Re: SUVs suck gas, money, ruin environment
Posted by Dean on 4/05/04
Hi Stan- There is some subtle irony in your statement that you like making your own decisions instead of the government doing so for you. What you may not know is that U.S. federal government policy has provided automakers with an incentive to manufacture and market SUV's to consumers. Back in the 1970's, in response to the energy crisis, the feds imposed a series of regulations on automakers mandating a certain level of fuel efficiency for cars sold in the USA. The business lobby cried foul about the impact that this regulation would have on commercial vehicles and so congress in its infinite wisdom exempted trucks from these fuel efficiency regulations, under the assumption that trucks were used primarily for commercial purposes. Although these regulations doomed the car-based "land yachts" that were popular back then, Detroit circumvented the regulations by simply building a box on the back of a pickup truck, installing some seats, and calling the product an SUV. Americans for whatever reason have historically preferred larger vehicles (maybe we "need" large vehicles because we choose to be a disproportionately obese nation, who knows?) and folks started buying these things in droves.
Having said all of that, people are free to waste their money as they see fit, so long as the transaction is not expressly forbidden by law (such as with illicit drugs, prostitution, and so on). So Stan you should be happy--you are free to buy 10 SUV's if you want them and can afford them.
Although I am not an anti-SUV crusader, (some smaller SUV's such as the Toyota RAV-4 might get better gas mileage than some of cars currently on our roads and might not present much of a safety hazard as compared to cars) I certainly do not advocate that consumers purchase them as their primary vehicle for a number of reasons, including the following:
1) Most people do not need 4WD capability--studies have shown that fewer than 7% of SUV's are driven in off-road conditions, and let's face it folks, it doesn't snow every day of the year in most of the USA. I for one have never bought the marketing myth that I somehow need an SUV to get me to the shopping mall or for that matter most anywhere else that I want to regularly go. (On the other hand, if you own a boat or trailer, you may need a Truck or SUV to pull the thing around. In these cases it would be ideal if the Truck/SUV could be designated as the "second" vehicle in the household--not what you would choose to communte to work in every day.)
2) Large SUV's do nothing to decrease our dependence on foreign fossil fuels--think of all the time, money, and lives we as a nation (as you said Stan, "God Bless America") have consumed protecting our "national interest" as it relates to oil-rich foreign countries.
3) On a philosophical level, I don't like buying products that were born out of bad legislation/regulation. The SUV is a prime example of one of these products.
4) Truck-based SUV's, because of the damage they inflict on more moderately-sized vehicles and their occupants, have increased liability insurance rates by roughly 20%. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not single out SUV drivers for this premium but rather they spread it out over the entire population of policy holders--in other words, we all pay more even if we don't own or drive an SUV. (I know SUV's did not cause this inappropriate billing practice but let's face it, if we didn't have as many of them on the road we wouldn't have to deal with the issue to start with.)
5) As implied above, truck-based SUV's, because of their size and weight, can be a hazard to those who choose to drive more moderately-sized vehicles. I've heard the comments of SUV enthusiasts who, when confronted with this fact assert a "better them than me" attitude, but I have rejected those arguments as being simplistic, selfish, and chillingly Darwinian.
6) SUV's in general cost more to drive and to maintain than well-made automobiles. (Again, it's your money to waste as you wish....)
I'm sure I could come up with more, but I've had enough fun for the night. Happy Motoring.
On 3/25/04, Stan wrote: > Thank God you evaluated my SUV. I love it and use it everyday. Sue an SUB that is > over 6000 pounds is more of a truck and most companies need trucks. > I feel very safe and will not be caught dead in my SUV. I might in my wifes Volvo > though. > I think mine is safer for me. > I am so happy that I can make my own decisions and the government does not make them > all. Anytime the government gets involved it costs me more. I have a ladder at work > that I use. It has 8 stickers on it telling me how to use it. If I could afford an > employee I would have to give him/her 8 hours of training on how to use this ladder. > Those government regulations raised the price of the ladder so much that I don't own > two. The Union worker that built it charged his employeer so much that I don't think I > could buy another one even if I wanted to own two ladders. > THey wanted to put a regulation that my 5 gal buckets had holes in them so no one > would be drowned. > God Bless America > In some parts of the world we could not type messages like this without the government > locking us up or killing us. Like Iraq and Afgan was like before we freed the people. > > On 3/21/04, sue wrote: >> You don't need a SUV, Ju, you want a SUV. >> There is nothing about them that is necessary. Here are the facts: They are the most >> dangerous vehicles on the road. They are involved in more one vehicle deadly crashes >> than any other. They are a danger to others as their high bumpers over ride the >> safety beams causing high rates of unnecessary deaths of innocent others. They are >> the vehicles most likely to roll over. They have the highest insurance rates when >> equipped with four wheel drive. They require the greatest repair costs because of >> their weight. They cause traffic to move more slowly because their height creates >> blind spots for other drivers. The lack of distance between the rear seats and the >> rear hatch make it unsafe for children in rear end accidents. They require more fresh >> water to build. They do not have to meet the same clean air standards as passenger >> vehicles and pollute more. With America becoming more dependent on imported fuel, >> their poor gas mileage places our balance of trade figures further into the red. >> >> So, Ju, tell me how you are making our country a better place to live? And, in case >> you forgot, Bush passed into law a tax refund for business owners to write off SUVs >> that weigh over 6000 pounds. >> >> Yes, Ju, it is not my right to deny you your decision. But it is my right to try and >> educate about what a poor decision it is for the environment, other drivers, and our >> country. And, in case you wonder why I know so much about cars, I am one of the few >> in the country who are paid to evaluate them. A nice second income and I would never >> be caught dead in one......... >> >> >> On 3/21/04, Ju wrote: >>> Oh, those horrible SUV's! I drive one everyday. I use much less gas than any of >>> the other vehicles at my house. How can anyone else say that I don't "need" the >>> car that I choose to drive? It's not your right to make such decisions. >>> >>>
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