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Damn environmentalists are getting on my nerves.

Read this

They want SUVs that get 40 MPG!!! Are they nutz? Our Vic's don't even get that! That's about a damn impossible feat. And, who would buy it?

They [environmentalists] complain about SUVs but you don't hear them bitch about NASCAR (now there is a waist of gas IMHO), luxury cars with big ol' V8s, pick-up trucks (who, btw, get the same MPG than an SUV), or boats (now, that's a fuel hog!). Why do they see the need to pick on SUVs? They just need something to bitch about!

 
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OMG, those people get on my nerves also. I cant stand them why dont they just become Omish and move to the plains or something and leave hard working americans alone!!!

Injen

 
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They also want it to come from Detroit! Now do you really think that GM or Ford would get it before Honda or Toyota? I mean i could see it happening, just not right now. The technology is just not there yet. Why are they so impatient?!?!?!

 
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.. all they do is b*tch and moan about more fuel economic suv's and i bet u all of them drive a gas guzzler.... here is the real problem... not alot of people want to buy a hybrid car becouse they are so expensive....

 
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I bet at the end of the day, the CEO of the EPA rides home is his Esclalade with 22" dubbies; or some other high hp luxury car that only does 20mpg. Then as he goes to bed, knowing the life of hypocracy that he lives, he just smiles and falls gently to sleep.

 
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See, i dont think getting 40mpg in a suv is such a great task, just be prepared to get out and push the f*cker up any inclines over 4 degrees cuz of the motor only having 40hp and 10lbs of torque.

Stupid tree hippies. You know what is so funny is that they will never realize that with all of the "emissions" we are throwing up in the atomsphere with automobiles doesnt compare to what a volcano does to the atomsphere and yet volcanoes are always going off around the world, but thats natural and they cant protest against that so they chose not to acknowledge that.

 
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That's the other thing, I'd like to know what kind of car those people drive. Probably a 6 cylinder, at least, getting maybe 24 MPG on the highway. Hypocrites!

 
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lmfao, You will never know how true your words are.

 
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I actually think they are trying to do the right thing. The truth is car companies CAN make SUVs a lot more fuel efficient, but its just more expensive to produce. Maybe not 40mpg but even an increase of a 2-3mpg would save the U.S. billions in dollars of oil each year. Actually Saturn is coming out with the VUE in 2005 which will get 40mpg, and it is a SUV. That's one of the problems w/ America today, people in general do not care enough about the environment. Everyone just cares about their big bad SUV. If anyone actually studies the environment, they would understand that the U.S. is extremely wasteful. You guys can call whoever a tree hugger, but the intelligent people know that something needs to be done soon b/c the situation is not getting any better. This is also the source of a lot of resentment around the world towards Americans. Our attitude is we'll do whatever we want and we don't care what anyone else thinks. Take the Kyoto Protocol for example, we're the only nation that actually signed the damn thing and then we backed out. I'm not saying SUV's aren't useful, but the majority of people who drive them don't need them. The argement that they are safer is only psychological. It is proven that SUVs are involved in more accidents than cars, and that you are just as likely to get hurt in a SUV as you would in a car. Just take some time and think outside the box, or at least outside your own little world. Whether you agree or disagree, we as American's need to start thinking beyond our lives and our political borders.

 
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TiM3, you have posted a very lucid and well thought out argument. I you! However, let me nit-pick some of what you said:

Yes, maybe. But, in the abstract they're just doing it for selfish reasons. Nobody cares about the environment per se, they care about having a better place to live. Those are two different things my friend.
Yes, you're right about the 2-3 MPG thing. And, a more fuel efficient engine in such a big and heavy vehicle is rediculous. There is no way they can achieve the goal of 40 MPG. Not in a full size SUV, anyway. And, why blame the car companies? If their marketing and sales show that's what people want then you can't blame them for building them. We need to educate the people. As soon as people stop buying them they will stop selling them.
You are right! Those are my feelings exactly! But, it's not about everyone wanting to have their big bad SUV, it's that gas is too affordable here. The reason very few ppl in Europe drive SUVs is because they can't afford the gas prices. However, go to Africa and look at what they drive. Everyone has an SUV. Of course, they need them. But my point is why attack SUVs. Why not pick on luxury cars like the BMW 7 and 8 series, Jags, Lincolns, Crown Vics, Lexus 4 series, or even sports cars!
I agree completely with you. Actually, those people driving the SUVs inflict greater injuries on those who aren't when involved in an accident while they sustain the same injuries as if they were in a smaller vehicle. The reason they are involved in more accidents is because of the roll-over factor and because they are the biggest segment of vehicles driven in America today.

 
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I hate SUV's and actually it is technologically psosible TODAY to produce vehicles that get extremely high MPG ratios, however it isn't cost effective to the builder nor the consumer....I really don't think people here would pay 100g's for an SUV that gets 40+ mpg when they can get an SUV that gets 13-18 for 25k-50k. In the end it comes down to number crunching until the materials needed to produce cleaner vehicles becomes inexpensive enough to mass produce and put into mass produced cars.

This morning I look over and there is a little and I mean petite lady driving an excursion. I looked in the back she was the only one I could see in the car..whats the point in have a huge thing like that when you are the only one in it....if you carpool or have a huge family I can possible see it but one person driving a vehicle that gets 9 mpg on the streets for one person is not too bright. Meanwhile I'm carpooling with two others in either a jetta or civic...great we get gas once a week or even once every couple weeks, meanwhile she has to get gas 2-3 times per week, half the tank is gone getting that boat to the gas station.........HATE SUV's!

 
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it's the drugs .. thats whats wrong w/ these people!!

 
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why does everyone hate on SUV's? if you have the money to pay the gas every few times a week then more power to you. i had a civic and filled it upp every week and a half. i now i have a durango and fill it up about the smae time depending on how i drive it. yes a civic is an economy car, but once you start adding all the performance parts to make it go faster you drop your MPG and youll be right along the SUV's. so for all of you all complaining about people who drive a SUV go look in a mirror because you too play a role in it.

 
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Silverdevil, I agree with you but I don't only blame the car companies. Hence my comments about American attitudes. That needs to change as well. You're right gas is cheap here, and its like $5 or 6$ a gallon in Europe. I could get philisophical and talk all day about what I think is wrong, but what I think what it ultimately comes down to is convenience and priorty. We are all taught time is money, and to make as much of it as possible. This applies to car companies who will do anything (or in this case nothing) to make a profit, and people who don't want to take the extra time to take the bus or even recycle. It's people's apathy towards recycling and the environment which is disturbing. This is a general statement b/c I know parts of the country are extremely environmentally friendly (i.e. Colorado). I am by no means an environmental extremist, but I do feel something needs to change. Many people fail to recognize (or they're in denial) that oil is a finite resource and most experts agree that it won't last until the next century (and production will decline rapidly before the half century mark) at the current rate of use. So its not only the environment but the supply is being affected as well. There are a numerous of reasons, whether it be personal, political or environmental, we need to cut down on our consumtion. One of the biggest reasons I feel is our dependence on foreign oil. It has been our achilles heel and that's not going to change unless our attitudes do too.

 
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I'm not hating on SUV's. Its quite useful in some circumstances. But like dirtEsanchez said, people who drive them as commuters, by themselves no less, is extremely wasteful. My car is completely stock, however even most mods to our cars will not dramatically drop fuel economy. Its not about having the money to pay for it b/c as most Americans we do. Think outside the box for a second. Its comments and attitudes like this.....

which I was referring to in my last reply. C'mon, think about that statement for a second and see if you can tell me what's wrong with it?

 
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lol, youre right on that last comment. i was just saying though if you want to spend 100 a week in gas then go ahead. i think it is stupid. i pay roughly 25 every week and a half to fill mine up and it all depends on how you drive it. when i first got it i drove it like i did my civic and it was costing me an arm and a leg. as to your other statement about just being one person driving i disagree. im an outdorrs man which meanss i hunt and fish and so one. the civic was just not cutting it for what i really needed so i got a SUV and its serving its purpose.

 
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No its cool if you actually use it for a purpose, but I was referring to people who use as daily commuters by themselves. I understand the usefulness of an SUV and that its an important mode of transportation for many people. But just look at the H2 commercial that came out not to long ago with that girl driving the Hummer around in the city all by herself. I mean who are you kidding? My parents have a 4Runner, but we have 6 people in our family so for big families and people who actually use the extra space its ok. All I'm saying is that SUVs are unnecessary in many many cases. SUV's aren't bad, just their fuel efficiency sucks and people still buy them when they don't need to.

 
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ok i misunderstood you then. yeah if your driving it around by yourself just cause youwant one then yeah i do see a problem, but like i said i do drive mine aroun by myself to but i have a reason for it not so i can be "cool" by owning a SUV

 
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I'm glad i live in America where I have a choice of what I drive, if i work hard all of my life I am going to buy the vehicle I want

 
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Well, you could have the vehicle to use on the weekends for it's intended purpose and not have enough money to drive another car during the week. In that scenerio you'd be driving your SUV all by yourself thru the city. We can't make blanket assumptions because we just end up making an *** out of ourselves (and umption, haha)

All people need to realize is there are certain things that we can't change about SUVs like size, weight, CD (coefficient of drag), and so on. It's a real challenge to get a vehicle of that magnitude to perform well and still get good gas mileage.

Now, as for us running out of gas, literally, I agree. We better find a better, more abundant source quick! Hydrogen is starting to come around, but who wants a bomb in the trunk? Electric motors don't provide enough power to go up a hill and it takes you a day to recharge the damn batteries instead of 2 minutes to fill a tank.

Edit: sp.

 
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I don't know, I'm no tree-hugger but for 99.999999% of the people on the road, an SUV is overkill.

I remember as the US was building up to war, I did see some rich-bitch housewife in a massive LandRover w/ a bumpersticker, "Don't attack Iraq". I felt like getting out of my car and asking her where the hell does she think (Middle East) we get the oil to power her friggin' guzzler?

The environmentalists may be onto something -- we should all drive motorcycles.

 
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why dont we be like China and all just ride bicycles

 
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Um...regarding the fellow on pg.1 of this thread who mentioned volcanoes. Nobody talks about emissions from volcanoes, because we can't do a damn thing to stop them. Unless some genius finds a way to make a gigantic volcano-sized cat.

As for working hard and having a choice in what kind of car you buy, that holds true, but cost isn't just a sticker price and one must take into account the externalities in buying anything. In the case of SUVs the fact that your car adds pollution to the environment far beyond that of say...a Civic. This externality may cause pollution which might damage crops, give the young or elderly diseases (read: rising asthma rates) or do bad thing to the ozone layer.

No wonder the Europeans are so pissed off at the US for not ratifying the Kyoto treaty, it seems like they're one of the few countries in the world that doesn't have the consideration to look beyond it's own selfish interests.

 
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when i get my firebird i am going to find someone with a tree hugger bumper sticker and burn rubber right in front of him then give him the finger im with devilvtec i work hard for my money and if i want to buy a gas guzzling 5.7 litter that gets 10 mpg when you punch it and gives out mad pollution then thats what im going to do.

 
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Thanks for proving my point. Ignorance really is bliss isn't it?

 
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Who cares if it gets 5mpg as long as it doesn't emit excessive pollutants. Sure if your burning more gas to get the same distance you are releasing more into the environment but cars are not the only evil when it comes to pollution. Maybe they should look harder at corp. america and zhit huge corporations and their manufacturing plants do to the environment.

 
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really why blame cars when you have nuclear plants and factorys creating poisons releasing chemicals out. i dont see people complaining about that as much as i do cars.

 
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HcivicEX2K1, nuclear plants are the only possible economical mode of power generation in some regions, the pollutants they create are not as far-reaching as say car emissions. Nuclear waste, although poisonous, if stored properly won't melt any ice-caps, put any holes in the ozone or give someone respiratory diseases. People pay -more- to buy cars that burn more fuel, if people were to buy Civics, not only would that be helpful to the environment, but helpful on the wallet as well.

 
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I resent that, I do plenty of drugs..and I am perfectly fine... for now anyways. At any rate, I Dont know why you guys are so shocked about that 40 miles per gallon thing. LOL that is entirely feesable, it just wont have any power. But honestly, what kind of soccer mom needs a 5.7 Liter V8 with 350 Horsepower to drive her kids to school? Its not like she hauls a boat with it. Essentially SUVs became popular because people were too vain to drive a Mini-van or a station wagon.. no they figured they would be cool. Can you imagine how slow SUVs that get 40 miles to the gallon would be? Hell look at the Civic hybrid... what does the Civic Hybrid get? 50? okay, Im sure if they put that engine in a small SUV it would be fine, and get 40 miles per gallon. Take a look at Ford Rangers, those dont have any power as it is, sure they arent SUVs but most of Fords SUV platforms are driven from their Ranger and F150 truck line. I think people just need to cut down on the SUV driving all together, they arent even safe. You know what I think when I see someone in a Lexus SUV pull up next to me... "What a vain mother****er"... usually I dont even think about it, but if they cut me off or something... I make sure I **** with them enough that I get them to roll their precious SUV.. its called Road rage! w00t! peace

- diemos

 
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omg... your such a retard... just crawl back into that hole you came out of. I dont know about you, but I care about the environment. I am not an extremist of any shape or form, but what your suggesting is absurd.. and if you would like to pay a **** load of money to fill up, thats your choice just as you said. In America you can be retarded if you want, now go excerise your rights some more sadboy.