suvs.....Re: anyone see this?

[Robert Deis]

On Mon, 18 Sep 2000, Ameer Antar wrote:

Ok, you drug me in... Welcome to America! Here's how the public at large
here views these things:

> also, i think 85% of car owners give no thought to their tires.

Make it last forever and make it cheap.  Oh, and I'd like it to be safe in
bad weather, too, I guess, but not at the cost of shorter treadwear.

> I constantly see deflated, bald, and tires that 
> are just generally in bad shape.

If it lets me drive, it must be OK.

> Also the factory tire pressure was too low.

Makes for a smoother ride.

> know people who haven't checked they're tire pressure 2 years after buying 
> the car.

Isn't there an idiot light for that? If the car doesn't tell me it's
wrong, then it must be fine. (Oh, BTW- an idiot light for something as
"trivial" as tire pressure would annoy me.  My *other* car doesn't do
that...)

> And why the hell are they feeding the masses these huge trucks.

Because we want them!  They're 4 wheel drive, which is soooo much safer in
snow, and they're tanks so when some other idiot hits me, I survive just
fine!

> Fuel economy

Is irrelevent, because- thanks to President Bill- the economy is strong,
so we can afford to spend more on fuel!

> How do expect emergency handling to be in such a high vehicle, and that's 
> how most accidents can be avoided, through better handling, response, and 
> braking.

But *some* accidents will happen anyway, and I want to be safe in my tank
when they do.
-----------------

A lot of these arguements make no sense, but some of them do from a
certain point of view (NOT mine, BTW..), but the reality is that this is
how most people think over here.  The idea that driving is a SKILL to be
LEARNED and PRACTISED because you are RESPONSIBLE for the safety of those
in your vehicle and THOSE AROUND YOU on the road seems totally foreign
here. It is far more often viewed as a necessary inconvenience that we
must go through instead of doing business, doing other chores, spending
time with family, or doing anything else that's actually important.

Bummer for us.
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Rob Deis   
  MiB3346
  rdeis at io.com