Woman's car insurance, Ferraris, gender stereotypes and global warming, WOW!

As part of my daily trawl through the motoring media in order to find useful nuggets for this woman's car insurance website, I have just come across an article detailing how, the then Chief Scientist to the Government told a female delegate, after a lecture, that global warming could be combatted if women stopped finding men who drive Ferraris attractive.

The article appeared some time ago now, and the barrage of irate on-screen comments from incensed readers has really had a chance to build momentum. I almost took to my keyboard in response, but thought better of it.

Still, the scientist's comments have made me see red (well, a pale shade of vermilion, at least).

I believe in saving the planet, yes; I recycle and I yell at my kids to turn off lights, but I also drive to work, overload my fridge and sometimes wash only two blouses in my washing machine to save them turning the same colour as my partner's jeans.

I am not an eco-warrior and I am not a petrol head either. I do not find men in sports cars attractive purely for the fact they drive something that cost more than I paid for my house. If they were my partner in a Ferrari, now that's a different matter. No, come to think of it, I'd prefer him in an Audi R8.

I live in a down-market seaside town and there is one Ferrari that prowls the streets. I haven't had a clear view of the driver, but I have him pegged as an overweight 45-year-old slightly sweaty individual who probably lived at home 'til he was 39.

See, gents, a Ferrari is not necessarily a babe-magnet (unless you want to be loved just for your cash, perhaps).

It was also interesting to read the secretary of the Ferrari Owner's Club comment in the article that 90% of Ferrari buyers were married, so they were obviously not looking to impress women with their car. Aha, now this cynical lady writer could twist that comment into so many contortions the poor man would go as red as his Ferrari.

The thing is, once the words have come out of your mouth, you lose control of their meaning completely. The hapless chief scientist probably saw a pretty young thing in a floral dress and thought he'd engage at her level. Oh dear. Scientists aren't universally known for their wit and charisma, are they? Gender issues and global warming; a recipe for total disaster, I'd say.

And here's the thing, he said nothing about women fancying other women for their BMW Z4's. Is that OK? I should say so! Have you seen the Z4? It's a thing of beauty (in my humble opinion, of-course).

But, enough of this, woman's car insurance won't get sold if I don't get my brain back into gear and find some serious motoring issues to cover. Here we go. What's better, a full skirt body kit for your hot-hatch or a neon underglow set up? That's right, I'm back to the serious issues of motoring.