[quote]katzenjammer wrote:
Anyone wonder whether the fedel gubinment “owning” GM - and needing it to maintain/gain market share - has anything to do with this? Just askin’ [/quote]
That’s where my money is. This is a witch hunt against Uncle Sugar’s competitors.
mike
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
If its all ‘crap’, then why support foreign workers? Fuck ‘em, they don’t care about you or me.
My point is that if someone built a domestic that did the Toyota thing, covered it up, and anyone in my family was maimed or killed…well, daddy’s gone a-huntin’…
[/quote]
Yeah, because when I’m driving my 96’ Accord all I can think about is how those damn foreign workers don’t give a fuck about me. FUCK YOUR WELL MADE, FUEL EFFICIENT AND ALL-AROUND DURABLE AUTOMOBILES. WHITE POWER. PALIN 2012.
[quote]ckallander wrote:
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
If its all ‘crap’, then why support foreign workers? Fuck ‘em, they don’t care about you or me.
My point is that if someone built a domestic that did the Toyota thing, covered it up, and anyone in my family was maimed or killed…well, daddy’s gone a-huntin’…
[/quote]
Yeah, because when I’m driving my 96’ Accord all I can think about is how those damn foreign workers don’t give a fuck about me. FUCK YOUR WELL MADE, FUEL EFFICIENT AND ALL-AROUND DURABLE AUTOMOBILES. WHITE POWER. PALIN 2012.
[/quote]
You announce that you’re driving a 14 year old little bubble car. Do you have LOSER tattooed on your forehead?
Obama voters. Tsk, tsk…
Long time lurker here. Car issues have always particularly annoyed me, so I’m chirpin’ in for once.
I have always been baffled by this idea that having a drivers’ license and operating a powerful motor vehicle is a God given right. That’s what it seems to be these days. Not sure what licensing in the U.S. is like, but in Australia it’s a complete joke.
I believe it would be a move in the right direction to require everyone to undergo advanced and defensive driving courses (maybe even every few years) before being allowed on public roads. People need to understand the nuances of operating a car in various extreme circumstances, and then be allowed to do so in a safe environment so they can become comfortable with it to some extent. Then at least that will carry over somewhat in real situations.
That someone can slam down the accelerator when they meant to use the brake and then panic so much that they cannot initiate any one (or several) of the numerous, quick and reasonable responses to the situation, and that this person somehow got a license, is totally mind-boggling.
Here in Brisbane 50%+ of people don’t even seem to be able to operate their indicator, much less control their vehicle in unforeseen and extreme conditions.
[quote]Cameron_Phillips wrote:
Long time lurker here. Car issues have always particularly annoyed me, so I’m chirpin’ in for once.
I have always been baffled by this idea that having a drivers’ license and operating a powerful motor vehicle is a God given right. That’s what it seems to be these days. Not sure what licensing in the U.S. is like, but in Australia it’s a complete joke.
I believe it would be a move in the right direction to require everyone to undergo advanced and defensive driving courses (maybe even every few years) before being allowed on public roads. People need to understand the nuances of operating a car in various extreme circumstances, and then be allowed to do so in a safe environment so they can become comfortable with it to some extent. Then at least that will carry over somewhat in real situations.
That someone can slam down the accelerator when they meant to use the brake and then panic so much that they cannot initiate any one (or several) of the numerous, quick and reasonable responses to the situation, and that this person somehow got a license, is totally mind-boggling.
Here in Brisbane 50%+ of people don’t even seem to be able to operate their indicator, much less control their vehicle in unforeseen and extreme conditions.[/quote]
If you tighten driving requirements you deprive people of their liberty of movement. You continue to push people into even more cramped urban areas and make them dependent upon the state. Do we have a lot of accidents? Sure, but that’s a small price to pay for the benefit.
mike
It’s not deprivation. It’s just requiring drivers to have the decency to not be totally incompetent, which most currently are. If they can’t drive safely and reasonably, then maybe they should be stuck with a dependence on the state - and maybe the state should work on perfecting its public transport systems which are shocking over here. It’s motivation for them to improve to a reasonable base level, and ultimately that would be hugely beneficial for everyone. Imagine for example, if the government has confidence in a minimum level of driving competency and a proper understanding of road rules they could crank up speed limits almost everywhere. If my proposition seems too severe though, perhaps incentivising further driver training would be a sufficient place to start.
Also specific to Australia again seeing as I’m unfamiliar with the situation in the U.S. - the Queensland state government pumps a lot of money into running retarded and ineffective anti-speeding campaigns. As if speeding is the one and only cause of accidents (as opposed to 18 - 25 yr olds screaming around in early 90’s V8 Commodores and Falcons) instead of just a contributing factor to severity. I think the money would better achieve their goals of reducing road tolls by subsidising driver training programs on a large scale. Going 70 in a 60 zone doesn’t cause accidents and kill people, sheer incompetence does.
Toyota FTW!
â??Toyotaâ??s own internal documents indicate that a premium was placed on delaying or closing NHTSA investigations, delaying new safety rules and blocking the discovery of safety defects,â?? Representative Edolphus Towns, a New York Democrat and chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said at a hearing of the panel two days ago."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aS5M.1rCaA90&pos=14
Keep on buying those rice burners!!
[quote]Cameron_Phillips wrote:
It’s not deprivation. It’s just requiring drivers to have the decency to not be totally incompetent, which most currently are. If they can’t drive safely and reasonably, then maybe they should be stuck with a dependence on the state - and maybe the state should work on perfecting its public transport systems which are shocking over here. It’s motivation for them to improve to a reasonable base level, and ultimately that would be hugely beneficial for everyone. Imagine for example, if the government has confidence in a minimum level of driving competency and a proper understanding of road rules they could crank up speed limits almost everywhere. If my proposition seems too severe though, perhaps incentivising further driver training would be a sufficient place to start.
[/quote]
And if the state doesn’t provide public transportation to say…your sick grandma’s house?
I’m not saying we shouldn’t be making sure people on the road are safe, but there’s no denying that taking away a person’s right to drive absolutely limits their freedom of movement.
mike
My sick Grandmother’s house not served adequately by public transport? Then my family would look after her in whatever capacity best served her. That’s what family is supposed to do. When we are in need we look to our own, we don’t want or expect help from the state.
I agree that removing the privilege to drive would be incapacitating for some. As is removing the right to live for the kids that could have been run over in the lobby of the aforementioned fitness centre.
Why is driving a God-given right? There are other modes of transport. And if they have to adapt their lifestyle because they aren’t fit to operate a car, then too bad. Or maybe they could take responsibility and get the necessary training so they can drive safely.
Most everything that requires skill requires some kind of certification and regulation. The current licensing systems around the world can not be described by those terms. Just because driving seems like a simple activity at face value doesn’t mean the ability to do it is just somehow ingrained in our DNA or something.