, now it’s a matter of letting it all hang out.”