MBs in Lebanon - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sixto · #1 12-21-2009, 01:10 AM

I saw this picture at news.bbc.co.uk. Looks like a 114/5 following a bus following a 123 with chrome trimmed tail lights following a 126 and a 124 off to the right.

Sixto
87 300D

Jim B. · #2 12-21-2009, 01:28 AM

They are much cherished throughout Lebanon.

Many are originally safety rejects taken off the road in Western Germany, Holland and Belgium and then sold and taken to Lebanon where they continue to soldier on eternally.

The predominant sight that awaits a visitor on Beirut streets is likely that of an army of ancient Mercedes in various states of decay, that slow down and honk at every pedestrian. These curious vehicles are what we call services (pronounced a la French, "sehr-vees"), a very practical and very cussed-at mode of public transportation. The services are halfway between a taxi and a bus. They have a fixed route like the bus, and are only 1000 LP, twice the price of a bus fare (the latter being about 30 cents US). If you want to hire one as a taxi, which means you can ask them to take you to a certain place out of their way, you pay 5000 ($4 and some). Like a taxi, they are faster and have access to more areas than a bus (not to mention you never have to wait as they swarm in the streets like ants in a honey jar), but like a bus, they take more than a passenger -- if you get on a service you will have to share it with strangers.
I mentioned above that the services were the subject of much cursing. The way I see it, there are two ways of looking at them. The pedestrian point of view and the passenger point of view. To the pedestrian, services are bloody annoyances. When I walk down the street I have to bear the eternal and nerve-wrecking honk. The honk means "Where you headed? Hop on board", and it is infuriating to be constantly honked at when you just feel-like-walking-dangit, are going in the opposite direction, or are in th every process of shutting the door of your own car. I tilt my head back to say no (local gesture) or when I'm in a venting mood, simply yell "No!" to them without looking. That doesn't mean I can have peace because they'll honk to the next person they see, etc... Drivers hate services because they stop in the middle of the road to embark or drop off passengers, slow down anytime they see a pedestrian to honk-ask them if they need a ride, and generally drive like complete morons, even by Lebanese standards. Not to mention they often leave little pieces of their car all over the country. The venerable machines they're driving look every day of 50 years of age, although I have seen some brand new, polished 20-year-olds that give me the vague feeling of having stepped in a time machine. Broken lights, absent mirrors, a bumper that's held in place by scotch tape and a window kept shut by wedging it in place with a couple of screwdrivers -- that's the usual look of our services, if you don't include the creative ornamentation such as No Fear stickers, CDs inserted under the Mercedes logo, plushes hanging from the mirror and such. If you're very lucky, the cushions inside will be new, but generally expect a cloud of cigarette smoke and seats that are almost reduced to their springs. I pity the poor drivers who have to freeze in there in winter and choke in summer.

strelnik · #3 12-21-2009, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

They are much cherished throughout Lebanon.

Many are originally safety rejects taken off the road in Western Germany, Holland and Belgium and then sold and taken to Lebanon where they continue to soldier on eternally.

The predominant sight that awaits a visitor on Beirut streets is likely that of an army of ancient Mercedes in various states of decay, that slow down and honk at every pedestrian. These curious vehicles are what we call services (pronounced a la French, "sehr-vees"), a very practical and very cussed-at mode of public transportation. The services are halfway between a taxi and a bus. They have a fixed route like the bus, and are only 1000 LP, twice the price of a bus fare (the latter being about 30 cents US). If you want to hire one as a taxi, which means you can ask them to take you to a certain place out of their way, you pay 5000 ($4 and some). Like a taxi, they are faster and have access to more areas than a bus (not to mention you never have to wait as they swarm in the streets like ants in a honey jar), but like a bus, they take more than a passenger -- if you get on a service you will have to share it with strangers.
I mentioned above that the services were the subject of much cursing. The way I see it, there are two ways of looking at them. The pedestrian point of view and the passenger point of view. To the pedestrian, services are bloody annoyances. When I walk down the street I have to bear the eternal and nerve-wrecking honk. The honk means "Where you headed? Hop on board", and it is infuriating to be constantly honked at when you just feel-like-walking-dangit, are going in the opposite direction, or are in th every process of shutting the door of your own car. I tilt my head back to say no (local gesture) or when I'm in a venting mood, simply yell "No!" to them without looking. That doesn't mean I can have peace because they'll honk to the next person they see, etc... Drivers hate services because they stop in the middle of the road to embark or drop off passengers, slow down anytime they see a pedestrian to honk-ask them if they need a ride, and generally drive like complete morons, even by Lebanese standards. Not to mention they often leave little pieces of their car all over the country. The venerable machines they're driving look every day of 50 years of age, although I have seen some brand new, polished 20-year-olds that give me the vague feeling of having stepped in a time machine. Broken lights, absent mirrors, a bumper that's held in place by scotch tape and a window kept shut by wedging it in place with a couple of screwdrivers -- that's the usual look of our services, if you don't include the creative ornamentation such as No Fear stickers, CDs inserted under the Mercedes logo, plushes hanging from the mirror and such. If you're very lucky, the cushions inside will be new, but generally expect a cloud of cigarette smoke and seats that are almost reduced to their springs. I pity the poor drivers who have to freeze in there in winter and choke in summer.

I'd love to go there and pick up a no rust ponton, even if it needed a complete rebuild.

dynalow · #4 12-21-2009, 10:51 AM

Lebanon and Mercedes.....

Beiruit June 1966. Me and a shipmate were on shore liberty with some othe guys from the Comm Shack. The two of us ended up in an immaculate black MB taxi with red leather interior after an afternoon of drinking . "Roy" got sick in the cab just as we got to the pier. Boy was the owner mad. I gave him all the Lebanese money I had for the ride and to clean his car.

Roy wandered off while I was doing this and got picked up by the Shore Patrol. Next time I saw him, he was in a life jacket, semi-conscious, in the bow of the launch taking us back to the ship under the custody of the SP. I think they kept him in the MAA Shack...or the brig

..overnight. He was a mess. I think he got Captain's Mast for that and was busted for six months.

Beiruit was once beautiful city.

Pooka · #5 12-22-2009, 04:50 PM

I have been told by people from that area that one reason you see so many Mercedes there is that they are the only cars that will not break down on the war torn roads. All other makes of cars are removed from service due to a 'natural slection, survival of the fittest' sort of thing.