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The short answer to the title question is that Americans, collectively, have been taught from early childhood that we are superior to all other people, and more deserving of the fruits of the universe. It doesn't matter how much anything costs, we are rich and we can afford the biggest and the best of everything, and we are entitled to it.
That is the antithesis if economizing. We just don't do it, it's not a part of who we are.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SorryIMovedBack
The reason I drive the big behemoths is the safety factor of having a large heavy vehicle with a true frame. .
The rest of us protect ourselves by driving prudently, and that relatively inexpensive strategy works, too.
Your heavy vehicles take 30-100 more feet to stop from 60 MPH and are far worse avoiding accidents.
But so what, right? Whoever you collide with will suffer more than you.
Or, you could simply not hit people and it wouldn't matter if you were driving a Civic or a Semi. I'd rather we teach people how to drive, and let them drive what they want, instead of simply getting scared that people are driving larger cars/trucks.
We've GOT to quit assuming that crashing is inevitable and that anyone with a larger/older vehicle is GOING to smash into everyone around them.
The short answer to the title question is that Americans, collectively, have been taught from early childhood that we are superior to all other people, and more deserving of the fruits of the universe. It doesn't matter how much anything costs, we are rich and we can afford the biggest and the best of everything, and we are entitled to it.
If you want something bad enough you will get it. That is how this country rose to be the great power that it is today, it is what it was founded on. It is a shame that in today's society many American's take this for granted and are seemingly just enjoying the free ride that prior generations have provided us. But at the end of the day societal advancements just don't come out of thin air.
I do not think it is fair to characterize (and I am not saying you have, just putting it out there) all those who drive "behemoths" as some spoiled American who thinks they are entitled to it.
There should be a world car...avaiable to all, not manditory, not taxed more or less. Just a car that ALL auto companies could make, super economy MPG, easy to repair ( no insurance needed), and affordable for the masses. No more being upside down in your car, no more repo man crap, and everything in it would be recyclable. Your annual rtegestration would cost more as the car got older, not like now where its less with age.
Its time for a Peoples car again....first we had the Model T....then the VW...now we need the same again....for those who want it.
There should be a world car...avaiable to all, not manditory, not taxed more or less. Just a car that ALL auto companies could make, super economy MPG, easy to repair ( no insurance needed), and affordable for the masses. No more being upside down in your car, no more repo man crap, and everything in it would be recyclable. Your annual rtegestration would cost more as the car got older, not like now where its less with age.
Its time for a Peoples car again....first we had the Model T....then the VW...now we need the same again....for those who want it.
Yet it would be mandatory for those companies to make...
There should be a world car...avaiable to all, not manditory, not taxed more or less. Just a car that ALL auto companies could make, super economy MPG, easy to repair ( no insurance needed), and affordable for the masses. No more being upside down in your car, no more repo man crap, and everything in it would be recyclable. Your annual rtegestration would cost more as the car got older, not like now where its less with age.
Its time for a Peoples car again....first we had the Model T....then the VW...now we need the same again....for those who want it.
well its not going to happen if we up the taxes on everything.
i agree with you. tata is making the nano, but it'll never come to america.
but the emission regulations that said by 2016 the average mpg be 39.9/g are forcing these companies to innovate, and innovation is not cheap, and they pass the cost on to you.
btw the model T and the VW didn't have the insanely high standards that NHTSA is imposing on cars right now.
Yet it would be mandatory for those companies to make...
Yes, If we can bail them out , we can require they make the People's car. Japan has such a program in place now, and its working... This car can also be exported...hows that for an idea? Exports?, a long lost concept.
The biggest opposition to the peoples car will be the Insurance companies, and the finance companies....and ofcoarse the Oil giants.
well its not going to happen if we up the taxes on everything.
i agree with you. tata is making the nano, but it'll never come to america.
but the emission regulations that said by 2016 the average mpg be 39.9/g are forcing these companies to innovate, and innovation is not cheap, and they pass the cost on to you.
btw the model T and the VW didn't have the insanely high standards that NHTSA is imposing on cars right now.
sorry, don't think its gonna happen.
There was nothing new about the Model T. Ford just found a way to build em simple and cheap. The idea of the people who build then , can own them , a new concept..... The Peoples car would not just be simple, it would have fixed pricing, interchangeability, inovation, cutting edge economy, some of that advancement is already being wasted on competing car companieies with different ideas, models, that soon become poorly designed and have little resale, everytime the price of gas goes down.
There should be a world car...avaiable to all, not manditory, not taxed more or less. Just a car that ALL auto companies could make, super economy MPG, easy to repair ( no insurance needed), and affordable for the masses. No more being upside down in your car, no more repo man crap, and everything in it would be recyclable. Your annual rtegestration would cost more as the car got older, not like now where its less with age.
Its time for a Peoples car again....first we had the Model T....then the VW...now we need the same again....for those who want it.
how does that even make sense?
the whole idea is crap, anyway. it's good that carmakers put out different products for different people. if everything were standardized, then there wouldn't be any opportunity for innovation.
the whole idea is crap, anyway. it's good that carmakers put out different products for different people. if everything were standardized, then there wouldn't be any opportunity for innovation.
Wrong. What we have now is junkyards full of obsolete cars, that are not all that old ether, and I'll bet a lot of people still owe money on them. Being upside down in your car is as common as being same with your home these days. Having registration cost increase every year grows to a point where the car is turned in for a new, advanced model, cause its cheaper to buy new at that point. Thats what Japan is doing.... My whole plan is to get gas guzzlers and polluters off the roads, for the bulk of the public who only buys cars for transportation. Light duty trucks could also fit this design mode.
Car guys will always be around, me included, and would not go this route, nor should they have too ether. However , if we can get a handle on fuel mileage, not be slaves to the finance man, nor the foreign oil interests, and get our insurance cost under control, it would be a good thing for all of us.
Autos today are designed by marketing, not engineers, part of the big problem. Yes the Government will, or would, have a big play in this...fact is already do. I offer a way out, for the masses, and the average Joe that just needs a car to get to work and to the store, that gets 70 MPG, that can be financed affordability with out huge insurance cost connected , and offers little impact on the enviorement. Can you imagine what could be done if all the engineering minds were on the same page , without some slick salesman interfence?. Can you imagine trading every 4 years old for new, and paying the difference without a car loan? Can you imagine not worring about warrenties, repair costs, and breaking down in a rural area where no parts are available ?.... It can be done, with the Peoples car, once again.....
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