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UrbanAdventurer and Naimbert, while it is true that fossil fuels are used to produce the majority of electricity in the country, the real question is why they are used in such abundance.
We could easily have the capability to produce all the electricity we need now and in the foreseeable future and eliminate the need to burn fossil fuels through the use of alternative sources (solar, wind, geo-thermal, and tidal/hydro) but the fossil fuel industries block the development through the buying of lawmakers who impose limits on the growth of alternative fuel industries or ban the use of such alternatives outright.
That still doesn't address the issue with switching over. More energy is required to produce a hybrid car than a conventional one. With that, more greenhouse gasses are emitted. So all we are doing is switching where the source of the pollution comes from. I think people seem to sleep better at night when they believe they are not directly polluting the atmosphere. Surely since they didn't build the car, they aren't contributing to pollution, correct?
But think of this. The average life of a hybrid battery is 5-7 years. The average life of a conventional vehicle is between 14-20 years. This means that at some point the battery must be replaced. Producing hybrid car batteries releases large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. Not to mention the costs of energy needed to recycle them and to create new ones.
We aren't eliminating pollution. We are just changing what type of pollution is making it into the air.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phlinak
Anyway, I digress.
The truth is operating any vehicle (gas-powered or hybrid) is not good for the environment but operating a hybrid vehicle is better for the environment, in the long term.
I agree 100% that neither vehicle is good for the environment but I can't yet jump on the bandwagon to assume it is better than conventional cars. If you recall, no one was concerned with gas engines impact on the environment until many decades after they were in use, and had become commonplace in all families and the amount of vehicles on the road soared. If every person got rid of their "unnecessary" trucks and switched to hybrid cars and those replaced conventional ones we would likely find out over time that they have a larger environmental impact than many yet understand.
In the end, I doubt we see much of a difference if all things were equal. Therefore, I don't see a real justification to tell others they shouldn't keep their trucks regardless of how they are used.
I tell you, I laugh seeing these tricked out lifted PU that are gleaming bright and parked with many similar vehicles. They're the "Toy crowd" who buys them and tricks them out to show off...
Oh? LOL
Could I have bought a chit box with crank up windows am/fm radio rubber floors and cloth seats? Yeah. But why? I wouldn't be happy with it at all. LTZ #2
When I moved down to Raleigh, NC from the suburbs of New York City two years ago, one of the first things I noticed was how many people here drive around in pickup trucks. ... Here in Raleigh though, it's more of a lifestyle choice. People just seem to like the image that a pickup truck presents, I think: rugged, casual and country. It's also seen as a more masculine choice than many of the unisex vehicles available today.
There are significant cultural variations around the country, and those include vehicle preferences. In urban California, and especially in the SF Bay area, one is more likely to find electric vehicles or hybrids, than would be typical elsewhere. In NYC I saw plenty of large sedans. In the South and Midwest, trucks are more common. I gather that the overarching theme is one of Heartland vs. Coastal.
Being something of an iconoclast, I much enjoyed driving my Miata in this rural Heartland locale - including in the winter, in the snow. Small, RWD 2-seater... with snow tires!
I totally agree. When I lived in NM and Colorado I had a 4x4 truck because I liked to go out the mountains on forest roads and I also had a boat to tow. The old mid-80s single-cab F150 4x4 I had in Grand Junction Colorado was the best-handling vehicle on snow that I'd ever had. Looked a mess but handled great.
I brought a 4x4 truck with me when I moved to Silicon Valley, thinking I would use it to go out to the Sierras. But after a couple years of not doing that, and of always trying to find parking and trying to make U-turns on city streets, I got rid of it and replaced it with a small sedan which is ideally suited to commuting around here. I'm a firm believer in utility and getting what's suitable for the task at hand.
I also don't see the point of getting a two-wheel drive truck. If I get a truck, it's gotta be 4x4. Maybe that's based on my experiences growing up in snowy/mountain conditions. I suppose if you never go on dirt and if you live in some flat place that never snows, then I guess a 2x4 truck would be okay.
Most 4x4 trucks rarely ever see any action in 4wd because most of them never leave the pavement. It can occasionally get you out of a jam without having to get dirty but 99% of the time it just an extra 300-400 lbs of dead weight and 2 extra gearboxes to service.
Most 4x4 trucks rarely ever see any action in 4wd because most of them never leave the pavement. It can occasionally get you out of a jam without having to get dirty but 99% of the time it just an extra 300-400 lbs of dead weight and 2 extra gearboxes to service.
I'd be interested to hear your clarification of "most." I just don't see any way you could make that generalization.
Most 4x4 trucks rarely ever see any action in 4wd because most of them never leave the pavement. It can occasionally get you out of a jam without having to get dirty but 99% of the time it just an extra 300-400 lbs of dead weight and 2 extra gearboxes to service.
All depends on where you live and the places you drive a truck at. For example, 4x4-Auto, or just 4x4 is widely used in Alaska where I live.
All depends on where you live and the places you drive a truck at. For example, 4x4-Auto, or just 4x4 is widely used in Alaska where I live.
Exactly.
It's also important to note that it's actually difficult to find a full-size pickup that is NOT a 4x4. Plus, the RWD pickups just don't hold their value.
Yes, and they usually have a $40k beast with a huge diesel and every power-option in the book.
Usually...
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