The DRF and in this case QMII is being criticized and deservedly IMO.
Raser over Margrethe: 'Fuldstændig ubegribeligt, at hun ikke optræder med bare en smule fornuft' - Livsstil | www.bt.dk
It's a fairly trivial matter in the big picture and yet it's not sound business.
In this case it's Greenpeace Denmark and the environmental organization NOAH, who among other things advocate a more rational use of traffic, in order to reduce pollution and use of fossil fuel.
This specific case stems back to the 12th February, when QMII reopened a museum in the twon of Skagen. - Which is about as far as you can get away from Copenhagen and still be in DK.
QMII opted for a ride in one the EH-101 helicopters, which is quite normal and no big deal, considering her age and the fact that they shuttle back and forth between Copenhagen and Jutland several times a day anyway.
But her "crown-car" Krone-121, a huge Bentley was first driven to all the way to Skagen, so that QMII could be driven in style from where she touched down, some three KM from the museum. A drive that took nine minutes.
Afterwards she was driven back to the helicopter and the car driven all the way back to Copenhagen. A trip of altogether 1.108 KM with only the driver.
A 2.6 tonnes Bentley is thirsty! Driving only six KM per liter petrol.
Birgitte Lesanner from Greenpeace Denmark says: "It's 2016 and everyone ought to consider the footprint they put on the climate and the environment. Even thought it's the politicians who are to implement the green transition, we all have a responsibility, also the DRF and Queen Margrethe".
Ivan Lund Pedersen from NOAH says: "It's utterly out of control and completely unfathomable that the Queen isn't excersizing just a little common sense but instead choose such an extremely resource-consuming solution. Surely they could have found an appropriate vehicle in Northern Jutland, with which she could have been picked up".
Lene Balleby from the court says: "We always assess the combined need for transport in the specific situation. After the visit to Skagens Museum, there were other jobs in Jutland, where the car was used as transport".
Q: What jobs required a Bentley Mulsanne?
Lene Balleby: "That I can't inform you about".
- Okay, I don't blame QMII. It's not her job to arrange transport.
And a doubt many penguins will lose their lives on the account of the DRF driving their cars needlessly around. But IMO it's bad economy and unnecessary unfortunate PR.
The DRF do not have armored cars and I doubt it's necessary to secure them against bugging from spies.
So it should be possible to rent a luxury car locally and send the driver by train (or get a ride in the helicopter for that matter. The EH-101 are big enough). 1.000 KM with breaks, that's a ten hour journey, plus petrol, overtime, food and drink.
For a company the size of the DRF that would in most cases be considered an unnecessary expense.
Wouldn't it be possible to store a couple of crown cars in garages in Jutland to be on standby whenever a DRF-member needs one?