Telling Americans that they should take their cars to the salvage yard is tantamount to telling them to give their children up for adoption. Automobiles are an integral part of Americans' self-image. People identify themselves by the vehicles they drive. We won't have much luck convincing everyone that they should trade in their "classic" gas hogs or modern SUV's for hybrid EV's. A better short-term strategy would be to convince them that they should alter their driving habits. Technologies and driving techniques that provide better fuel economy should be developed and promoted. There are valve stem caps that indicate at a glance if the tires are properly aired, keeping your vehicle tuned up greatly improves efficiency, etc. Additionally, most aftermarket parts that were designed for increased performance will also yield better fuel economy if the vehicle is driven normally. Convincing people to drive less would be considerably easier if the price of petroleum fuels was even close to the actual cost (i.e. no government subsidization). Then, many people would be forced to make conscious decisions to drive. Unfortunately there will always be people who are willing to buy gasoline regardless of the cost. What we don't want is a situation where driving a gas guzzler becomes a status symbol. We don't want people bragging that their vehicles get 10mpg as a way to show how they can afford to waste "expensive" gasoline. What we need is exactly the opposite culture. We should nurture the cult of high mileage. If we were able to create a climate of individuals competing for the highest mileage, we would all win. Fuel economy is a performance function in much the same way that horsepower, torque, and acceleration are. Since motorsports seem to be the main force behind automotive technology, devising sports (or classes within existing sports) that limit the amount of fuel vehicles are allowed to use would go far glamorizing and legitimizing high mileage in the minds of Americans, and would force higher efficiency technology to evolve. In the end we would end up with guys standing around a car with an open hood talking about how it goes from 0 - 60 in 6 seconds AND gets 60 mpg.
-BRAH -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 1:25 PM To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [biofuel] Funding Petroleum Warlords It's nice to hear an intelligent, levelheaded voice out there. Not only to drive 55, but to keep vehicles maintained, and tires properly inflated. That alone costs up to 30% or more of any vehicles consumption. Ridding ourselves of the idea "gotta have a monster to drive" will significantly help as well. Not only SUV's, but old "tanks" (lincolns, old cadillacs, ect) which were never built with gas savings of any imaginable kind should see the recycling yard. Maybe a campaign to try to teach people to buy a car or vehicle to suit there needs instead of ego would help. A single, city-dwelling person does not need a 1-ton "dully" (double back wheels) pickup truck to drive 2 blocks to get groceries. I'm no expert in the field of energy or fuels, but it boils down to common sense. I know of at least one high school graduate (this last weekend) who told his mother that he was taking the advise to buy a sensible car for college. On the lighter side, that's one down, a nation to go! At least there's a number of people out there trying to do the same thing. Thanks! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Sponsor <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=247865.3355058.4641699.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=1705 083269:HM/A=1482387/R=0/SIG=16njl9uqr/*http:/ads.x10.com/?bHlhaG9vaG0xLm Rhd=1054684602%3eM=247865.3355058.4641699.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=17050832 69:HM/A=1482387/R=1=1054684602%3eM=247865.3355058.4641699.1261774/D=egro upweb/S=1705083269:HM/A=1482387/R=2> <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=247865.3355058.4641699.1261774/D=egrou pmail/S=:HM/A=1482387/rand=516630057> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Get A Free Psychic Reading! Your Online Answer To Life's Important Questions. http://us.click.yahoo.com/Lj3uPC/Me7FAA/ySSFAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
