Ford Chairman says HOV Legislation is a 'Buy Japanese' Bill

Sound like someone's jealous? Maybe if Ford was trying to lead the way in clean technologies rather than building EXCURSIONS he'd be backing it...

And Toyota was mentioned in the quote... what about Insights, Civic Hybrids, CNG, etc? Seen lots of Ford CNG cars in CA actually... Mostly Taurus and Escort... some small trucks, think they were Rangers.

Still detracts from the fact that if it was the FORD Prius (besides falling apart) Bill Ford would commend this bill as a way to reward "Environmentaly-conscious minded Ford buyers through a light easement on their commute"

Too bad there isn't an eye rolling smiley...

 

Yea, too bad... :roll:

 

It's becoming very obvious that Bill Ford is a typical American corporate executive: concerned only with money rather than the advancement of our society. I had some iota of respect for Ford, being that they are the only American auto manufacturer that has serious plans for low-emission hybrid technology, but now, I don't think I can stomach him whining about a "Buy Japanese bill"; that's absolutely absurd. If Ford didn't spend their time building socially and environmentally unresponsible SUVs, maybe they could have benefitted from the "Buy Japanese bill", and he still has the gall to call himself an environmentalist.. What?

Where is that rolling your eye's icon?? Well, this one might be better ukeright: ukeleft:

 

sad

Hey Bill, wake up; we don't want Excursions, FiveHundreds (made in Mexico by the way) or poor quality products. The WSJ recently pointed out that American executives make 4 times the annual salary as compared to their Japanese peers. Maybe that explains what happened to the $1.5billion we the taxpayer provided to the Big3 several years ago to build an economical supercar. You had the money and time and produced squat.
Why is it that Honda, the first Japanese automaker to build a plant in the US, can build an award winning, top quality, in demand product and Ford can't? Its called management. So quite you're whining and stop blaming plant workers. And if you're tired of being beat, then do something about it. Gee, perhaps a paycut would be in order?

 

Yes, I have lost whatever minor respect I may have had for Bill Ford, too. This is nothing more than special pleading and whining. And, ironically enough, Ford is cranking out advertising for their Escape Hybrid which reads as if Ford invented and marketed full hybrid technology all by itself!

It seems sometimes as if the only thing major U.S. corporation heads can do is whine--innovation and competition are alien to them. They whine when outmaneuvered by foreign competition, they whine that government regulations are hindering them, they whine when their special tax breaks are threatened (which happens all too infrequently, IMHO), etc., etc. But they continue to collect their bloated salaries and claim that they deserve every penny. The people I feel sorry for are the rank and file workers--the people who provide the products and services to pay for the corporate jets and golden parachutes.

There I go again--ranting! Sorry!

 

It may be for the wrong reasons, but he *is* right. HOV lanes should be reserved for HOVs; hybrids, EVs et cetera should not get a pass.

 

This makes me very sad. I guess I had the wool pulled over my eyes but I thought that Ford was on the right track. I had high hopes that at least one of the big 3 was getting it. As some of you know from prior posts my family has strong ties with Ford, as both of my grandfathers worked for FMCO. Politically I will have to work harder so we beat the American public and the big 3 over the head until they get it. meanwhile the radio is talking about a El Ninio this winter in the NW warm and dry. This place is going to look like southern California if we don't get more rain this year.

 

Now we wouldn't want to "buy Japanese" when we can "buy Saudi Arabian" would we? It will take $5 gallons of gas to wake up some.

 

Mr. Schumacher and Tempus,
I am interested in your response that hybrids and EV's shouldn't be in the HOV lane; I wish that you would elaborate. My belief is that the HOV lane is used for people who go out of their way to alieviate traffic congestion, and thus air pollution in it's intended manner, by car pooling.. Why not also reward citizens who actively try to ameliorate society by reducing emissions to clean the air? I think it's the right step in helping society move forward.

 

Because, on average, we get more reductions in air pollution and congestion from car pooling than we do from putting individual occupants in a hybrid.

The more direct and effective way to reward improvements in air quality by those who buy hybrids is to give them a tax break. And I would gladly give up a hybrid tax break in exchange for ending the SUV tax credit, or for extending corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards to include light trucks and SUVs.

 

Mr. Schumacher,
I agree, I would gladly give up a frankly nominal tax break on the Prius so that we can stop rewarding people who buy 6,000+lb beasts with comparibly astronomical tax breaks. I also now understand your stance on how for example, putting a man who usually drives an Expedition into his neighbor's Sienna reduces pollution. However, choosing a Prius over something like a Camry still significantly reduces smog forming pollution and should be rewarded; and a pass into the HOV lane regardless of occupancy is a nice start.

 

I've said this elsewhere, but will throw in my $0.02 in response:

Speaking only for myself, if they were to ask me to vote to make the Washington State HOV lanes open to hybrids, I'd vote no.

I ride a vanpool to and from work, with 4-12 people every day. Before that, I was in a carpool with 3 people. I ride about 4 days a week on average.

That's a lot fewer cars on the highway every day -- making for less congestion, and (to some degree) less emissions. Both are benefits to everyone -- including the people who can't use a vanpool or carpool (whether they're in a hybrid or not.)

I think allowing single drivers in hybrids access to the HOV lanes is the lesser of two benefits.
[hr:c353b36ea5]
Several people have explained this position better than me, over in this thread.

 

No HOV lane for hybrids

I don't agree with Bill Ford's approach to this issue, and he shouldn't have mentioned used the "Buy Japanese Bill" label, especially since Ford is making a hybrid vehicle.

However, hybrids should not be allowed in HOV lanes unless they have multiple occupants. HOV lanes exist for two reasons, to reduce traffic and reduce pollution. Hybrids only address one of the two issues, and therefore don't fully qualify. Also, identifying hybrids is going to become a very difficult issue in a very short time. Some existing and all proposed hybrid vehicles are going to look just like regular vehicles (Honda Civic, Ford Escape, Lexus LX400, Toyota Highlander, Honda Accord, etc.). Allowing these vehicles into HOV lanes will make administration of HOV lanes virtually impossible in a couple of years when there are a lot of these "stealth" hybrids on the road.

 

And while we are ameliorating - we must importune upon society too!!!

Too bad the word "ameliorate" is more than seven letters long . . . would have made a good vanity plate! "O2 PIOUS" is the best avaliable I could think of here in California.

As for Mr Ford's comment “. . . the legislation would hurt company employees and stockholders. . .â€
Apparently Mr. Ford doesn't want the competition - he and his executives do a good job hurting the company all by themselves!

 

I have to agree with Mr. Schumacher that the HOV lanes should be used by carpoolers, not single occupancy vehicles, regardless of environmental pedigree. A Prius takes up as much room as a conventional car. The primary purpose of the HOV lanes is to reduce the NUMBER of cars, and thus the pollution generated. It also helps that fewer cars can move faster also generating less pollution. Eventually, there will be enough hybrids on the road to begin to cut into the vehicle moving efficiency of the HOV lanes. Another twist: the Prius gets better mileage and produces fewer emissions at slower speeds so why run them at high speeds in the HOV lane?
There will likely be a certain amount of road rage generated by single occupancy Prii moving into the HOV lanes. One proposal (not sure what state) set the bar at 50 mpg, which eliminates the Civic, leaving only the Prius and the Insight as eligible for the HOV exemption. I think this is bad policy. To reward Prius and Civic hybrid purchasers, we should institude a tax credit.
Big problem looming in the future will be highway gas taxes: Prius uses less gasoline, thus pays less highway tax, but takes up the same room and does the same damage to the freeway as a Camry. Somehow, states will need to devise a fair taxation to provide highway maintenance without undly punishing Prius owners.