SJ: "I don't know where you're getting your propaganda, but SUVs are safer than cars!!!! It is a complete farse that SUVs are not safe. The whole anti-SUV campaign is pushed by the Left Wing Socio-Nazis that love to attack anything that does not fit within their packaged agenda."
Why is it that so many people who argue polarizing topics evoke Hitler and Nazism so casually? Kids these days. Well, nevermind that, another day, perhaps.
"- The fact is that _only 4% of accidents result in a rollover._ Yes, SUVs have a higher center of gravity than cars, but most collisions are front and side impact where _SUVs are able to absorb impact better than the average car_."
When you talk about safety, there are really two issues to consider: safety for the SUV driver, and safety for everyone else.
For the SUV driver, he has the benefit of extra protection and pays a slight penalty with higher rollover rates. Fair enough.
The problem is that there will always be a huge proportion of small cars on the road, and when you have big cars hitting little cars, overall road safety, which I think is a fair metric, takes a nose dive.
- Collisions are more likely to occur if more vehicles have slower stopping distance and less manouverability.
- Collisions are going to be more deadly for the driver of a smaller vehicle, even at slow speeds, if the other car is extremely large
- The chances of a collision between a small and large car increases with the number of larger cars on the road.
SJ: "Drivers of SUVs compensate for these attributes by allowing more distance from front bumper to leading vehicles and by anticipating speed vs. stopping."
That's great, but what about the case where you're mindfully driving through an intersection under the speed limit, and some nut runs a red light, causing you to swerve to miss him, but broadside a honda accord, killing the driver and one passenger?
Don't you think that even though the accident wasn't your fault, you might regret the fact that if you'd been in a slightly smaller car those two people might still be alive? I know the passengers of the accord would.
SJ: "What folks like you fail to realize is that we live in a consumer driven economy. Consumers decide what suits their needs best and the people have spoken: Trucks and SUVs are outselling cars as you read this! If you don't care for a free-market economy, then Kim Jong Il has a place for you in North Korea!"
I fully realize this. I have nothing against a free economy, I just want consumers to make better educated decisions, and government to do it's part to ensure that consumers are given better choices.
"I saw a guy driving a Toyota Prius yesterday with the license pate IH8SUVS. This guy is probably looking at my H2 and thinking I'm a jerk for buying a 10-12mpg rig. Well, I'm not exactly fond of his putting another Japanese car on our roads."
You can be all for capitalism and choice when it suits your interests, but then don't complain when you see that the consequences of all those dollars spent voting for feebler US standards has put Japan at a huge technological advantage.
"The difference is that I respect his and your rights and I don't go out of my way to push my agenda or be offensive to my fellow American."
I'm truely not trying to be offensive. And I sincerely apologize if I have offended anyone.
-Jason
[This message was edited by "Hummer", heh, heh on February 21, 2003 at 10:21 PM.]
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