LA Times: "Hummer - An American Excess Story"

Hilarious article!!

 

I think part of the reason people hate Hummers and H2s more than other SUVs is b/c of their sheer size. At least for me, its annoying not to be able to see the traffic around me on the road or in a parking lot b/c I'm next to a massive steel box.

And technically, oil hasn't hit an all-time high yet. I think $70 is the magic number, adjusted for inflation. So it'll take another exploded pipeline or two...

 

I am a prius owner and I also own a Jeep Wrangler. Every vehicle has its set of characteristics that are unique. If someone wants to drive a Hummer, it is their call. To each their own. Why the animosity and hatred. I have seen similar kind of hatred for prius owners. Cant anyone drive a car these days without getting picked and hated on. Grow up

 

So it's ok when H2 owners brag about being able to kill other drivers?

 

It's because people who drive the H2 are driving 6400+ lbs. uber-monstrosity battering rams of death. From simple physics kinetic energy = 1/2 * mass * velocity^2. Someone driving one of those vs. say a 3000-3500 lb. medium sized car will do FAR more damage to another car, in the event of an accident.

To top it off, they have nearly the accident avoidance capabilities of any vehicle available to consumers in the form of horrible handling, braking and acceleration.

Then, there's the whole issue of them gobbling up voracious amounts of a non-renewable resource, about 60% of which we import and much of which resides in regions that don't like us much, some of which ends up in the hands of terrorists. A fair % of the world's oil ends up going through oil chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz where nut jobs like Ahmadinejad could shut it down by shooting at tankers going through there. We've gone to war at least 2x in recent history over oil. There were 2 oil crises in the 70s when we only imported ~30% of our oil. It lead to very long lines, shortages, rationing, etc.

The US has <5% of the world's population w/310 million people, yet consumes almost 1/4 of the world's daily oil production and posses <3% of the world's oil reserves. What happens as the middle class of India and China grows which have >1 billion people each and more can afford cars? China's middle class is already at 300+ million.

The H2 since its GVWR is >8500 lbs. is exempt from fuel economy testing and since it's a "truck", is also exempt from the gas guzzler tax. Its EPA fuel rating is thus unknown, but I've seen figures of typically 9-11 mpg.

 

Grow up? Maybe you should educate yourself on the effects of automotive pollution on human health, climate, agriculture, and national economy. When someone's choice infringes on my health, the cost of my food, national security, and uses my tax dollars to subsidize his gross habit then I will definitely speak up in opposition. It is no longer a god-given freedom when so many negatives are applied to others.

 

Oh wow... 6 year old thread was brought back to life!

 

That is how behind the times some people are.

 

Maybe it's better than starting a new thread on this... :bolt:

 

Within the next 10 to 20 years, I think the days of using 1.5 to 3+ tons of of dead weight hunks of machinery to transport 1 or 2 individuals will come to a close. What a waste of resources! How many times have we seen jacked up, big wheeled crew cab trucks or other similar large vehicle running down the road with only the driver in it? Spend some time in Europe or Japan and you'll find that most people use public transportation (because it's more convenient) or right-sized vehicles for their transportation needs. Sure, people here have their rights to do what they want, but that doesn't make them smart!

 

I agree completely except with the timeline. There's pressure to change: gas is already over $3 gallon, there was major outcry the first time that happened, but the public generally doesn't want to change: now we don't really care about $3/gal, and I even heard today that SUV sales are picking up.

However, we also know that high gas prices are bad for the economy, and basically the only way to really reduce oil consumption (which is our single largest part of the trade imbalance, in fact it's 60% of our trade imbalance) is to go into a recession like what happened in 2008. So as cheap oil runs out, our economic growth will continue to be held in check by high gas prices. We obviously need to and I think we will go increasingly to smaller, more nimble and appropriate sized vehicles, but it will take time. And it seems to public acceptance of small cars, the Smart is selling reasonably well, the Mini Cooper is seen as stylish, cars like the Versa and Yaris have been introduced, opening up people's minds to what an acceptable car size is. So I would think in 5-10 years we'll see a large switch in buying habits.

There are also new rules to increase the CAFE rather significantly for the first time in maybe 20 years, so that should put the pressure on large SUV and truck sales, so that people will only buy them if they actually need them (or am I dreaming again). Now if we could get rid of the ethanol dual-fuel loophole, that would help even more.

 

i tried to explain that the gas prices will be going up to a young secretary but, she still had to have her new 2011 jeep grand cherokee.


"stupid is as stupid does"

she'll learn the hard way

 

Many people will continue to buy and needlessly drive large gas hogs. In fact their family will go without food, clothing, and education before they stop cruising. It's the American way.

 

For some families this is the case.