It can be difficult to persuade kids to complete chores, but not if you have a tank.
Amesbury, Wiltshire resident Gary Freeland came up with a novel technique to get his kids to assist him with the monthly grocery store by taking them there in his eye-catching war tank.
The 35-year-old father of three, Freddie, 13, Phoebe, 9, and Harrison, 1, has always been interested in tanks because his grandfather used to possess military vehicles. This interest inspired him to enlist in the army at the age of 16.
Gary spent £20,000 on the automobile, which he uses regularly and draws attention from the community when he passes by the gas station and parks it in the supermarket parking lot.
Gary would need to spend approximately £800 to fill the 400L tank with gas given the skyrocketing cost of fuel today.
I keep the tank on my driveway, he declared. Our other automobile is parked next to it. Since it’s not something you expect to see every day, it attracts a lot of attention from people as they pass our house.
People frequently make fun of me and inquire as to why I don’t park the tank in the parent and child place when I take it with the kids to conduct the weekly grocery shopping.
A variety of other advantages exist for using an armored vehicle for errands.
“The tank is the finest way to get the kids to go somewhere,” Gary continued. They are eager to assist me with my shopping when they see that I am about to collapse.
They believe it is fantastic because none of their pals are chauffeured about in army tanks.
The advantage of bringing the tank to the store is that it has enough of space for the shopping bags and won’t ever be dented by a cart going by.
And despite the tank’s size, people continue to park on either side of it, making it difficult to exit the parking area.
The father refers to her as a “brilliant tank commander” and says that oldest son Freddie assists Gary in getting out of tricky situations. The 13-year-friends old’s are frequently shown images and videos of the tank as he travels in military fashion.
In addition to taking it to the stores, Gary stated, “We also take it for general drives and to the gas station.”
“My son liked the tank driving birthday parties I even hosted for him,” the parent said.
Gary claims that although his spouse hasn’t yet entered the tank, she finds it humorous and thinks he’s insane. Once she has the courage, he wants to convince her to join him.
Gary, who is still in the military, frequently visits various military installations to repair tanks that are being employed as gate guards.
Driving the tank is actually pretty difficult since you steer it instead of using sticks, he claimed. There is a lot of pulling involved, so stay smart at all times!
“When they encounter a tank on the road, people are so shocked that they seem to lose focus and wander.” Although there is some visibility, you still need someone to inspect the back of the tank from the top.
The quickest Gary has gone in the tank is about 50 mph, but for the family, it’s more of a novelty than a run-around.
He stated, “The kids adore it and always want to get part.” They enjoy making sure everything is functioning properly, just like I used to help my grandpa.
People find the tank fantastic, and the astonished expression on their faces is always a picture.
Gary Tank Commander by Greg McHugh may face competition.