New Car Incentives

[mvigor]

My logic isn't circular, it's realistic. You would have me buy a small car and then wait for everyone else to see the light and do the same. Meanwhile I'll just cross my fingers and hope I don't get in a wreck with a hummer (or for that matter a deer or a cow).

 

[FishSeller]

Vigor,
Good point with the cattle and deer. Bambi is awfully cute until his antlers have pierced your back seat.

 

[mishi8]

My logic isn't circular, it's realistic. You would have me buy a small car and then wait for everyone else to see the light and do the same. Meanwhile I'll just cross my fingers and hope I don't get in a wreck with a hummer (or for that matter a deer or a cow).

You won't get into a wreck at all if you drive defensively. A car accident with any vehicle can be deadly when the driver isn't thinking behind the wheel.

 

[mvigor]

You won't get into a wreck at all if you drive defensively. A car accident with any vehicle can be deadly when the driver isn't thinking behind the wheel.

So right around now when the corn is 5 feet high I should slow down from 65 to about 15 while passing the crossroad intersections because 1 in 10,000,000 times I'm going to get t-boned by someone blowing the stop sign? That and 100 other similar situations where you have to play the numbers but know that it can catch you???

 

[happychem]

My logic isn't circular, it's realistic. You would have me buy a small car and then wait for everyone else to see the light and do the same. Meanwhile I'll just cross my fingers and hope I don't get in a wreck with a hummer (or for that matter a deer or a cow).

Umm, no it's not. Because you're arguing that the only reason you need the larger vehicle is because there are other people out there making the same argument. Therefore it's cicular. If you and others of like mind weren't buying vehicles larger than their needs indicated, then your chances of being in a collision with the aforementioned larger vehicle becomes minimal.

Yes, I'm familiar with deer and cows, I grew up in a dairy farming comunity, lots of cows and lots of deer. Throw in snow and ice in the winter, good times.

But that won't change until people start making more need based choices. If you continually argue "safety" all you do is perpetuate a system in which the danger from which you feel you need to protect yourself is of your own making.

And yes, driving defensively means being attentive of your surroundings and driving at a speed appropriate to them.

 

[Timmain42]

You won't get into a wreck at all if you drive defensively.

:laugh:
Have you ever driven in Texas? Or LA? Being a good defensive driver will not save you in every circumstance.

 

[mishi8]

So right around now when the corn is 5 feet high I should slow down from 65 to about 15 while passing the crossroad intersections because 1 in 10,000,000 times I'm going to get t-boned by someone blowing the stop sign? That and 100 other similar situations where you have to play the numbers but know that it can catch you???

I didn't say drive like you're 80 and can't see over the dash. I didn't say drive timidly, I said drive defensively. That means paying attention, following the rules of the road, not tailgaiting (especially at highway speeds!), keeping one's temper in check, being aware of others around you, driving for the weather conditions, etc. Don't know how to drive defensively? Take a (refresher) course. If a car gets T-Boned by someone running a stop sign or light at high speed, there's a good chance no one's going to survive it regardless of how big a vehicle is. If everyone drove safely, then this situation wouldn't happen in the first place, and it wouldn't matter the size of the vehicle.

 

[mishi8]

:laugh:
Have you ever driven in Texas? Or LA? Being a good defensive driver will not save you in every circumstance.

No. I drive in Edmonton...which is probably worse than Texas. It may not save you in every circumstance, but it will keep you from being the cause of an accident, and will keep you safer than if you drive like an asshat.

 

[mvigor]

If you continually argue "safety" all you do is perpetuate a system in which the danger from which you feel you need to protect yourself is of your own making.

You're confusing *me* with *people*.

Because I'm fairly sure that if **I** stop arguing safety and buy a smaller car, **I'll** still be less safe out there on the road next weekend.

 

[happychem]

It obviously takes time to change what type of vehicles are on the road. But which will change it faster, making car decisions based on need, or buying the biggest thing you can afford to put on the road?