I was supposed to have a jury trial today in a case in which the wife backed the car down the driveway and ran over her husband (No, nobody you know, but, damn, if it isn't a good idea to some readers.). Last week, I asked the J-dogg to take me down to the courthouse to file some stuff in anticipation of the trial; and I wrote this post over the weekend because J-dogg and I had a blast. It becomes timely because John McCain, waiting until after Bush finally was elected, today, roundly criticized the President for his stand on global warming.
At one point on the 40-mile drive, Jackal and I were discussing fuel economy standards, noticing that almost half the vehicles on the road are vans, SUV's, and pick-up trucks of various sizes.
Why don't the fuel economy standards set by the federal government include vans, SUV's, and pick-up trucks, he asked. Many of these vehicles are high-end luxury types with all kinds of bells and whistles. DVD, GPS, ATC, AWD, etc., are standard features on many, many vehicles, for which the consumer pays a premium. People are paying 50, 60, 70 grand and more for these things. If people are willing to pay these prices, why can't the auto makers build in fuel efficiency and fuel economy into the vehicles and charge it off to the consumer, he wondered.
We were thinking that there must be the technical capability to do this. After all, nobody is asking engineers and scientists to make cars fly.
Why can't the government include these vehicles in the fuel economy standards and increase the fuel economy standards while they're at it? It could all be done without a lot of fanfare under the George W. Bush veil of regulatory secrecy.
That's a stupid question.
I'm an idiot. Sorry.
I don't know why I care. People with Hummers can afford to pay for gasoline because of the tax cuts they've gotten, while those who live hand to mouth drive older cars that get bad gas mileage and contribute hydrocarbons to the atmosphere, compounding the problems caused by pollution from coal-fired power plants, just like the one down the road from us (discharges warm water into Lake Erie, too).
I won't ask if there's any chance at all that the U. S. will be a signatory of the Kyoto Treaty. Then I would prove once and for all that I truly am an idiot.
Posted by Bill at November 16, 2004 08:18 PM**considers the car backing up situation... wonders how to incorporate an accidental drive over.**
I don't get the SUV dealie... I have, however, been considering how I'm going to handle six individuals on a regular basis without buying a gas eating monster of a vehicle.
-d
Posted by: -d at November 16, 2004 10:46 PMRaises hand guiltily.
Why do I like my gas-guzzling SUV? I dunno--make me feel cooler than the minivan, is more comfortable? Would I buy a hybrid? Yep, in a second. Do I do other things to help the environment? Yep. Do I feel this is just a rationalization to make me feel better? Yep, and I had five paragraphs left to explain why I feel the way I do, but I just want to say we're not all awful. Not all the time, anyway.
Posted by: TW at November 16, 2004 10:52 PMno one can justify SUV ownership to me for city living. no one. and you aren't an idiot, you are lovely, thats the problem. *hug*
Posted by: jenB at November 17, 2004 01:46 AM:slinks down in seat and whistles:
On the other hand, I need something to haul kiddos and their shit around in, and I have a Highlander, which actually gets fairly decent gas mileage.
Gas efficiency is like air bags and seat belts: the only way car manufacturers will come up to par is if the government demands it.
Posted by: lucy at November 17, 2004 08:22 AMYou had me at:
"the wife backed the car down the driveway and ran over her husband"
Posted by: Kathy Howe at November 17, 2004 09:32 AMnothing wrong with a minivan. blargh.
Posted by: jenB at November 17, 2004 04:06 PMOK, so I have a Ford F350 crew cab dually for hauling the horse trailer. I had to drive it as my primary vehicle for a few months for stupid reasons. Why any person would WANT to drive a suburban or a hummer or any of the behemoth mobiles just completely escapes me. Hard to handle, hard to park, not much fun to drive.
I have an elderly Mazda MPV that is just slicker than...well, slick. It has 8 seatbelts, including the drivers' seat.
I also have a Honda civic hybrid that is OK. Just OK. The accelleration sucks, which is kind of a problem here in hilly California. I'm sticking with it for a few more years and then something a bit more energetic is in the plans.
HINT when you are trying out a car, don't buy it unless you can try it out on the actual conditions you drive, like HILLY freeways. I only did the flat one.
Personally, I regard a hummer or a big SUV as a sure sign of LDLI (little dick little intelligence). Just a hint.
Posted by: Liz at November 18, 2004 02:15 AMOh I forgot, the wife & husband deal, was this a fatality or just a well wounding?
C'mon, need more of the story.
Posted by: Liz at November 18, 2004 02:16 AM