Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Welcome to the CAFE of Death. My name is Barry, I'll be your Waitperson

(Originally published July 29, 2011)

In anticipation of new CAFE standards, Honda introduced a new model, the Honda Accordion* today...

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*Not a Honda


Much as President Obama and other liberals may think natural laws for things like physics and economics don't matter, the reality is they do and nowhere more so than on American highways. The president reportedly has secured agreements from Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, Honda and Hyundai to raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy fleet average standard to 54.5 mpg by 2025. The new standard will be reviewed in 2018, but that won't change the fact that automakers will immediately have to embark on efforts to lighten and downsize all of their models.


Don't hold your breath waiting for your favorite Congress Critter to lead by example on this any time soon. Anyone want to bet that government limos won't be exempt from CAFE standards? Or will the fleets just have to make more wind up cars to offset them? Part of that "shared sacrifice", don'tcha know?

Update : From edmunds.com (for every Doubting Thomas and Willie):
"The cold hard facts show that smaller, lighter cars are generally less safe than larger, heavier cars."

"...According to the IIHS figures, there were 96 fatalities per million registered vehicles for the small car category. That figure drops to 62 fatalities for the midsize class of cars and 64 per million for large sedans."


The two highest fatality rates are for small cars and small pickups.

See also:
CAFE Standards Kill: Congress' Regulatory Solution to Foreign Oil Dependence Comes at a Steep Price

H/T Rob Port

11 comments:

  1. .

    "The cold hard facts show that smaller, lighter cars are generally less safe than larger, heavier cars."

    "The two highest fatality rates are for small cars and small pickups."

    So slow down and drive safely. Avoid accidents.

    Ema Nymton
    ~@:o?
    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "slow down...Avoid accidents." If only someone had given that advice to your parents!

      Being a "safe driver" or going slower are no guarantee that you won't be in an accident. But, thanks for playing!

      Delete
  2. I gots my big pick-em-up. I feel safer already. I'm taking up a collection to buy Obama a Smart Car. Would you like to donate?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He already spends most his time in a golf cart. He probably won't notice the difference!

      Delete
  3. .

    "If only someone had given that advice to your parents!"

    Oh look humor, ark ark.

    So is this where you insult a person to avoid taking about an issue _you_ brought up? Good one, chump.

    Ema Nymton
    ~@:o?
    .

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations, Ema! As a typical humorless lib, at least now you can recognize humor when you see it, even if you still don't "get it". That's progress!

    I thought I would add a little humor, since your mind numbingly stupid comment added nothing to the discussion. (BTW, that's not an insult, that's just a description of objective fact.)

    But if you want to pretend you put forth a valid argument, I'll humor you. (Pun intended.)

    "So slow down and drive safely. Avoid accidents" Really? That's it? I went by my bank a few weeks back, and parked next to me in the lot was a street legal "car" that was little more than a tricked out golf cart.

    And your "advice" to the driver of that car, to avoid death, is to "slow down and drive safely"? Have you ever in your life heard of or known of anyone who was in an accident where it wasn't their fault ? (Kinda reinforces the whole idea of "accident", doesn't it?)

    In a collision, at highway speed, between an undersized car and an SUV, or semi or bridge abutment, the driver of Le Smart Car Popemobile is at greater risk of being killed than in a larger, heavier vehicle.

    As far as "avoid(ing) taking (sic) about an issue", which part of "Being a "safe driver" or going slower are no guarantee that you won't be in an accident" didn't you understand?

    You are also irony impaired, as are most liberals, or is "chump" your real name?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Interesting. I'm a conservative and am embarrassed by Proof's attitude. Ema was correct in saying "avoid". Did you want her to say "you insult a person to avoiding talking about an issue" as you imply? Does Proof mean Prof? or 100 proof. Just wondering genius. None of us are perfect. If you can't try to have a debate without losing your bowels over a typo you need to keep to yourself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry. Telling you to simply "avoid accidents" in a car made of tin foil & tissue paper is a non starter. Accidents are just as likely to be the other driver's fault than your own. Greater, if you are a "safe driver".

      Which part of "Being a "safe driver" or going slower are no guarantee that you won't be in an accident" didn't you understand? Smaller cars increase fatalities. Period. If you cannot see that, you probably deserve to be insulted. If not you, then, possibly your mother.

      If pointing out other people's errors in spelling and grammar, for their edification disturbs you, you may click out the way you came in.

      I identify such errors as a means of furthering the use of proper English and deflating the pompous pretense of some who come here with a mouth full of insults and very little to add to the conversation.

      This was not Ema's first trip to the rodeo. She comes here often and typically starts with an insult...or stupidity...or both. As such, I have very little respect for the troll that calls itself "Ema Nympton".

      So, when you call me "genius", am I not to take that as an intended insult? Perhaps, if you can't have a debate without insults, you need to keep to yourself?

      Come back anytime. Or not.

      Delete
  6. Since he spends most of his time in a golf cart, I guess he expects everyone else to ride in one.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I live in Austin. I see them occasionally. Idiots.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I remember walking out of my bank and seeing, not a Smart car, but what appeared to be a tricked out, street legal golf cart parked next to my small SUV. The lady standing beside it must have mistaken my stare of incredulity for admiration, so she struck up a conversation. She was happy with it, but said she tried to "avoid freeways" in it. That's kind of hard to do in California these days.

    If I bought one of those, I would want a fold down rear seat to carry a priest to administer Last Rites (and I'm not even Catholic!).

    BTW, thanks for showing Wendy Davis the door down there. She was getting more national press than she deserved.

    ReplyDelete