Businesses have to anticipate and plan for all sorts of eventualities. A business continuity plan for an ebola outbreak or a response to gang warfare in the Niger delta may raise an eyebrow as to the extremes businesses go. But surely, planning a national response to an itsy bitsy spider takes the cake. And yet this is precisely what Mazda is discovering it ought to have done in the US of A.The problem is this. Apparently a common spider called yellow sac spider has taken a distinct liking for Mazda cars. Or more precisely, the rubber hoses that are connected to the fuel tank. The spiders being rather fond of a long siesta during day time, find the inside of a tube the perfect place for somnolence in the hours of light. For some reason, the Mazda car tubes seem a superior choice to a Chevy tube, for instance.This apparently can lead to pressurisation or ventilation problems and in extreme cases could also crack the gas tank. So, Mazda has a problem on its hands.
Reportedly 20 such instances of "arachnid infestation" have been reported (surely a candidate for the Nonsense English award). Enough is enough. Mazda is having to recall 65,000 vehicles in the US for an investigation as to whether an eviction of the resident yellow sac spider is required.
Accusations are flying thick and fast. Mazda says these spiders have got in at the owner's garages. Some owners (and no doubt lawyers drooling on the prospect of a class action suit) are stating that they got in at Mazda's warehouse. Dealers who have to check these vehicles are figuring out what insurance they can take for the eventuality that some technician or the other may be bitten by one irate spider not amused by its summary eviction from its house. Mazda is no doubt issuing such pearls of wisdom as "Beware of spider before opening the car".
Meanwhile researchers are having a field day. They are getting their kicks researching why this spider has taken a liking to only the V6 Mazda, And not to any other model or any other brand. Some may deduce that the spider has a great taste in choosing cars - someday Mazda might even feature an ad that its car is the favourite of not only homo sapines, but other species as well.
Meanwhile Mazda is presumably busy trying to appoint a "Chief Entomology Officer". Anybody fancies this new job, which also carries the CEO tag ???
Posts
16 comments:
??inniki thaan news vanthuchi..athukullla posta :D semma fast thala neenga. I remember seeing one Honda ad sometime back..where in the name of going green they wud show a kid carrying bug. The Mazdas cud've promoted it in similar vein..
These things could happen only in US.
@Gils - Suffer from the blogger's itch - read something offbeat and I have to write about it !!
@ambulisamma - True. The interesting stuff always seems to emanate from there !
Interesting to read, wonder how do you keep pace with such meticulous piece of news amidst all other things you do. Just incredible!
If such things would have happened in India, no one would have bothered. True examples of great extrapolations and exaggerations happen in US of A. And out of millions of car models, why only Mazda? my head spins in curiosity?
those guys have to come to India to research co-habitation. What spider??? We have rodents and what not, living in the nooks of our cars. They do chomp on the wires at times, but we are more or less fine. Enna oru 10K dhandam azhanum to the service center, who will do a 'la nudist beach' on the car by stripping it to its basic elements, fumigating the insides and then letting it dry out in the sun. :-D Enna thaan pannaalum, they'll be back.
Interesting take on interesting stuff happens only here :P :D
One should be first to market as well as to comment. Too bad the rodent and the happens in US of the A comments are already taken!
you should also add a disclaimer which are the lines you added for the sake of fun. Out of curiousity i eneded searching for, "mazda searching for chief entomology officer"
@Vishal - As RamMmm says, cohabiting with nature, they have to learn from India !!
@RaMmm - We are one with nature ! Considering that we willingly open our doors to rodents inside our houses !!
@Zeno - :):) Much tickled that I managed to convince you of the Chief Entomology Officer bit :):)
You seem to have thoroughly enjoyed blogging on this piece of "news"!
He he...spiders in the tubes?
May be they liked the smell of the rubber that was used in this model or the temp must have been very conducive!
Ahh, now, the CEO post does sound very interesting! Alas, it is in US.
Kudos to your imagination to make up such an intersting post on this!
There is a tamil Movie called 73rd Pulikesi.
I am not sure if you have watched this one. it is a supposedly a comedy movie but with lot of "puns" on current politics.
Vadivelu plays a idiotic Raja who believes he is the best. therefore, he appoints two people to accompany and "Notify" whatever he speaks for future generations to remember which they diligently do by giving them Tattuvam Numbers.
I think, the "consumerism" of US also have to given similar tattuvam numbers.
While i cant ask you to see the movie, i will look forward to Gils view on this!!
@J - Yeah I am descending to tabloid blogging. Must return to my highly respectable stuff one day :):) !!
@Hema - Ha Ha. Next it shall be rats except that in that frigid climate, there are probably no rats.
@Sandhya - Even Gils may not hav heard of as exotically named a movie as 73rd Pulikesi !!
perhaps Mazda should counter claim...... "when you buy a Mazda you get a free spider" - now not many a car dealer could lay claim to that market winner!!! .
Perhaps I could make a cliam for that spider that keeps making a web on my rear view mirror each night!!!
trevor
@Trevor - Ha ha. Aussies are made of much sterner stuff than the Yanks, isn't it !!
"Arachnid Infestation" was a work of someone with a serious issue of joblessness! :D :D :D
@Deepa - Totally !
Post a Comment