[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by Fishbus

This whole exchange is predicated on the age-old American notion that bigger is always better. So we make fun of small things. Ha Ha, funny.

Take a look around the world, Asia and Europe, not just today but going back 100 years. Lots of small vehicles, or vehicles just big enough to do their job. If you made fun of everyone with a small car in Europe, you wouldn't have a lot of friends around.

This is America, so buy what you want, that's your right, but it's a bit silly to mock everyone who's interested in fuel economy or efficiency however. Gas isn't 25 cents a gallon anymore, and there's some major climate issues we have to deal with.

Kudos to folks who are using what they need and getting by.

Billy

No One is making fun of the size of what is Driven or the people who buy them And as far as the Smart car goes it Doesn't have anything to do with fuel economy ... Because it does not have any per ratio ... It is the safety element comparison of the statement that the people who drive Smart cars are trying to make at best estimate 38 miles per gallon ... They are Dangerous !! Per ratio ... I drove a Maxima in 2012 to Missouri 1000 miles round trip average Fuel economy 32 MPG .. And more power than I needed ... 2013 I drove an Infinity M37S to Fla. 1500 miles round trip 30 MPG with a lot more power than the Max. ..

As far as your knowledge of the size of vehicles .. I spent 2 tours in Viet Nam and as a Manager for Nissan Motor Mfr. extended stays ... 4 to be exact in Japan in 21 years ... Yes I know about small cars and the cost of gas ... And you mention size and go back 100 years ... yea ! I saw Oxon doing 90% of the labor in Rice Paddies in South East Asia ...

You Talk going back 100 Years .. Well I fall short about 30 years or so ... But When I got Married in 1964 I was an assistant manager at a Chevron Station ... Three Gallons for a $1.00 and when I was a kid in the 50's saw gas wars when gas was 15 and 20 cents ... and they washed your windshield and checked under the hood and tire pressures ... Which we did in the 60's ...

Yea lets look around the world and the size a costs of Vehicles and Fuel ... In 1968 during the Thet Offensive when I was stationed in Thailand most of the vehicles were Toyota's , Datsun's (Nissan) When these vehicles were shipped in to this country there was a 100% Tax placed on that Vehicle .. So a Datusn that cost $2000 ended up being $4000 and the fuel then over there was $2 per Gallon ...And Same in a lot of places in Europe and especially in Japan ... In the US We were paying around 40. cents per Gallon ... The reason why was because Most of our Oil came from Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, etc. ... And then as the EPA and environmentalist moved in everything changed ... So a lot of people are bitching about Fuel cost and MPG ... and Yet they voted for the guy on the left side of the aisle who won't let the Canadian pipe line come through our country or let offshore drilling or opening known oil deposits for drilling such as Alaska ... In my opinion you have no bitch coming ..

Billy, seeing you were born in New York and raised in California and your Demographics states trying to get by in Tennessee ... So first off We Tennesseans and most of us Southern people who say Yes Mam and Yes Sir ..believe in the Sovereignty of our 50 States ... And we respect All ... From your Back ground at a ripe old age of 42 You were raised Geographically and politically different than We were ...

As far as Climate change ... Battery powered Electric cars ... Here we go again a feel good machine ... GM tried it the Volt ... didn't happen to expensive ... Now another subject batteries .. These special batteries that all of these vehicles use are leased not owned by the car owner .. when a new battery is need a new one is leased ... Were do the old ones go ... Guess, Yep China ... because when they are recycled and the exposed gases are released into the Atmosphere ... China does not have any EPA restrictions which is more detrimental to the atmosphere ... Far worse than the so called Carbon Foot print ...

Now Climate Change I won't even begin to start on this subject ... But two things ... One belch of a volcano can do more atmospheric damage than all of the living beings and their machines in 100 years ... Two ... I heard a commentator make a statement last week that this winter is the coldest (now forget global warming)temps nation wide since 1914 ... My question is WHAT CAUSED IT IN 1914??) Not cars, not that many machines around or people and no Al Gore ... ?? Oh yes ... In the mid 70's I remember the cove where Flippers is located on Old Hickory in Gallatin freeze two years running and witnessed cars driving on it to the river channel ... It hasn't happened since ... No Human can predict or control Mother Nature ... I do believe in Climate Change it has been happening for eons !!

Billy, We don't believe that the US has to get in line to conform to the rest of the world and apologize to the world like our Colonist Commandeer and Chief has .. Yes we have changed our ways in Environmental ways ... recycling, more efficient vehicles on an average ... All of this is good ...

But don't try to make the US seem small or boisterous because we are not in the European community ... We are (Well were until 2008) the strongest most generous and benevolent country in the world ... Look around Billy Who does the world look at for help in time of need ... It is not France !! <'TK><