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Why not buy an SUV? |
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The following was published as a letter to the editor of the Bloomington, Illinois Pantagraph in January 2003. I have received comments, phone calls, and letters ranging from high praise (compared to Mike Royko!) to scrawled obscenities with no return address. Apparently, people feel strongly about their SUVs.
Dear Editor,
My old minivan gets about 21mpg in town, but it's getting about time to replace it. Since I never drive off-road, and seldom carry more than two passengers, a sensible car would be a good choice. Too bad car buying isn't usually a rational process.
How about an SUV - a really big one? Yeah! That would show 'em. All those little cars, like Ford Tauruses or Toyota Avalons - would scatter when they see me coming. I could sit up high and see way down the road, when I'm not talking on my cell phone. And if I ever got in a collision, too bad for the other guy.
Of course, the guy behind me couldn't see anything around my SUV, either. But he should buy an SUV too if he wants to see what's up ahead. What a weenie. He deserves to be walled in by real cars driven by real Americans.
I know 15 of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia, and some peaceniks say that oil money supports terrorists. But that’s what the Department of Homeland Security is for. Besides, if anyone messes with us, we'll bomb them until they don't hate us anymore! If we can find them. Too bad for the innocent people they hide with.
Recently I saw on TV how SUV's aren't really safer than weenie-cars, how they roll over, cause broken necks, and kill people in other cars. Then last month, two studies said the same thing. But I'd FEEL safer in an SUV, and how I feel is much more important than road safety or national security. Those anti-SUV people should just get a life. Which they can keep until they run into my SUV - Hah!
Think I should get the onboard navigation system? How about the DVD player? How big are the drink holders? I like big drink holders...
Postscript: Letters poured into the paper after my SUV rant, including one that amusingly complained, “With the country moving toward war, he’s worried about SUV’s! Get a life!” (If all our passenger vehicles got more than 25mpg, we could tell Saudi Arabia to keep their damn oil. Why do business with people who fund your enemies?)
Then yesterday, I witnessed an interesting wreck in Bloomington. Here’s the entry from my blog:
Think your SUV is safe? After my recent rant about SUV's, many people responded that they bought their big vehicles to keep their families safe. That may not have been such a good idea.
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A half hour ago, I was walking back to my office from lunch, when I heard a crash nearby, and hurried to the spot as police cars and ambulances thundered by. A Honda Civic (2,500 lb) had collided with a Chevy Blazer (3,800 lbs). The speed limit at the crash intersection was 30mph.
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When I arrived, the occupants of the Honda were standing on the curb, explaining to police what had happened. The front of the Honda was moderately crumpled, and the dual airbags had gone off. The occupants had apparently unbuckled themselves, opened their doors, and stepped out essentially unhurt.
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The Blazer was on its roof, and the resuce workers were prying the door open. I watched as the workers expertly wrapped the Blazer driver & passenger's necks in something called a "Rescue Stiffneck," removed them, and lashed them to a twin back-injury boards. The roof of the Blazer was crushed, nearly touching the headrest of the seats on the driver side.
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Make of it what you will.
- GW; Tuesday, February 25, 2003
The Pantagraph sent photographer Lori Ann Cook to cover the wreck. I’ve pinned up the photo here for you to see:
(Photo courtesy of the Pantagraph’s not knowing that I used it. I’ll remove it if they ask me to.)
Contact: george@wiman.us