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by steveincanton from Canton

Last Post 8 days, 13 hours Ago


Now That Gas Is Hitting $4
May 14, 2008 | 4:14 PM
Category: News
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I wrote this blog around a year ago and with gas hitting $4 a gallon I wonder if opinions have changed or have stayed the same?

Would you be willing to trade some safety in cars to improve fuel mileage?

The auto producers are under constant pressure to make cars safer and at the same time Congress is demanding the miles per gallon to go up dramatically as well!

The safety devices on a vehicle can add up to over half a ton in weight and has made many cars go backwards in fuel economy!

The 1986 Honda Civic DX received 52 mpg city and 57 mpg highway compared to the 2007 model that receives 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway!

With all the mandatory safety devices the Honda weighs more than 700 pounds more than it did in 1986!

Would you be willing to trade some of these safety devices to have your fuel mileage go up dramatically?

21 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 21
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shockhazard read my blog view my photos
May 15, 2008 | 7:18 AM

The car would also be about 10,000 - 12,000 dollars cheaper to purchase .
LocalBlogger read my blog
May 15, 2008 | 9:09 AM

Give up safety? I don't see a need to do that. Vehicles these days are far safer and more fuel efficient than they have ever been.

The Smart car is cheap and great on gas, but against most other vehicles on my daily communte, they would probably fall on the worse end of a collision. I'd rather sacrifice a few MPG for safety.
teaspoone101 read my blog
May 15, 2008 | 11:53 AM

I think its impossible to protect everyone from everything, its also not everyones duty to make sure everything is so safe. Chances add some spice to life. America the Brave, not so much anymore. Haven't bought gas since the 12 of April, most my short trips now are done on my Bicycle (no helmet). Smiling the whole way. My job is less than 3 miles away. Times are changing people.
13six
May 15, 2008 | 10:37 PM

I really don't think that 700 pounds would give you a decrease of 20 mpg. The two main factors you need to look at are speed and distance. European cites have been living with 4.00 a gallon gas for years, but the cites are smaller the roads are small they drive slower in most areas. So they are able to use smaller vehicles. Driving down 96 or 275 in a 2000 pound vehicle at 70mph is just not fesible. When you turn your head to look at the car next to you and all you see are lug nuts you might rethink your route to work.
shockhazard read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2008 | 3:43 AM

13six , you didn't mention the autobahn , where they have been driving over a hundred miles an hour for over a half century now .
700 lbs. could work out to 20mpg. if you factor in all the emission crap they have to put on cars now . Since engines , at least the ones we use now , may only be around for another decade , so I think the feds should drop all emission standards for cars now , and save us the grief and cash .
steveincanton read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2008 | 4:18 PM

Emmision standards have also added to the lower MPG, My friend had a 85 rabbit that got 55 MPG so I wouldnt say cars of today get better MPGs.
steveincanton read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2008 | 4:24 PM

also remember back when they had bumpers on cars! I saw a test around a year ago where they did a front end crash on many makes of cars and the amounts were up to $8000. they threw in a 1980s Ford Escort and it was $200 to fix! They showed each crash in slow motion and you could see how the Escorts bumper bounced back!
teaspoone101 read my blog
May 17, 2008 | 9:09 AM

Hazard enough of our children have asthma now and you want to let some what, 50 million cars run amok all over our country. Walk save cash get a bike save cash, move closer to work save cash. Just cause others do silly things don't mean I have to. You can do it , don't rely on others to fix your problem.
steveincanton read my blog view my photos
May 17, 2008 | 2:40 PM

Asthma has many causes! Children that live on farms have less allergies and asthma! Partly because they they are exposed to the outdoors more and tend to weigh less!
steveincanton read my blog view my photos
May 17, 2008 | 2:42 PM

And by the way who was I asking to help with any problem of mine?
Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
May 17, 2008 | 7:55 PM

13 SIX MUST NEVER HAVE WENT TO EUROPE , IVE BEEN ALL OVER EUROPE AND THEY MAKE NEW YORK DRIVERS LOOK LIKE AMATURES ,THEY DRIVE VERY FAST AND CRAZY THERE , I ALMOST HAD TO TAKE A VACATION AFTER COMING BACK JUST TO CALM DOWN. THERE ROADS ARE MORE NARROW THERE AND THE CARS THEY ALL DRIVE ARE MOSTLY EQUAL IN SIZE
Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
May 17, 2008 | 7:57 PM

YOU WOULD BE SUPRISED HOW BETTER YOUR MILAGE WOULD WITH 700 LBS IN WEIGHT LESS
Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
May 17, 2008 | 7:57 PM

YOU WOULD BE SUPRISED HOW BETTER YOUR MILAGE WOULD WITH 700 LBS IN WEIGHT LESS
StooltimeCounseling read my blog view my photos
May 18, 2008 | 5:47 PM

It's been a number of years when I took drivers training classes, but back then, we were taught to drive defensively. A wise lesson back then when cars had less safety features than today, and a good lesson today. Always be aware of your surroundings when driving. Kind of hard to do when talking on a cell phone, but that's for another post.
Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
May 18, 2008 | 7:02 PM

YAH THEY CAN BE DISTRACTING (SCHOOLTIME COUNSELING) , WORST YET IS THESE KIDS TEXTING WHILE DRIVING ,THATS A SCARY THOUGHT ,I DONT REALLY KNOW IF TEXTING IS MOSTLY A KID THING ?? ALTHOUGH SAVING CAR WEIGHT TO GAIN MILES IS KIND OF SCARY ,MY ABOVE MESSAGE MAY SOUND LIKE IM FOR IT , I LIVE ON A MAIN ROAD 5 HOUSES FROM AN INTERSECTION AND IVE SEEN MANY BIG SIDE IMPACT CRASHES WITH NO DEATHS ,,YET
Mikey66 read my blog view my photos
May 18, 2008 | 8:09 PM

I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE AUTO COMPANIES COULD INCREASE M.P.G RATING IN TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY ,THERE PROBABLY IN BED WITH BIG OIL , WHO KNOWS ???
StooltimeCounseling read my blog view my photos
May 19, 2008 | 8:01 AM

You never know who's sleeping with who, Mikey. Not everybody kisses and tells.
springthing read my blog
May 19, 2008 | 9:03 AM

Now that gas is hitting $4.00 I think more and more people are going to start riding bikes and scooters. I'm looking for a good deal for a two seater.
steveincanton read my blog view my photos
May 19, 2008 | 9:04 AM

Increased crash standards + increased emission standards = crap MPG
bcs1969
May 19, 2008 | 10:45 AM

The smart car is a dumb car.

You can only haul 2 people, no cargo.

You will struggle getting insurance.

It doesn't get much better fuel economy than a 2003 Buick Century which hauls 4 people and their luggage. The Buick gets 36mpg highway to a Smart Car 40mpg. Smart wasn't smartly engineered if it only outdoes an old model Buick by 4mpg.

In metric tests the Smart Car may fare okay, but real world performance trial lawyers will get their profits several fold.
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steveincanton

Im a Emergency Medical Technician and in the last year I worked to pass a law to make it mandatory for all ambulances in the State of Michigan to carry Heart Defibrillators!!! In 2005 only around 20% of private ambulances carried them!!! Because I passed the law several organizations have me on a job black list and will not hire me!!! It doesnt matter because I recently became an EMT to save lives and by having Defibrillators on all ambulances many lives will be saved!!! In my spare time I also collect unusual antique stuff and I have a large Faygo collection dating back to 1921!!!

Member Since: 4/13/2007


 

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