Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Light Cars Are Dangerous Cars
The Wall Street Journal ^ | 05-22-09 | ROBERT E. GRADY

Posted on 05/22/2009 7:28:29 AM PDT by GOP_Lady

And other unintended consequences of strict fuel-economy standards.

If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Such is the case with President Barack Obama's proposed national fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks and a new tailpipe standard for C02 emissions. The national press has uncritically reported that the new standards will make cars "cleaner." In fact, the rules could impose substantial costs in terms of urban air pollution and human life.

The standards are designed to reduce C02 emissions from cars, with the twin goals of addressing climate change and reducing dependence on imported energy. Carbon dioxide is, of course, ubiquitous and relatively harmless on an everyday basis. It is only its long-term buildup that scientists posit will cause temperature warming. What are not so harmless in the near term are the "criteria air pollutants" currently regulated under the Clean Air Act -- ground-level ozone (or smog), particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and lead -- all of which have been shown by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) own scientists to have an adverse effect on human health.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cars; deathtraps; ecodisaster; folkswagon; greenieweenies; hitlerlegacy; mileage; obama; obamalegacy; peoplescar; unsafeatanyspeed
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-55 next last
To: GOP_Lady

No, they aren’t.

Forcing them to be smaller before the technology exists to make them safe at that size is another matter.


21 posted on 05/22/2009 8:09:46 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bob Buchholz
New 30 MPH speed limits will make everyone safer, save fuel and reduce emissions all at the same time.

Funny thing is, a 30 mph speed limit would increase fuel usage and therefore emissions for most cars.

22 posted on 05/22/2009 8:11:39 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: KeyLargo
Which one is the "Smart" car?


23 posted on 05/22/2009 8:14:37 AM PDT by NRA1995 (I'd be embarrased to be driving a Yaris....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: GOP_Lady

Not if all cars are ‘light’. Think of bumper car derby.


24 posted on 05/22/2009 8:18:58 AM PDT by Lorianne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOP_Lady

If they’re forced to drive around in tiny little deathtraps, maybe Americans will learn to drive better. It seems like as our cars get safer, our drivers become more dangerous.


25 posted on 05/22/2009 8:19:28 AM PDT by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (Whoever coined the term "foolproof" underestimated the ingenuity and determination of fools.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: seamusnh

When Car & Driver tested a Smart, they observed 35mpg in their testing. I can think of several compact sedans that can nearly match that, seat four, cost less, and don’t require premium.


26 posted on 05/22/2009 8:21:40 AM PDT by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (Whoever coined the term "foolproof" underestimated the ingenuity and determination of fools.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: RexBeach
Well, if it’s such a dreadful place, how did he get elected?

You may have answered your own question...

27 posted on 05/22/2009 8:25:39 AM PDT by Onelifetogive (Check out Puppy News at www.buyingapuppy.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: antiRepublicrat
Funny thing is, a 30 mph speed limit would increase fuel usage and therefore emissions for most cars.

You must be thinking of TODAY's cars. The new, more expensive, but but more efficient and safer car will achieve its greater efficiency with its one cylinder Briggs & Stratton engine that charges the Diehard battery and has a top speed of 35 mph. The extra 5 mph is for passing the Q-tips.

28 posted on 05/22/2009 8:42:15 AM PDT by Bob Buchholz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: GOP_Lady

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s


29 posted on 05/22/2009 8:44:42 AM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: GOP_Lady
Thats why I love my monster Chrysler!
30 posted on 05/22/2009 8:57:28 AM PDT by SRT8 man
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: seamusnh

My Harley gets 40-45 mpg and it’s a *trike*.
Stock 2 wheel Night Trains get upwards of 50-60.

[it only seats one wildly happy passenger, though]....:))

If not for my window-scenery gazing habit, we would’ve run over a Smart car last year.

We’d passed a semi on the hill a mile before our exit and were going back into the right lane to catch our exit when I happened to look to the right at a particularly lovely twilit pasture full of Holsteins.

Literally out of nowhere, a Smart car was passing us on the “sui-cide” and if I hadn’t wondered where the headlights beside us were coming from *way* down below my door, we’d have accidentally squashed the guy with our Yukon.

Hubby swerved to miss him and the Smart-ass “gunned it” past us and flipped *us* the bird.

I have not cared for the cars since.

From what ~I’ve~ experienced of them thus far, self-absorbed jerks seem to drive them.


31 posted on 05/22/2009 8:59:31 AM PDT by Salamander (Cursed with Second Sight.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: GOP_Lady

32 posted on 05/22/2009 9:28:15 AM PDT by doug from upland (10 million views of .HILLARY! UNCENSORED - put some ice on it, witch)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ml/nj
See CAFE's Three Strikes - It Should be Out ... the money quote:
"Researchers at Harvard University and the Brookings Institution found that, on average, for every 100 pounds shaved off new cars to meet CAFE standards, between 440 and 780 additional people were killed in auto accidents - or a total of 2,200 to 3,900 lives lost per model year."
See post 13 ... a SMART car at 1,600 lbs is 1,400 pounds less than a Camry. That is an indication that Obama just sentenced 6,160 to 10,920 random drivers to death. Tyranny is whimsical - Steyn was right.
33 posted on 05/22/2009 9:31:36 AM PDT by NonValueAdded ("Tyranny is always whimsical." Mark Steyn 3/9/2009)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: seamusnh
I love my old toyota van!

What year is yours?

If they really were serious, they make them again.

Mine is 22 years old, fun, comfy, fast as light'nieng\\, and hardly ever needs gas.

34 posted on 05/22/2009 9:33:23 AM PDT by norraad ("What light!">Blues Brothers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: FormerACLUmember

“so the driver can pay a toll” ROFL ... more likely so he can shout out “don’t you know who He is?”


35 posted on 05/22/2009 9:35:35 AM PDT by NonValueAdded ("Tyranny is always whimsical." Mark Steyn 3/9/2009)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: NonValueAdded
“so the driver can pay a toll” ROFL

Right you are. Tolls and taxes are for Republicans.

36 posted on 05/22/2009 9:48:25 AM PDT by FormerACLUmember (Chains you can believe in.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: seamusnh
33 city and 41 highway and seats 2 people

I am so not getting this. A VW diesel does a hell of a lot better than this, and it's a real car. 4 real seats, a trunk, AC, ABS, airbags, etc/ and unlike the smart car, it is not a roll-over waiting to happen.

No one in the DOT knows anything about cars ... is that the problem?

37 posted on 05/22/2009 9:50:43 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk (The Election of 2008: Given the choice between stupid and evil, the stupid chose evil.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: seamusnh

I have seen crash test with Smartcars. They FLY when hit. If the initial impact doesn’t kill you, then being flung about (possibly into another vehicle) will.


38 posted on 05/22/2009 10:37:22 AM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Army Air Corps
That's why I love my other old car , a 93' dodge dynasty le broughom fully loaded.

I've seen them crash, flip and slam on shows like cops'' and when the smoke clears the perps open the doors and run away.

Often the car looks like you could just flip it over and it would drive away.

That's the Chrysler Lee I. built!

39 posted on 05/22/2009 10:53:15 AM PDT by norraad ("What light!">Blues Brothers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: GOP_Lady
yeah so while these enviro-liberals gets away driving their 7 mpg hummers, limos and luxury jets the rest of us are going to be driving 50 mpg 4 wheeled soda can coffins!!

One bump while driving one of these 4 wheeled soda can coffins and you're history, after all the Environmental causes trumps human safety where this evil govt is concerned!!

40 posted on 05/22/2009 11:16:37 AM PDT by prophetic (God, let 0Bama and his evil plans for this country fail & let him be utterly disgraced like HAMAN!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-55 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson