Starsky, or Luke Duke?

The definitive answer to a question which has evaded successive generations is revisited here, as drivl covers the car bonnet slide supercut….

The debate which has raged on for the past five decades is finally being brought to a fitting conclusion here at drivl, as we seek to determine once and for all just who slid over a bonnet in the most stylish manner.

Contenders in this category have already been whittled down to the two pugilists. Namely in the red corner, Starsky; and in the, er, other red corner, Luke Duke.

That said, Luke’s younger cousin, Bo would also participate when the occasion demanded, however tradition dictated that it was Luke who up-kept the family car bonnet-sliding honours.

So, the question you and ONLY YOU can decide here and now is this. Just ‘WHO Slid Over a Car Bonnet Most Stylishly: Starsky or Luke Duke?’

just who slid over a car bonnet most stylishly?

Earlier drivl put this very poser to some of the greatest living minds. Basically so we didn’t have to trouble the rest of you who readily believe that Mensa is an aftermarket performance exhaust manufacturer.

The likes of Stephen Fry, someone off ITV1’s ‘Love Island’ and the more cerebral half of the Chuckle Brothers.

Yet between them, not even this triumvirate of intelligentsia could determine whether Starsky’s slide supercut was slicker than Luke Duke’s equally impressive bonnet ballet.

Therefore we now put it to you, drivl fans, to stand up and be counted.

And no, don’t fret. This request doesn’t require more than the two fingers on the one hand. Merely the ability to differentiate betwixt one artistic expression and another; and thus single out the one which edges it, in your uneducated opinion.

Clue; it’s either Starsky or Luke Duke.

But before you fulfil our prophecy, let’s first enjoy a quick recap as to the men and their individual bonnet slide styles; including both approach and creative execution.

first up, starsky

A man who championed chunky-knit cardigans with robe-like belt fastening. The man who singlehandedly put FAST in ‘fastening’, lest we forget. Also a man who sported Adidas SL72 trainers, faded flared jeans and the occasional brown leather bomber jacket.

Compare and contrast Starsky’s style with his opponent here, Hazzard’s very own style icon, Luke Duke. Although sharing similar hairstyles, their wardrobe choices couldn’t be any more different.

Drawers full of plaid and denim shirts, oversized belt buckles, cowboy boots and of course, a Stetson was de rigeur for the less snappily dressed of the most famous Hazzard cousins. Having said that, attire played little part in ascertaining which of these men slithered the more stylishly across the bonnet space of their respective rides.

Unless that is, you know something we don’t about the friction resistance of certain man-made fibres/materials.

so, sartorial choices aside, what other factors might help us establish the identity of the undisputed king of bonnet slides?…

Well, choreography has to count for a significant part, don’t you think.

To this end, Starsky adopted more of a clambering technique, truth be told, as opposed to the conventional slide favoured by Luke Duke (more on this HERE).

Yet while the derriere of Hutch’s flexible friend barely skirted with the iconic red and white striped Gran Torino’s sizeable hood, the footwork was simply beyond comparison.

Nimbler feet you’ll never witness, and although the puritans might draw attentions to the perceived lack of arse-on-bonnet action, nowhere is it written that this more unorthodox means of bonnet slide (accidental early parkour, quite possibly) isn’t acceptable form within the discipline.

Besides which, Starsky’s rival didn’t exactly introduce his equally denim-clad bootie to the General Lee’s bonnet on every occasion, as you’re about to discover.

Indeed, Luke Duke led with his left leg, positioned in a sort of angled way to afford his maximum slipstream and ergonomic advantage, plus – and it’s a big PLUS – he completed the seamless move by entering the General Lee via the window. Albeit a pre-opened one, to cover Health and Safety governance, understandably.

Entry involved diving head first through the window opening and into the car, and if we’re being pedantic, this final flourish wasn’t as technically faultless as the all-important – and some might say, clinical – bonnet slide.

But that’s by the by.

So there you have it folks; the two runners and riders going head to head (or rather bonnet to bonnet) in the Who Slid Over a Car Bonnet Most Stylishly Maiden Stakes.

Therefore it’s over to you to deliver the final verdict….