Big trucks, SUVs help make Texas top U.S. carbon polluter

Part of the issue is that 'poe folk' have to buy the cheepest thing they can. So when gas guzzlers are given away at factory cost (just so they can clear the inventory), then guzzlers are going to be what the poe folk buy.

 

I generally stay on the rightmost lane of I35E. Since the north of Dallas area was rural, the exits are still the combo entrance/exit with a long 1/4-mile ramp beside the rightmost lane. Some old pickup truck got in the Ricky Bobby mode and used it to very loudly blast to the right of me then get back on the freeway. No sooner than I mockingly said something like "If you're not 1st - you're last!", an SUV then another pickup truck followed suit.

What is it? - they can't wait two seconds to pass on the left (with 2-3 lanes) or an anger management problem?

 

my Dad lives in Texas and drives a 2007 Prius... of course he aint a native...but then again, he is from Michigan... so i guess roots dont play much of a part either...

 

Heard a Ford dealership commercial in the Dallas area: "We don't care if your payments are $12,000 over your truck's worth - TRADE IT IN!"

This is the sequel to the APR mortgage.

 

Funny, I was always told that the SUV's and pickups are the leading profit makers by far of any auto that the industry sells. And I did not know that Texas had a large 'poor population' that could afford $30,000 plus SUV's and trucks.

Gee, I wish I was poor enough to get a new F-150 or Expedition.


Rick
#4 2006

 

Or a Ford Exploder

 

Wow! Sorry you missed the point. Here ... by example. Many see a vehicle marked down by nearly 45% ... (even though it's not the bottom of the barrel lowest thing, cost wise on the lot) and that's what they buy. Credit. Not a smart buy, but it happens. Some of those new (stripped) models were being given away in the mid 20's. A guy I used to work with bought a hummer, instead of a pick up, not for that low ... but he commented that yes, the big PU's were marked down that low. Rational for some is that makes the PU a better deal than the Prius. And if you don't think there are large impoverished areas in Texas, search the web and see for yourself.

 

Texas may be big, but 3/4 of it's 22 million live in:

• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Houston/Galveston
• Austin
• San Antonio

So why does the 16 million living in those four metro areas need so many pickups?

 

2007 Texas State Fair...guess why I refer to the auto show as "TruckFest?"

Official Truck of Texas: 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Dually

 

Because like so many, they believe the ad man, who tells all of us that will it give them a hot chick in a thong, make 'em pro-U.S.A. keep the nation strong, relational with their families, and lots of other unrelated things

 

Ford says, we sell 50% of Big Trucks in Texas alone. An aquitance of mine says, "whimps drives cars, Macho men drives Big trucks" Trucks are trendy but small gas sipping cars are not. So falks wants to be seen trendy and macho, opposites to being whimps! Texas truck drivers are kool! that's why.

 

Nah, I was born and raised in West Texas, Midland to be precise, headquarters city of the "Petroplex" and I drive a Prius. People who understand oil know that it is a depleting, difficult to find natural resource. My dad, who is 82, is a retired geophysicist wildcatter and he loves my car, even though he still drives a frigging Cadillac

Anyway, many people in Texas are not that far removed from ranch culture where pickups actually have a purpose. These days that would be a shrinking minority, but times changes slowly for some. The traditional, though little known definition of "Texan", though is a Mexican on his way to Oklahoma. Those pickups work well for that purpose

I do see more and more Prii on the streets of Dallas. It was somewhat uncommon when I bought mine 3 years ago, but they are quite commonplace now. I have talked two friends into buying them since I bought mine, so I am working on the problem.