[Ti Designs]

I think the real problem is that we're a really stupid population. Cars keep getting bigger, more people driving trucks, then they come up with a new class - "crossover" which then gets bigger... If people could drive their houses around, they would. Then there's the safety thing, if everybody on your street drives something large enough to land aircraft on, and you're still driving your tiny car from two decades ago, you're gonna get squished.

I'm one of those idiots who doesn't replace things until something truly better comes along. I still ride 9-speed, 'cause nothing better has come along. In 1990 the Honda CRX Hf got 49 MPG. 27 years later the Prius does slightly better, but then the batteries cycle down and over it's life it doesn't.

The argument over safety between older small cars and newer monsters is very one sided - they only look at the safety of the people INSIDE the car. As a cyclist I have a serious issue with this. In my state, the law says that cars may pass when safe. What that means is safe for everyone, but that's not really what the driver is thinking. A Volvo CrossCountry is a very safe car (top safety rating), which means it can run over that cyclist who's making them late for work, without fear of injury to the driver - that's what "pass when safe" means...

Cars have gotten too good and driving is far too easy. People drive up and over Arlington heights in big SUVs without any thought about just how much power that takes. I think everybody should ride a bike for at least a month each year. You want to take something with you? Either throw it on your back or tow a trailer - that'll give them some idea of what it really means to drive a big car.

Or maybe ignorance is bliss...