history repeating itself?(rant)

[Brett Dikeman]

So, Huw commented on how we've gone full circle in terms of barges
for cars that get insanely low gas mileage. The wheels have been
turning since, and I realized just how true the whole "full circle"
idea is.

-safety taking a major back seat to fashion
-bigger and bigger is better, both with displacement and sheet metal
-styling changes absolutely every single year, every single model

The most interesting part, to me, are the styling changes.  It's very
interesting how auto makers, during really prosperous times, just
love to make all sorts of little needless changes to convince people
they REALLY need to get that new model...

What was particularly amusing was Trent Lott standing in front of
Congress with a picture of the SMART car, lambasting it as absurd for
him and his family.  Uh, duh, you stupid a$$.  But of course, try and
make congress pass a mandatory 36mpg-in-four-years law(which surveys
show the public really wants; they WANT fuel efficient cars), the
auto industry cries wah-wah-we-can't-do-that-consumers-dont-want-it,
the gas companies cry
wah-wah-you'll-hurt-the-economy-you-unpatriotic-bastards, and
Congressmen do their dog+pony show.

   Nevermind that there are plenty of cars(like the Jetta TDI for
example) that get well over 36mpg and would suit Mr. Lott much
better(like they go on vacation by car anyway, like he claimed.)  But
it isn't nearly as much fun to poke fun at a Jetta(which a lot of
voters own and/or think is a really nice car.)

One does wonder..if polls show people really DO want efficient cars,
and American car makers haven't stepped up to the plate, why hasn't
Audi, BMW, etc?  All have the TDI technology to make it happen,
especially VW/Audi. Yet only Toyota and Honda are doing it(with great
success, it seems; I see more and more Honda/Toyota hybrids every
day.) Diesel, particularly with Biodiesel, is far more accessible a
goal than electric cars with huge, consumable battery packs that
somehow magically get plugged into non-existent charging stations in
parking lots etc.)

Brett
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"They that give up essential liberty to obtain temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin
http://www.users.cloud9.net/~brett/