RE: Harris says farewell PH: PH Blog

RE: Harris says farewell PH: PH Blog

Friday 3rd October 2014

Farewell PH: PH Blog

Harris is leaving PH, but not without saying adios



There’s a line in my old notebook from December 2011, clearly doodled during one of the few telephone conversations that secured me a role on Pistonheads. It reads, “Give myself six months MAX before I flounce out.”

I had read enough on the forums over the years to know that I wasn’t going to have an easy ride.

It makes me very happy to say, nearly three years later, that I called it wrong. Mesers Garlick, Trent and Forrest did have to spend several evenings counseling me on the ways of the PHer and the PH forums, but before long I’d really forgotten that I used to write for magazines. I haven’t had a print client since I began at PistonHeads.

It’s time to move on now though. The video project is in a state of flux, and I need to concentrate on where that goes next. But, perhaps more importantly, I feel I’ve done my thing here now. Most of you know what I think about most motoring matters and I don’t want to retread the same ground. Besides, my Porsche contract clearly states that I have to move on after a few years and spread the word elsewhere!

Now the soppy bit – PH truly is a special place. Like any complicated society, it has its fair smattering of loons and wallys and of course the ability to hide behind a keyboard can lend some folk a readiness to address people in a manner they might not have the confidence to do in public. But forget all that - there really is so much knowledge and enthusiasm here.

What were my favourite bits? Initially, getting to grips with the history of the forums and reading some of the great threads – the Harry Flashman words, Nervous spilling his guts about psycho ex-girlfriends, Plato and the dry-cleaners. That one was especially brilliant. Very little of it was about cars, but most of it left me in tears. I’m proud of my own little entry on that legendary threads list. Not that I did anything to contribute towards it other than wear a silly hat.

Then there were the spats with the usual characters; dear old The Pits, Cmoose and The Crack Fox – who, strangely, I ended up getting sozzled with the other week. And all the others who’ve had a pop at me here. It’s all been good sport and I’ve enjoyed (mostly) every minute.

Motoring journalism isn’t a serious job, cars aren’t a serious topic of conversation, and yet the deeply-felt emotions they trigger in people never fail to amaze me. Sometimes it’s just too partisan, too personal. But it reminds me how much the internal combustion engine, and the odd volt of electricity, matter to people. And that has to be a good thing.

So thank you to everyone who’s watched the video embeds, read the words, engaged in the forums and kept me on my toes. Keep enjoying your cars and bikes.

Chris

Author
Discussion

Dan Trent

Original Poster:

1,866 posts

167 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
I'll get in there first and offer a huge cheers to Chris for all his contributions to the site and good luck with future endeavours. Been a blast!

Cheers,

Dan

Chris Y

221 posts

187 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Farewell. Always enjoyed your articles on PH (and EVO for that matter). Good luck with the video project.

civicduty

1,857 posts

202 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
So come on Chris where are you going? (Let me answer my own question having reread the article, the video thing right, but does moving it on mean telly?)

Thanks for the memory's, especially the photoshop thread.

Laters.

Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Chris, great work at PH, loved every post, even the MX-5 bashing ones!...good luck in the future

-crookedtail-

1,558 posts

189 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Good luck Chris, sad to see you go but hope it goes well.

beer

Laurel Green

30,770 posts

231 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
So TG are finally ridding themselves of the Hamster. wink

It had to be said.

loudlashadjuster

5,082 posts

183 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Hot dang. PH's loss.

See you around smile

red_slr

17,122 posts

188 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Off to a "whole new thing".... or something, I dunno... mumbles something about slow motion slides...
Best of luck!

tuffer

8,849 posts

266 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
I'm gad to see the back of the hairy faced *&^%.......Only kidding. Sad to see you go, great articles and videos but onwards an upwards and looking forward to reading about your next adventure.

strummerville

1,014 posts

126 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
CG has the rare gift of being able to write AND drive really well. Very impressed with his oversteery stuff, especially the E28 M5...

Best wishes, Chris - just one thing - why do you NEVER engage on Twitter? (mind you, neither does Andrew Frankel!)

pwd95

8,382 posts

237 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Enjoyed all your vids & stuff. Good luck. You have the ability to express, how I think I would feel, while driving whichever bit of kit your in at the time. thumbup

Anjum

1,605 posts

283 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Just wanted to say that it's been years of fun reading and watching Chris at play/work! I love the fact that he is one of a few scribes who does the man maths and uses his own readies to justify the latest V12/V10 that comes in.....goes out! I met Chris when he did an article about being a Lamborghini sales man - which, lets face it is the easiest job in the world. He was clearly uber anal - and very funny with it!

I wish him the best at whatever his next endeavors may be!


muckyman

296 posts

190 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
First Garlick, now Monkey. Two big losses to PH
:-(

Ah, the old days were always better weren't they?

Good luck to you Chris, hope you get all you wish for

blackchrome917

69 posts

147 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
So can I have the RS6?

blearyeyedboy

6,252 posts

178 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Good fortune, Chris.

Come back once in a while to keep the keyboard warriors honest. wink

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
The only person I've come across (and briefly met...stalky stalky) who shares my hatred of the EP3 Civic Type R.

lestiq

705 posts

168 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Best of luck Monkey and good luck with the old beemer wink

RDMcG

19,095 posts

206 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Chris:

Very best of luck to you. Many years ago you wrote a review of the 997.1 GT3RS for Total 911 magazine. Had never heard of you, but the article caused me to go and buy one. You have cost me a bloody fortune in Porsches ever since. Wish you the very best with your project!

GeoffW

360 posts

249 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Bye for now, have enjoyed your articles on here, especially the ones which combine your latest nippy runabout and man maths.

mikebradford

2,483 posts

144 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Good luck Chris, in whatever your next venture is.
Your articles/videos and associated discussions have made for a great read.