Comments on: Real America: The Great American Teen SUV Death Race

By: Tulletilsynet

Tulletilsynet — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:30:29 +0000

This post is a nice piece of work!

Now can somebody with appropriate wonky chops come up with a proposal to get the black Town Cars off the roads of New York forever? — Better still, a proposal to make the people sitting in the back seat jointly liable for all moving violations and consequences of same?

My teeny car, a 1970 Karmann-Ghia (beetle in disguise), white with black ragtop. Wish I had it today.

By: Abe Sauer

Abe Sauer — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:44:45 +0000

This is very very cool Drew. So. Much. Metal.

By: drew

drew — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:05:50 +0000

Basically we're taking about a ton off the road with every transaction. Between gas, hospital bills, road repairs and shipping this spend should more than cover itself.

I whipped up a quick visualization here: http://dbreunig.tumblr.com/post/156572950/basically-with-every-transaction-were-taking

By: hipstr

hipstr — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:30:29 +0000

Wow, even so, that is a pretty sweet 'mobile.

By: Abe Sauer

Abe Sauer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:36:16 +0000

Jeeps. :(

By: Abe Sauer

Abe Sauer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:35:40 +0000

Hey. I drive a Jeep Cherokee (not the shitty yuppie "Grand" version). They are unkillable and I am convinced that after the Armageddon they will be the only tings left to drive away from the cockroaches. Plus: They have few computerized parts so they can be fixed by almost any mechanic in any small town. I had the experience recently of having an Audi break down in rural America. Know who can fix an Audi in rural Midwest? Nobody. PLus, Jeep's have the same basic body was used for 20 years so you can get parts super-cheap. Gas mileage is like 18 but in a place where a 4WD is necessary they are ok.

By: CaptainFantastic

CaptainFantastic — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:21:14 +0000

I trust you were just trying to get to the White Horse Inn.

By: rj77

rj77 — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:19:59 +0000

Great piece. So glad that my first car was an '84 Chevy Celebrity.

And Jeep Cherokees are utter shit. I am not surprised to see them high up on the trade-in list.

By: Bittersweet

Bittersweet — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:56:43 +0000

My first car was a bright yellow 1978 Ford Fiesta that gave new meaning to the word "lemon." Looking back I think I'd have preferred an '82 Chevette. Although neither would've done me much good in a crash with an SUVeenager.

By: Abe Sauer

Abe Sauer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:51:20 +0000

Yes. This is what my brother calls them.

By: HeyThatsMyBike

HeyThatsMyBike — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:48:52 +0000

You are better than Ed Koch.

By: David

David — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

And when in Canada, don't post your car related antics on line:

"TORONTO, Aug 4 (Reuters) – A YouTube video showing a 7-year-old boy at the wheel of a sport utility vehicle — with his family cheering him on — has prompted an investigation by Quebec police and family services, police said on Tuesday.

The video, apparently shot by the boy's father from the SUV's passenger seat as the boy drives and his mom and siblings watch from the back seat, was brought to the attention of Quebec Provincial Police on Monday, Sergeant Chantal Mackels said. …

Finding the family wasn't much of a challenge, given the father's enthusiastic narration of the video, including their location in Quebec and the boy's first name.

Police are considering both criminal charges and traffic violations and have also contacted the province's department of child protection to investigate the family, Mackels said. "

By: sigerson

sigerson — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:12:42 +0000

First car: 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger (green with white vinyl top). 13k miles, driven to the super market by a little old lady once a week. Soon after I bought it all the brake lines bled out, having dried out in her carport for years.

By: propertius

propertius — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:08:42 +0000

I did see the aftermath of one crash between an SUV and a compact, where the outcome was the reverse of expected. Of the two cars, the compact stood proudly on all four wheels without that much damage, while the SUV had rolled into a building and was lying wheels up on its buckled roof.

By: BoHan

BoHan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:57:16 +0000

Wow. As a car guy, I can say your knowledge of demographics and rollover issues is major. Good job. I finally ditched my 350Z after the third SUVeenager reversed in traffic and backed up to my windshield.

By: KarenUhOh

KarenUhOh — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:49:40 +0000

I'll add a Mid-America Missive: my first car was a '72 VW Beetle. The Baja version, with the metallic chlamydia paint and mag wheels. I drove that baby, along with my Baby at the time, to CA after I graduated college. Three weeks, 7,000 miles. Got pulled over on Hopi Land for going 79, in honor of the year. "Speed limit's 55 here. Is all over the country," said the Tribal Officer.

Two years later, I was Car #3 in a red-light-run collision at Fourth and Green in Champaign. A block away from the corner John Prine wrote "The Accident" about. Caved the entire driver's side door and window in on me. I walked away from it, and graduated to an '82 Chevette.

Which put me closer to the Heartbeat of America.

By: KarenUhOh

KarenUhOh — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:44:50 +0000

Well, hey. Nice addition.

And: is "Ford Exploder" intentional?

By: HiredGoons

HiredGoons — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:44:45 +0000

Don't forget the teen 'I'm immortal/invincible' factor.

By: HiredGoons

HiredGoons — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:43:55 +0000

"You don't need to be an economist to put all of this together. "

But I bet they could make it fall apart! (rimshot)

By: BadUncle

BadUncle — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:40:13 +0000

This is why the drinking age and the driving age should be swapped. Let little Dylan and Monte Carlo text all they want as they stagger home from "study sessions." The rest of us can drive securely in the knowledge that an SUV won't roll over our energy efficient, recycled cellulose-body solar cars.