Topic: CAFE Standards major cause of death and injury

[Pandora]

Feds should propose graphic warning labels on small cars they are pushing rather than cigarettes. Here are two suggestions. I suggest the feds do one better and provide warning labels for small cars the are pushing via unrealistic CAFE standards.

A reminder from USA Today back in 2007: People buy small cars even though they can be deadly

    Americans are buying more small cars to cut fuel costs, and that might kill them.

    As a group, occupants of small cars are more likely to die in crashes than those in bigger, heavier vehicles are, according to data from the government, the insurance industry and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

    The newest small vehicles, of course, meet today's strict safety standards and can be laden with the latest safety hardware, such as stability control and side air bags. They are safer than ever. And differing designs mean some small cars are safer than average. But even the safest are governed by the laws of physics, which rule in favor of bigger, heavier vehicles, even in single-vehicle crashes.

And from Edmonds:

    ...the numbers don't bode well for small cars. Below is a chart from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) showing the latest fatality rates for the different vehicle sizes. (The mini car category wasn't included because the sample size of registered vehicles was too small.)

I remember somebody bitterly complaining about being "forced" to buy a bigger vehicle in order to protect himself and his family from the adverse consequences of a run-in with an SUV or pickup truck, while ignoring the fact that tractor-trailers et al. are ubiquitous.

H/T Doug Ross @ Journal

[Pandora]

The Obama Administration is issuing rules—without congressional approval—to significantly change the way the auto industry is doing business, forcing it to make vehicles that few are buying today (only 2,745 Chevy Volts have been sold this year). And in order to achieve that compliance, the Administration will likely have to fund the retooling plants and subsidize consumers’ purchase of the high-mileage cars. Meanwhile, the cost of gasoline is going up, yet the President has restricted drilling in the Gulf, leaving the United States unable to tap its domestic oil reserves.

The President’s environmental and energy policy is driving in circles. The costs are high, and the American people and businesses will pay the price.

The auto industry and the unions joined forces with the greenies to promote this now, in a change of heart, once the word "subsidies" was included in the deal.  Still spending money WE DON'T HAVE.

http://blog.heritage.org/2011/07/28/morning-bell-the-obama-epas-brave-new-future/

[Sectionhand]

There's an article in today's Washington Examiner about this .

[IronDioPriest]

The Obama Administration is issuing rules—without congressional approval—to significantly change the way the auto industry is doing business, forcing it to make vehicles that few are buying today (only 2,745 Chevy Volts have been sold this year). And in order to achieve that compliance, the Administration will likely have to fund the retooling plants and subsidize consumers’ purchase of the high-mileage cars...

How on God's Earth can the Republicans stand by and allow this blatantly unconstitutional activity? From where does "the administration" get funds to retool plants and subsidize consumer purchases?

For Pete's sake. 

They're not going to stop. It's the people and the constitution, or its tyranny right out of humanity's worst nightmares. There will be no peaceful transition to European socialism with this bunch. They are the real thing. They are going to do their damndest to give Thomas Friedman his greatest desire.

[John Florida]

Last night on my way out with the wife I caught the tail end of a report trying to discuss what the cost of these new standards would be,did anybody see it? All I heard was that 250K jobs lost from the drop in sales and the high cost of this economy.

[Glock32]

They're not going to stop. It's the people and the constitution, or its tyranny right out of humanity's worst nightmares. There will be no peaceful transition to European socialism with this bunch. They are the real thing. They are going to do their damndest to give Thomas Friedman his greatest desire.

That's exactly why I would rather TSHTF sooner rather than later. They have been stunningly successful in rearing generations of pliant, hedonistic automatons through their stranglehold on public education and the dissemination of information. Already there are many of our fellow "citizens" whose only response to government overreach is a shrug.

[Alphabet Soup]

I remember somebody bitterly complaining about being "forced" to buy a bigger vehicle in order to protect himself and his family from the adverse consequences of a run-in with an SUV or pickup truck, while ignoring the fact that tractor-trailers et al. are ubiquitous.

My first car was a MG Midget. It was a basket case that I had to rebuild before I could drive it. That little car was a blast to drive, but I quickly discovered how vulnerable I was in comparison to other cars on the road....and most medium sized dogs 

My second car was a Buick Riviera...

[Pandora]

I remember somebody bitterly complaining about being "forced" to buy a bigger vehicle in order to protect himself and his family from the adverse consequences of a run-in with an SUV or pickup truck, while ignoring the fact that tractor-trailers et al. are ubiquitous.

My first car was a MG Midget. It was a basket case that I had to rebuild before I could drive it. That little car was a blast to drive, but I quickly discovered how vulnerable I was in comparison to other cars on the road....and most medium sized dogs 

My second car was a Buick Riviera...

You had a Riv?  Ooooo.  My father drove a '63 for a while; I coveted that car; he gave it to my brother.

I never had a small car until I bought my '89 Escort new and it was good while it lasted, but Ah luu's mah truck.

[Alphabet Soup]

I remember somebody bitterly complaining about being "forced" to buy a bigger vehicle in order to protect himself and his family from the adverse consequences of a run-in with an SUV or pickup truck, while ignoring the fact that tractor-trailers et al. are ubiquitous.

My first car was a MG Midget. It was a basket case that I had to rebuild before I could drive it. That little car was a blast to drive, but I quickly discovered how vulnerable I was in comparison to other cars on the road....and most medium sized dogs 

My second car was a Buick Riviera...

You had a Riv?  Ooooo.  My father drove a '63 for a while; I coveted that car; he gave it to my brother.

I never had a small car until I bought my '89 Escort new and it was good while it lasted, but Ah luu's mah truck.

Yep. Mine was a '63 as well.

The PO had passed out drunk as a skunk and used the guardrail to stop his car 

I scavenged the wrecking yards for months looking for clean sheetmetal and put it back together. Interesting fact: remove the ashtray from the center console and you can fit an entire 12-pack down inside. I know - it saved my bacon on one occasion!

[Damn_Lucky]

Duh Carter in the '70's..................Pinto.
Nuf said! 

[John Florida]

I remember somebody bitterly complaining about being "forced" to buy a bigger vehicle in order to protect himself and his family from the adverse consequences of a run-in with an SUV or pickup truck, while ignoring the fact that tractor-trailers et al. are ubiquitous.

My first car was a MG Midget. It was a basket case that I had to rebuild before I could drive it. That little car was a blast to drive, but I quickly discovered how vulnerable I was in comparison to other cars on the road....and most medium sized dogs 

My second car was a Buick Riviera...

You had a Riv?  Ooooo.  My father drove a '63 for a while; I coveted that car; he gave it to my brother.

I never had a small car until I bought my '89 Escort new and it was good while it lasted, but Ah luu's mah truck.

 I had a 73 for a demo,fire engine red with white leather inside with a 455 stage 1 motor and every option in the book.Once it got off the line it got with the programme quick.

[Alphabet Soup]

Duh Carter in the '70's..................Pinto.
Nuf said! 

I bought a '76 Pinto Squire Wagon for the front suspension (they are useful for hot rod applications) but liked it so much I kept it and used it for over a year. It had a 1.4cc motor in it that I swapped to a 2000cc motor that made all the difference getting on the freeway. The body of it was really ratty - especially the fake wood veneer  that made it valuable for parking in mall parking lots. I never had to worry about anybody stealing it 

One time I encountered a road-rager who tried to intimidate me by inching his car (a very nice Honda) into my lane. I loved the confused look on his face when I didn't shy away from contact with him. I wanted to shout out to him, "Dude - I paid $75 bucks for my ride! How much did you pay for yours?!"

 

[Pandora]

Duh Carter in the '70's..................Pinto.
Nuf said! 

I bought a '76 Pinto Squire Wagon for the front suspension (they are useful for hot rod applications) but liked it so much I kept it and used it for over a year. It had a 1.4cc motor in it that I swapped to a 2000cc motor that made all the difference getting on the freeway. The body of it was really ratty - especially the fake wood veneer  that made it valuable for parking in mall parking lots. I never had to worry about anybody stealing it 

One time I encountered a road-rager who tried to intimidate me by inching his car (a very nice Honda) into my lane. I loved the confused look on his face when I didn't shy away from contact with him. I wanted to shout out to him, "Dude - I paid $75 bucks for my ride! How much did you pay for yours?!"

 

Just so!  Just one benefit of driving a less-than car -- being the intimidator rather than the intimidatee!

That, and no car payment.