I’m sure that we could counteract the ill effects of lightweight vehicles by banning large trucks from the national roadway system and imposing a national speed limit of (say) 30 miles per hour and requiring the manufacture of vehicles with devices that forbid them from exceeding this national speed limit. Let us be as realistic as the Congress and ignore the economic maladies that these measures might cause.
The latest estimates are this will lead to about 4,000 more deaths per year....or more than the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq. Of course these will include mothers and children.
More blood for oil. More Americans will die annually due to this law than have died in the entire Iraq war.
“Clearly, what they value is something other than human well-being.””
Quite correct.
However, I don’t see that happening. What I see happening is the wealthy will give up their current flavor of SUV in favor of “one ton” versions and larger that don’t have to comply to any of these CAFE standards.
Say hello to the new freightliner SUV...powered by caterpillar, cummins, and detroit diesel...and getting 6 miles per gallon.
If the automakers could produce a 50mpg SUV, the whacko’s would still be angry and want them off the roads.
This will result in more miles driven per person, and more congestion, along with higher death tolls.
Some research will find:
Cars today are HEAVIER than back in the 60s and 70s. So govt. fuel economy rules did NOT result in lighter vehicles.
Cars today have more power than back in the 60s and 70s.
Cars today are far safer than back in the 60s and 70s. Most of the safety features were NOT govt. mandated, like ABS, disc brakes,
Cars today pollute much less than back in the 60s and 70s.
Cars today get better gas mileage than back in the 60s and 70s.
These results have been due to some government regulation and to a free market.
I believe the future will be similar. My preference for my future vehicle is a high end turbo-diesel station wagon. Maybe soon in the US.
Turbo diesel alone gives substantial improvements in fuel economy. That is why 50% of new vehicles sales in Europe are now diesels. Where gas is over $6.00 per gallon.
So any thought of saving some money on gasoline to offset the higher cost of a new vehicle is out the window, as you'll be paying more in "mileage taxes."
Mark
Another example of government trying to micro-manage the free market. More dollars down a rat hole.
Human sacrifice to the Goracle and his minions of Gorons..
This is not necessarily true.
As evidence I give you Indy Cars as an example. These cars can hit the wall at 200 miles per hour and the driver can walk away.
The car protects the driver by absorbing energy by deforming and shedding parts.
The draw back to this is that the car can not survive even one accident. The car is more or less disposable.
This is the direction I see the car companies going in. Cars will become engineered to disintegrate on impact sacrificing themselves for the occupants.
The truth in the article is that the cars will become much more expensive as will auto insurance. Because every car will be totaled in any accident car insurance cost will sky rocket, a single at fault claim on your insurance policy will be cause for cancellation of your policy. If you have a teen on your policy you will need a second mortgage to purchase a policy.
The good news is that old cars will easily survive a crash with these new cars.
The last vehicle I bought and am still using was a used short wheel base three quarter ton 95 Dodge Hi-Top conversion van. This van has a much lower profile than a 1993 van of same description. The van has a notable lean to the right because of the ramp. Older vans we owned did not. To even make this work all seats but the front Captains chairs and rear bench were removed. The engine a V-6 is showing major early age wear due to the load. Its likely gonna go soon.
Our congress is out of touch with the everyday realities persons face. This law will hurt those who can least afford it. We will be forced next purchase {coming soon} to likely buy a one ton or bigger retired dually wheeled transit van. The lowrider vans with the cut out floor boards for wheel chairs will not make it up our driveway and again lack the needed power.
I would love to see someone who can afford it use one bad law to invalidate the other. In other words I love to see the ADA used to challenge the smaller vehicle laws as they are not suitable vehicles for drivers or riders confined to wheelchairs.
Since some environmentalists consider human life to be a threat to the earth, they think that the more humans they can kill off the better.
Most interesting arguments.
Isn't reduction of dependence on oil the primary impetus for this new law?
This bill explains all the hype of recent months regarding “global warming”.
This is what the media does. They act in concert with the left. They promote an agenda very heavily and at every opportunity. Meanwhile the lawmakers are working on legislation that needs the hype to pass.
The left is currently working on extreme “hate crime” legislation. That explains all the hype about nonsense like the “jena 6” and nooses, and why they totally IGNORE all black on white crime. The plan is to get the public properly brainwashed so that it will support this proposed legislation.
You may be dead, but at least the nanny-staters will have their warm smug feelings.
/s