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-   -   Driving A Tank (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/driving-a-tank-286734/)

mavis Feb 10th, 2003 07:53 AM

Driving A Tank
 
Are there any adventure centres in the vicinity of Washington DC where I can book a tank driving experience for someone's birthday?<BR><BR>Thanks

Barbara Feb 10th, 2003 09:31 AM

I'm sure there are recruiting offices in D.C. for the Army and Marines. You could take the birthday person there. If you call ahead, they're sure to provide balloons. The birthday person may not get to drive a tank on their birthday, but may get to do it in an actual war. In this very uncertain time, when we have thousands and thousands of military men and women deploying overseas, it has to be the height of insensitivity to treat &quot;tank driving&quot; as an amusement park adventure.

Loki Feb 10th, 2003 11:18 AM

I see nothing wrong with this, it's extremely popular in Britain and they're the only one's standing by the U.S. in our war efforts. Airfares from the east coast are dirt cheap to London right now. Make it a weekend and there are many tank driving places without having to worry about who thinks it's not &quot;politically correct&quot;. I wonder if you get to fire a blank?

ronkala Feb 10th, 2003 11:38 AM

You might try contacting the commanding officer at the Quantico Marine base. That's only forty five minutes away. If not a tank ride, maybe he could arrange a trip for you to the firing range or let you craw on your belly under machine gun fire.

Alicia Feb 10th, 2003 11:44 AM

http://www.tacticaltanks.com/<BR><BR>Tactical Tanks is Texas, contact them and perhaps they can refer you. Let us know how it turns out.

jor Feb 10th, 2003 01:27 PM

No. 1, This chic is a Brit. Centres??<BR>No. 2, Nobody is going to let some idiot rent a tank anywhere near the nation's capital.<BR>No. 3, to Loki, The Brits are overwhemingly against the war. If you mean Tony Blair the puppet, then say Tony Blair.

Meesthare Feb 10th, 2003 04:05 PM

jor, just so you know, &quot;centres&quot; is a Canadian spelling.

GoTravel Feb 10th, 2003 04:58 PM

Got to agree with jor. No one is going to let you drive a tank anywhere near DC.

joesorce Feb 10th, 2003 09:28 PM

Come to Los Angeles. The freeways are full of people driving around in their gas-guzzling tanks, talking on their cell phones and honking their horns at each other.

joan Feb 11th, 2003 05:56 AM

Buy him a Hummer!

NYGirl Feb 11th, 2003 05:59 AM

<BR>Is this birthday person an adult? What kind of adult wants to drive a tank now? I have to agree, this is quite insensitive at this time.<BR>Why not buy him a reeeally big SUV, they are like tanks to me!

mm Feb 11th, 2003 06:26 AM

There are lot os places where a person can fire all types of weapons. Driving a tank is probably available somewhere. There is a lot of surplus military equipment out there. <BR><BR>Do you feel it is insensitive for a person to fly a restored WWII airplane? What about driving a surplus JEEP? <BR><BR>No you will not be allowed to drive an M1-A1 tank but an old one with a non-functioning gun should not worry anyone.<BR><BR>I figure the ride would be very uncomfortable and not my idea of fun but to each his own.<BR><BR>Jor, you should consider anger managment classes. You are strung too tight.<BR><BR>MM

NYGirl Feb 11th, 2003 06:41 AM

<BR>I am sure that there are old planes to fly but would one want to pretend to drop bombs? This just seems to be a bad time to want to celebrate a birthday by driving around in a tank, which is not used for any other purpose but war..I could understand if this was a child, they also like to pretend they are cowboys but an adult??

Loki Feb 11th, 2003 07:44 AM

It's called &quot;fun&quot;. Soldiers wear boots. Is wearing boots insensitive? Mavis is asking about a tank &quot;driving&quot; experience not a war simulation. The thrill is driving a vehicle powered by a turbine. I understand that chicks don't get this but back me up here, guys...it's kinda like drooling over power tools at Sears.<BR><BR>As for my comment about the Brits, each an every taxpayer in the UK will be supporting our war effort whether they like us or not. I'm just saying, their soldiers will be risking their lives too but they're not up tight about recreational tanking.

jor Feb 11th, 2003 08:38 AM

I think mavis and Loki may be the same person with different screen names. And Yes, I know that centres is also a Canadian spelling!!!<BR><BR>All these references to Britain (not Canada) is the giveaway. I am not P.C. and also think that promoting &quot;recreational tanking&quot; is goofy. And I have never heard of any man drooling over power tools at sears. but I did see a couple of lesbians doing it at Home Depot.

mavis Feb 12th, 2003 01:34 AM

Your American paranoia is HILARIOUS.

Loki Feb 12th, 2003 05:47 AM

I must be schizo because there's no way 2 people could share an opinion, right? Funny how we thought the accusations of &quot;one person posting under multiple screen names&quot; would have gone away with registration...

GoTravel Feb 12th, 2003 07:17 AM

jor, you crack me up! Recreational tanking! Keep up the funny posts!

Ryan Feb 12th, 2003 07:40 AM

You might want to call the office of Michael Dukakis. I seem to recall he has some experience with &quot;tank driving.&quot;<BR><BR>BTW, Ronkala, don't you think the Commandant of the base at Quantico is a little busy right now? I mean, do we really want our nation's military leaders to play conceirge for the tourists?<BR>


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