So you say you want to paint your car black? Not in this country!

[ocdart]

(From Tony Markovich of Car and Driver, via MSN.com)



In Turkmenistan, drivers don't get to choose the color of their cars. Their president chooses for them. Well, he at least limits which hues are available. After first implementing a stop on importation of black cars into Turkmenistan in 2015, President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has reportedly now banned all black cars throughout the country's capital, Ashgabat, from January 2018 forward. Note: This is the same guy who gifted Vladimir Putin a puppy for his birthday.

According to the Chronicles of Turkmenistan, some motorists have found their cars to be missing this new year, because many black cars have been towed to police impound lots. To retrieve their cars, their owners are reportedly required to sign a document agreeing to respray the paint in a lighter color. White is said to be preferred because it is believed in the country to be good luck.

Auto-body shops are taking full advantage of the situation: the price of a respray has reportedly skyrocketed to, in some cases, more than twice the average citizen's monthly salary. Average wages in the authoritarian country are reportedly the equivalent of less than $500 per month.

Meanwhile, President Berdymukhamedov himself is known to drive a bright green Bugatti Veyron, because of course he does.

 

[rumblefish360]

I never heard of tha country but I do know a immigrant from the far eastern side of Europe that stated;

“You first have to save up and pay in full for your car. Then there is a wait for up to 3 years. The government assigns you a car. You take what is given. If you don’t like the color and refuse the car, you go back to the bottom of the waiting list to wait for your new color car. This can take another 3 years. Someone else will be happy to take your car that you passed up on.”

This person was dumbfounded how things work in America. Bank loans for anything, credit for everything else. He was truly amazed at this. While he did note that it may not be the best way going into debt for some things, it does have its advantages of getting the car now, paying little extra in the way of interest but having the ability to travel for anything including a decent job to pay for everything.

Yes! He LOVES this country in a BIG way!

 

[67Dart273]

I can't remember the details, anymore, but years and years ago I read two books on two Russian pilots who defected decades apart. One of them was telling about "his handlers" escorting him to shopping malls and supermarkets to get what he needed and to get him more independent. At first HE THOUGHT the whole deal was a big fake show put on to impress him........so when they sent him back he could tell "the fake propaganda."

Was likely this guy

Viktor Belenko - Wikipedia

Side note: I should look for that (It's here SOMEWHERE) and read it again.

 

[GStewart]

Reagen told a joke about a Russian man paying for is car and was told to come back in 10 years to pick it up, he asked morning or afternoon, the bureaucrat asked whats the difference its 10 years from now, so the guy says because the plumbers coming in the morning. A litle cold war humor.