[peteram]

but when one of these behemoths hits a smaller car, the damage is extraordinary.

Solution: Stop making smaller cars.

a fairly easy thing to do if we stopped driving SUVs and other penis-substitutes instead of a more normal size vehicle,

What is normal? A Honda Civic? A Geo Metro? Sorry, but safety is a BIG factor for my wife and I, and after driving small cars for the last 11 years, we are now feeling much safer in bigger vehicles.

If everyone were to shun the sub-compact for even a mid-sized car, we all would be a little safer. Subs are not safe under any circumstances.

[RipSawyer]

By the way, what is happening to fuel economy? I read something that says a Mazda Miata only gets 29 miles to the gallon. I had a 1980 Pontiac Pheonix which was a much bigger car than a Miata and it averaged 34.2 miles per gallon carrying four large adults and a trunk full of luggage on an interstate highway trip averaging at least 70 miles per hour. Ford at one time had an F-150 full size pickup that was epa rated at 29 miles per gallon highway mileage and I spoke to at least three owners of this model who said they had no problem getting 27 miles per gallon and yet there is nothing available now in a full size pickup which claims anywhere near this high a mileage rating. There were vehicles on the road a quarter century ago that got better mileage than what I see posted for new models now. Has mileage dropped or is someone trying to make the situation look worse than it really is?

[RipSawyer]

By the way, what is happening to fuel economy? I read something that says a Mazda Miata only gets 29 miles to the gallon. I had a 1980 Pontiac Pheonix which was a much bigger car than a Miata and it averaged 34.2 miles per gallon carrying four large adults and a trunk full of luggage on an interstate highway trip averaging at least 70 miles per hour. Ford at one time had an F-150 full size pickup that was epa rated at 29 miles per gallon highway mileage and I spoke to at least three owners of this model who said they had no problem getting 27 miles per gallon and yet there is nothing available now in a full size pickup which claims anywhere near this high a mileage rating. There were vehicles on the road a quarter century ago that got better mileage than what I see posted for new models now. Has mileage dropped or is someone trying to make the situation look worse than it really is?