New Ways to Destroy the Earth: The Humdinga
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 07.13.07
And it is a Humdinga of a vehicle, going 0 to sixty in 9.2 seconds on land, and getting up on a plane in the water in less than 10 seconds. It goes 100MPH on land and 40mph on water, kicking up a wake that is disrupting shoreline habitat for miles. " It took us 8 years, a million man-hours and tens of millions of pounds to develop HSA technology. With this latest vehicle, I'm sure that the technology's potential is clear for all to see.", comments Alan Gibbs, Chairman of Gibbs Technologies: Chew up landscape and help reach peak oil fast in both the military and civilian versions. No information on cost or miles per gallon, or if they are going to make a hydrogen powered version for Arnold. Warning on video below fold: Guy in the back has a gun. ::Gibbstech via ::Trendhunter
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Oh come on, be real. This goofy contraption will be produced in maybe the 100's, with each one being used so seldomly it might as well not exist at all.
TH, are you telling is things are in such good order that this is all that is left to go after?
I guess so. I guess all those recreational boaters and water skiers who trailer their boats with 4x4s to remote areas have all gone away. Great! :D
If garishness were a crime these guys would be doing 15 to life.
cool! But, hopefully you're not saying you can't both own a gun - or a recreational vehicle - and be an armchair environmentalist. I know way too many diehard preachers of the green life here in N. California that have SUV's (which were created for - but not used on - off road usage).
Anyone can be pro green, without being anti anything. Its the social environmental change that has to happen before the overall lifestyle change in society will. Best not to turn off part of that society with political bents. We need everyone on this.
Lame.
Wow, that video is ridiculous. What is the guy with the gun doing, anyway? That thing would only be useful if hunting REALLY big game, and the humdinga is so freakin' loud that you couldn't approach anything anyway. I guess it's probably there to demonstrate the military value of the vehicle. And the soundtrack: craptabulous.
Nothing more than a very expensive ATV that can cross slightly deeper waters than the average and slower models of such by John Deere and the like.
The gun looks to be a 50mm military sniper rifle or lookalike to gratify your basic macho shootem' up fantasy. (Better have multiple foam filled float compartments or one shot in the bow by the enemy sinks it fast)
Only really rich guys are going to buy these for their private hunting estates.
These hybrid technologies rarely work well. PERHAPS in the military, where they'll have dedicated mechanics, but in the present case there are different types of loads on the engine and transmission for the land and water operation.
The F-111 fighter was supposed to be two types of bomber and an interceptor, and even the military couldn't put them all together. The Space Shuttle was supposed to be BOTH reliable and recyclable and it required Nasa to juggle too many balls at once (a case study for when recycling is INappropriate!). The Osprey is supposed to work with props lifting the plane up, and also pulling it along. With all of them, the extra number of services required is a exponent to their complexity.
I like it, but I'd rather have a Aquada! ;)
That was the baddest shit I've ever seen. I sure could think of a lot less cool ways to destroy the environment.
bravo!!! Let's destroy everything... so, anyway, we will not leave to see the disasters we make... somebody else can suffer for us, and that's so cool...
Henry Ford marketed to the common man, he made billions. Rolls Royce Marketed to the wealthy. Their impact is much less. This is an expensive toy and will remain so. You will not change minds and thinking through shame and your version of Hell fire (Global Warming). If you wish to change people make what is good desirable and afordable. I refuse to buy a $50,000.00 car that under performs when I can buy a Scion xb for $23,000.00 and get all four of my family in and still get 30+ mpg and good performance too. Make something I can use!
Just plain stupid.
Why is the freak in the back armed?
Dudes around here have been turning vintage cars into dual modality vehicles for eons. Nothing like a pink and white 1965 Mustang heading down the Charles River to turn heads. They don't go all that fast, but they look much cooler than that contraption.
As for condeming it, why bother, the ad speaks for itself. Wanted immature narcissits to buy big loud toy, big gun not included. See your therapist, I mean dealer, for details.
I love it, what a great concept!! They say it will be available in around 2 years, I hope I can afford one !! Also for those that don't know (because they don't tell) the one with the "gun" is suppose to be for a military application.
Nice I like. Saves fuel by not having to tow a boat. I can off road, hunt, and wakeboard all in the same hour. Where can i get this machine? I would like the .50 cal. with incendiary, or Raufoss Multipurpose rounds please.
This vehicle is only being developed for military applications at this stage. But you never know, look at the popularity of the Hummer in an open market.