SUV drivers should be charged with TREASON!!!! (hybrid suv, fuel, best)

[58robbo]

I have read several posts whingeing about high gas prices. it's big oils fault for profiteering! it's the governements fault for overtaxing! it's the feds fault for devaluing the dollar! it's opecs fault for being greedy! it's environmentalists fault for protesting against wildlife preserve exploration! it's speculators fault for creating false demand! the Chinese and Indians are to blame for giving up their bicycles to buy cars! it's george bush's fault! blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda

whenever i'm in the states i seem to come across a large number of grossly oversized vehicles. a large number of these have US flags brandished across them in some shape or form. a large percentage of their owners sport flags outside their homes. to me this is all a big con. those people aren't patriots, they're traitors!

Guilty of bankrupting the US and financing Al Qaeda, they should be flying saudi flags instead!

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Given the fact you appear to be from the UK, just about any American car is oversized in your world, right?

I was staggered when I got to the UK and you guys were calling a Honda Accord type car, a big car.

Something that might help you get along better in the US is to take into consideration the differences in societal norms.

[Drover]

Grow up.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren

I was staggered when I got to the UK and you guys were calling a Honda Accord type car, a big car.

Funny thing is, the European Accord is smaller than the version sold here and still considered a full-size car. The European Accord is sold here as the Acura TSX.

[58robbo]

Originally Posted by Drover

Grow up.

you're right! just fed up with all the 'gas price' ranting and raving. thought i'd do a bit of ranting and raving myself

[happynoodleboycey]

Although I think treason is a little extreme, I do think the number of people in the US driving SUVs is pretty bad. I get frustrated when I see people in them here in the UK (and there are plenty of them, believe me), but in the US it seems to be every other vehicle. In a time where climate change and global warming is really beginning to kick in, it's appalling how many soccer moms still go and pick up little Johnny from kindergarten in a huge brute of a vehicle that does about 10mpg. When I was last in New York it was amazing the number of people driving SUVs, and the vast majority only had one person in! I mean, one person to a Hummer H2? Come on, please! I can't think for one moment why anyone would want to drive something like an SUV in a city due to the sheer lack of convenience, but especially because of how much gas it sucks up.

Around the rest of the world, peoples' views on the United States aren't great. A lot of folks often view you Americans as very arrogant and self-indulgent (I'm not saying you are, that is just what a lot of people think) and, although this can be linked with a number of factors, one is emmissions. The United States is the second highest greenhouse gas emitter in the world and has only recently been knocked off the top spot by China. Now granted, the USA is a very big country and so is going to have high emission rates in relation to smaller countries, but those figures are still a lot higher than they need to be. In a time where doing your best to cut carbon emissions is becoming increasingly important for the wellbeing of future generations, I, along with a lot of people, think it is immoral to use non-hybrid SUVs as your everyday transport (unless you live in the wilderness which 99% of SUV drivers don't). It's like sticking two fingers up and giving a big 'F you' to all the future generations who are going to have to live with the effects of climate change.

[htmlfamily]

Originally Posted by 58robbo

you're right! just fed up with all the 'gas price' ranting and raving. thought i'd do a bit of ranting and raving myself

Weak Rant=FAIL=1/10 Rating hehe, lol

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by boycew02

Although I think treason is a little extreme, I do think the number of people in the US driving SUVs is pretty bad. I get frustrated when I see people in them here in the UK (and there are plenty of them, believe me), but in the US it seems to be every other vehicle. In a time where climate change and global warming is really beginning to kick in, it's appalling how many soccer moms still go and pick up little Johnny from kindergarten in a huge brute of a vehicle that does about 10mpg. When I was last in New York it was amazing the number of people driving SUVs, and the vast majority only had one person in! I mean, one person to a Hummer H2? Come on, please! I can't think for one moment why anyone would want to drive something like an SUV in a city due to the sheer lack of convenience, but especially because of how much gas it sucks up.

Around the rest of the world, peoples' views on the United States aren't great. A lot of folks often view you Americans as very arrogant and self-indulgent (I'm not saying you are, that is just what a lot of people think) and, although this can be linked with a number of factors, one is emmissions. The United States is the second highest greenhouse gas emitter in the world and has only recently been knocked off the top spot by China. Now granted, the USA is a very big country and so is going to have high emission rates in relation to smaller countries, but those figures are still a lot higher than they need to be. In a time where doing your best to cut carbon emissions is becoming increasingly important for the wellbeing of future generations, I, along with a lot of people, think it is immoral to use non-hybrid SUVs as your everyday transport (unless you live in the wilderness which 99% of SUV drivers don't). It's like sticking two fingers up and giving a big 'F you' to all the future generations who are going to have to live with the effects of climate change.

"Climate change" and "global warming" are not facts set in stone. Many scientists disagree with the "global warming" hype. And since Antarctica is cooling, how can it be "global" warming?

But that a whole other subject.

[58robbo]

Originally Posted by boycew02

Although I think treason is a little extreme, I do think the number of people in the US driving SUVs is pretty bad. I get frustrated when I see people in them here in the UK (and there are plenty of them, believe me), but in the US it seems to be every other vehicle. In a time where climate change and global warming is really beginning to kick in, it's appalling how many soccer moms still go and pick up little Johnny from kindergarten in a huge brute of a vehicle that does about 10mpg. When I was last in New York it was amazing the number of people driving SUVs, and the vast majority only had one person in! I mean, one person to a Hummer H2? Come on, please! I can't think for one moment why anyone would want to drive something like an SUV in a city due to the sheer lack of convenience, but especially because of how much gas it sucks up.

Around the rest of the world, peoples' views on the United States aren't great. A lot of folks often view you Americans as very arrogant and self-indulgent (I'm not saying you are, that is just what a lot of people think) and, although this can be linked with a number of factors, one is emmissions. The United States is the second highest greenhouse gas emitter in the world and has only recently been knocked off the top spot by China. Now granted, the USA is a very big country and so is going to have high emission rates in relation to smaller countries, but those figures are still a lot higher than they need to be. In a time where doing your best to cut carbon emissions is becoming increasingly important for the wellbeing of future generations, I, along with a lot of people, think it is immoral to use non-hybrid SUVs as your everyday transport (unless you live in the wilderness which 99% of SUV drivers don't). It's like sticking two fingers up and giving a big 'F you' to all the future generations who are going to have to live with the effects of climate change.

kind of annoys me that this kind of topic always leads to global warming. i personally don't agree with the hypothesis on man made global warming but i don't care to discuss that on this thread. (i have posted on global warming threads)

i started this thread to illustrate (granted in a rant like fashion) what western oil consumption is doing to it's OWN economies. the price of oil went up to $135 a barrel yesterday(with US oil demand at the same level, all that means is that more money is leaving). add that to already gargantuan trade deficits and you have a recipe for economic meltdown, esp when US exporters realise that all they're getting is paper for their toil.

to respond to the other poster on societal norms. whether you and i like it or not the price of gas is on its way up. whether we like it or not we WILL be forced out of our SUV's. the point i am trying to make is that it is time to quit whingeing about gas prices and embrace the concept of energy independence from opec.

i will be the first to agree that a lot of almost-useless technology is being rammed down peoples throats at the moment(photovoltaics, wind generators, bio diesel, hydrogen fuel cells, hybrid SUV's etc)

with all that trash it is easy to forget that there are lots of USEFUL, PROVEN alternatives to ease our energy dependence(groundsource/ geothermal heat pumps, solar tube water heaters, SMALLER cars, electric cars, small hybrid cars, the bicycle, your FEET, insulation, buying LOCAL made products, public transport where it exists, clothes lines, low energy lights, taking your own packaging to the store)

none of these things affect the quality of anyones life except reduce energy consumption/bills

[happynoodleboycey]

Fair enough, I'm just giving my view as to why I dislike SUVs. It's all very well saying that you don't think it is due to us but we don't know for certain so in my opinion it's better to err on the side of caution rather than everyone starts driving around in gas-guzzlers only to find out in 20 years time that, b*llocks, they were right and we're past the point of no return. You don't have to agree with me, it's just what I personally think.