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Some of us Americans are slowly getting better in understanding practicality, but I have my doubts regarding a complete change. I'm not sure what could change the mindset of those who think they need excess (truck, camper, horses, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, even land etc). Maybe we need more incentives to award intelligent buying choices perhaps? Maybe punishment for those who make dumb decisions & buy gas guzzlers like SUVs and trucks when they don't need them (& I doubt the majority do)? Maybe if I have time tonight, I'll look up the results and impact from the cash for clunkers program.
I do credit the European mindset. Less is best! My cousins fiance is from England. I recall him commenting about the cars in America and he said "they're on steroids. The autos here are huge! Whats the reason?" Exactly. There isn't a sound reason. We need to learn this from Europe and Asia.
There is a sound reason. Compare the size of Americans with the size of Europeans.
No one needs excess, but it sure is nice. I thoroughly enjoy owning all those things (land, truck, camper, dirt bikes). Why is buying what I enjoy dumb?
The European mindset is no mindset at all. It's basic economics. Land, trucks, campers, motorbikes are all way more expensive in Europe and most can't afford it. If said items were more affordable the euro's would own them too.
Hell, the euro lifestyle is extremely excessive compared to those living in 3rd world countries.
Why should the US tax the crap out of truck owners? What about people who drive an Escalade? What about a Corvette?
You cannot be conservative if you want the government acting like this. When have to prove to the massive federal government we need something to avoid taxes - all things are going to hell.
Set a limit or scale & tax autos that go above the mpg and emission standards unless they can show they need the vehicle for a legit reason. I believe in minimalism. Not excessive spending and waste.
Not everyone lives in LA/San Francisco. The part of California I live in usually votes Republican and very much likes its pickups.
That may be your perception, but everyone you vote for seems to be Democrat. Sacramento, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In his defense though, once you get outside the city limits in more rural areas it turns red fast. Somebody elects the numerous governors.
I also agree it is no ones business what I drive, or choose to protect my family members. If you feel safe putting your daughter in a tiny Fiat doesn't mean I have a right to call you an idiot?
Some of us Americans are slowly getting better in understanding practicality, but I have my doubts regarding a complete change. I'm not sure what could change the mindset of those who think they need excess (truck, camper, horses, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, even land etc). Maybe we need more incentives to award intelligent buying choices perhaps? Maybe punishment for those who make dumb decisions & buy gas guzzlers like SUVs and trucks when they don't need them (& I doubt the majority do)? Maybe if I have time tonight, I'll look up the results and impact from the cash for clunkers program.
I do credit the European mindset. Less is best! My cousins fiance is from England. I recall him commenting about the cars in America and he said "they're on steroids. The autos here are huge! Whats the reason?" Exactly. There isn't a sound reason. We need to learn this from Europe and Asia.
The only thing we need to learn from Europe is how NOT to do things. Not everyone lives, or wants to live, in some high density cesspool. If you think the EU is so great go move there, if they'll have you.
Some of us Americans are slowly getting better in understanding practicality, but I have my doubts regarding a complete change. I'm not sure what could change the mindset of those who think they need excess (truck, camper, horses, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, even land etc). Maybe we need more incentives to award intelligent buying choices perhaps? Maybe punishment for those who make dumb decisions & buy gas guzzlers like SUVs and trucks when they don't need them (& I doubt the majority do)? Maybe if I have time tonight, I'll look up the results and impact from the cash for clunkers program.
I do credit the European mindset. Less is best! My cousins fiance is from England. I recall him commenting about the cars in America and he said "they're on steroids. The autos here are huge! Whats the reason?" Exactly. There isn't a sound reason. We need to learn this from Europe and Asia.
Several observations:
1) You're heading down that slippery slope again of "punishment" (whatever that means) for folks who have chosen to make choices in life with the fruits of their labor that apparently you don't like.
Too F'ing bad for you. I probably don't make the same life choices that you do ... be it for recreation, entertainment, substance abuse (I abstain), tobacco (never-ever), clothing (haven't worn a tie in 45 years), jewelry (don't own any), or a whole host of your other behaviors which you choose to justify spending your dollars on. I own a little 20" TV which has never been used to watch a pro or college sports game, never watched a soap opera, nor network "news"; it can go for days without even being turned on. I've never spent a penny on a sports event admission fee, never attended a game (well, once ... a minor league baseball game which I was dragged to by a well-intentioned sports fanatic friend) ... although I've contributed thousands in tax/bond money over 60+ years of paying taxes for facilities, franchises, and infrastructure to support the industry.
FWIW, I own a fleet of cars, trucks, motorcycles, sailboats, ATV's, and a 4-seat airplane with moderate HP. And I own horses, too, and gas & diesel farm tractors and equipment. Know what? I can only operate one at a time, but all the vehicles are fully insured & licensed 24/7/365; I pay ownership and property taxes on them all. Some of them are my hobby choices, some are workhorses, some are my most efficient transportation for the particular purposes they are employed (ie, some of my cars are 30+ mpg vehicles, and I've been driving them for over 40 years ... fuel economy isn't a new concept for me, sometimes I need a truck to pull my 30' stock trailer, sometimes I pull a two-horse BP, sometimes my airplane is by far and away the most efficient way to reach a client or fishing hole, sometimes a 55 mpg motorcycle is an efficient way to travel for my purposes).
2) I owned and operated for over 35 years my own independent automotive repair shop specialing in Euro cars ... mostly M-B and BMW. I was one of the few independent diesel specialists in the area, and the delaers sent many a diesel M-B to me for diagnosis and repair ... either directly, or by being unable to properly service it for their clientele and so they sought me out. I've been driving diesel cars (M-B's since the 200D's came out, and put 1/2 million miles on a 220D, followed by a host of 300Dt's). I did my best to honestly keep these cars on the road for my clients for decades at the lowest possible cost per mile ... and after 'benz changed so many aspects of their lower end cars to accomodate USA safety and emissions requirements ... these became quite an indulgence for their owners. Similarly, BMW, Audi, and others changed their focus upline and got away from their basics. While this is the automotive forum, it would be an entirely different thread to assess the screwing that USA car buyers have received at the hands of these manufacturers from the mid-1990's through to present vehicles. The bottom line is for the acquisition cost, maintenance cost, insurance & licensing cost, the slightly improved fuel economy ... if any ... over many domestic cars was a net loser for the owner of these cars. Given the USA spec now for road legal diesel fuel, my 300Dt's are no match for fuel economy compared to my Subaru's with 2.5 liter gasoline engines. Current model 320 diesels from M-B cost so much to buy and insure that you'll never recoup the cost differential to other luxury gasoline powered cars in the USA.
3) I sense a direction on your part to make it painful for those of us who choose to live in rural areas and produce quality food using current energy such as diesel/propane/gasoline ... y'know, fossil fuels that are proven to work for our needs. You see, here's where this will be going ... you and your ilk that want to make it expensive for me to be able to live in this environment and be productive are going to have to pay the price when it comes to buying many food items produced in the USA, especially free-range, natural, and organic food items. Either you'll pay my costs of production and a fair profit margin for my risk ...
or you'll be eating GMO imported foods. Stuff produced without benefit of the quality controls, and banned in the USA pesticides/herbicides/fungicides which are increasingly being found responsible for many long-term illnesses. The correlation now between the use of certain items in the food chain is starting to be directly tied to everything from the common obesity to diabetes to behavioral problems to cancers, strokes, heart attacks. Say goodbye to your domestic (and local) farmers and Hello! to Monsanto and DOW as your food producer.
Are you ready to pay the price for your wishful thinking that what I do and how I choose to spend my time and money is just not acceptable to you?
Here's a thought: How about we all start taxing the pis* out of all the things that you enjoy or spend your time/money on that I think are a total waste? If you've bought any jewelry, I think that's a dumb decision. If you've attended a pro sports game, I think that's a dumb decision. If you've been down to a bar buying alcohol, I think that's a dumb decision. And so forth ... I'll bet there's hardly anything you do in your life that I wouldn't consider by your definition to be a "dumb decision". Let's punish it, OK?
The cities in Europe are super old and most streets are very narrow, large cars don't work there well. The US is a much newer larger country in comparison and designed to handle larger vehicles, it's pretty simple. These mini cars do well in urban downtown areas of cities, but using to drive from New York to LA, good luck, no thanks. For every mini gas sipping car made in Germany and England, there's huge S class, Range Rover, A8, Rolls Royce, 7 series, AMG, M series getting 20 mpg coasting down a hill. We do have a gas guzzlers tax that's at least $5k on all vehicles not getting an certain average mpg.
One big thing that hasn't been addressed yet, with all these cars getting much better mpg, less fuel is purchased, which is less gas tax collected that goes directly to road maintenance....this you use you pay works at pump everyday. Me paying for gas in my mercedes gas guzzler contributes to road maintenance while guy down street in his pry-us and person in electric leaf don't seem to contribute much or any yet use the road more then me...
1. My safety. I see these tiny cars that get 50 mpg but will the hold up in an accident? no way. Do a google image search of "smart car accident" and see what happens when these get hit. (warning don't look if you have a weak stomach) And it's not only smart cars it's all these plastic cars like hondas etc...
2. I'm 6'3 and I don't feel comfortable in most cars. They are also so low to the ground I basically have to roll out and stand up and that hurts my back after awhile. I can easily step right out of my truck.
3. I'm a contractor
4. If I have to move or haul something I save a fortune and time not having to pay someone or rent a truck.
5. SNOW! We just got hit with close to 15 inches of snow here in southeast PA. My 4 wheel drive truck has no issues in the snow.
6. Lastly the pure joy I get from watching morons try to fit all kinds of lumber and other large objects in their matchbox cars. HD and Lowes parking lots are very entertaining at times
It's funny I often wonder "what's the point of owning a $400 "smart" phone.
My voting record proves to me I'm conservative obviously along with my beliefs. I especially value minimalism & not spending money we don't have. If America continues to fail then yes, maybe we should try something like "taxing the crap" out of stuff like you described. Something needs to be done.
The thought of stop spending so much ever cross your mind?
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