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WEDNESDAY HOT READ: HERE COMES THE SMUGMOBILEBy Charlie SykesAs we await the advent of the ObamaCar, here is a preview of the sort of thing the government wants us to drive. Much has been written about the Insight, Honda’s new low-priced hybrid. We’ve been told how much carbon dioxide it produces, how its dashboard encourages frugal driving by glowing green when you’re easy on the throttle and how it is the dawn of all things. The beginning of days. So far, though, you have not been told what it’s like as a car; as a tool for moving you, your friends and your things from place to place. So here goes. It’s terrible. Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy. It’s the first car I’ve ever considered crashing into a tree, on purpose, so I didn’t have to drive it any more. ... The Honda’s petrol engine is a much-shaved, built-for-economy, low-friction 1.3 that, at full chat, makes a noise worse than someone else’s crying baby on an airliner. It’s worse than the sound of your parachute failing to open. Really, to get an idea of how awful it is, you’d have to sit a dog on a ham slicer. So you’re sitting there with the engine screaming its head off, and your ears bleeding, and you’re doing only 23mph because that’s about the top speed, and you’re thinking things can’t get any worse, and then they do because you run over a small piece of grit. ..
Read the whole thing, especially the part about the environmental impact of the batteries in this thing. |
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Monday, May 25 at 1:42 PM MADDOG wrote ...
In any event zenia is not getting enough juice.
23797482 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 7:26 PM Prof wrote ...
I'll re-cite my experiment of a few weeks ago: I duct-taped a fan to the roof of my car, facing backwards to gain the added wind-power. I haven't noticed an improvement in my MPG. What is wrong with my assumptions?
23797477 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 7:17 PM HEY wrote ...
Zenia's brain works on broken-wind power
23797472 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 4:04 PM Renee wrote ...
Stan you echo the lib hatred for breeders like me and for children in general. I hope you don't become a breeder and haul your "precious snowflakes" in your cardboard-crap car. I don't think any woman would want to have "snowflakes" with you anyway because you "smell" like all libs-funky!!!
23797467 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 12:00 PM WI Conservative wrote ...
John H. "They all drive like they are permanently lost. Getting these goofs off the road would one of this country’s greatest accomplishments." Hmm, kinda like the guy I saw yesterday driving his Prius while texting on 45SB; going 5mph under the speed limit and swerving all over in the lane. But, he was driving a politically-correct "hybrid", so according to liberals he's allowed to drive like an ass-hat, right Johnny?
23797462 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 10:43 AM Mombo Napoliatno wrote ...
Many jobs will be created washing and repairing sails on the windmobiles.
23797457 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 9:12 AM MADDOG wrote ...
Zenias brain works on wind power.
23797452 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 4:44 AM brushman wrote ...
Boy, I'm glad I bought a new SUV last year. With the new CAFE standards decreed by His Most High Obamaship, SUVs will soon become more and more scarce. Usually I'd have to buy a new car every 5 years or so (I had a job requiring I drive 50K a year). A new job requires less driving, and I now plan on keeping this one as long as possible. I wonder if I can out 500,000 miles on a Highlander….
23797447 Flag for moderationThursday, May 21 at 4:07 AM Mark wrote ...
Is CarMax a publicly traded company? Just a thought....
23797442 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 8:50 PM Hank wrote ...
"How many people are going to die in these cardboard boxes?"..well Ann, as many as it takes. You see, the earth has a fever, and the only cure is more americans dying to save Gaia. Or this is our attempt to shake our dependence on foreign oil, and it's much better to kill a couple thousand americans every year than drill into mother earth on US soil to get her evil petroleum products.
23797437 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 7:50 PM ann wrote ...
How many people are going to die in these cardboard boxes?
23797432 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 7:24 PM ijeff wrote ...
At what point in Obama's mission to destory the fabric of this Country will some of the liberal idiot posters here finally realize what he's done? My guess is never. Once again we are depending on the so-called "moderates" to finally get a grasp on their exiled brains and create the backlash against Obama that took conservatives about 10 days to reach.
23797427 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 6:21 PM Paul M. wrote ...
New and Used vehicles with big engines just gained substantial market value - HOPEfully, I won't have to CHANGE and buy a new vehicle until Obama/Dems are out of the majority
23797422 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 6:07 PM DG wrote ...
You know, if this was such a great idea , wouldn't we have been doing this years ago on our own. If this was such a great idea wouldn't someone have been building these cars years ago? Why is it always a great idea when government thinks of it and then it fails 2 years down the road? How is all that Corn gas doing?
23797417 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 5:02 PM John wrote ...
What I find most interesting about this fantastic article is in the last page where he mentions the "Clarity" hydrogen car. His point until we have a better replacement then the internal combustion engine people will only change if they are forced is spot on. The answer is and the focus should be on HYDROGEN.
23797412 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 4:52 PM Dan wrote ...
My goodness, if that man ever wants to come to Green Bay I will buy him all the American-made swill we call beer or whatever he cares to drink. Haven't enjoyed an article so much since Dave Barry quit writing regularly.
23797407 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 4:32 PM Hank wrote ...
Arnold IS a leftwing goof. The rightwing tried to tell the republicans in CA that years ago but they weren't listening. Arnold is much a conservative as Colin Powell is.
23797402 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 3:51 PM The Facts wrote ...
These are the same standards that California has already passed, and other states, Wisconsin being one, ready to do the same. So pretending that this is some liberal scam simply isn't true. Unless Arnold the guy you wanted to change the Constitution a few years ago so he could run for President is now a left wing goof.
23797397 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 3:22 PM Jeff wrote ...
There is no way the domestic auto makers can meet these unrealistic CAFE ratings without flooding the market with tiny sub-compact cars. Pick-up trucks, SUV'S and Minivans as we know them would have to disappear. They could only exist with very small ineffective engines that would make them useless. This is America and I want and demand to be able to drive the type of vehicle I want and need to. If you want the Obama junk go to Europe or Japan.
23797392 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 3:08 PM James wrote ...
Unfortunately, John H is committing the old game of omission on his point about having 1 standard instead of 50. The executive order, was done in part of that reason. Obama is correct in this view, as was GW Bush. Obama set the mileage standards impossibly high precisely to eliminate any vehicle larger than a subcompact or smart car. Get ready of Ford Pinto v2.Obama. Ultimately, O wants the peasnat class forced into state run cattle cars(trains) and not driving at all.
23797387 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 3:08 PM Kevin O. wrote ...
I wish this debate could be more honest. Dems believe we should drive the cars they want us to drive. Repubs believe people should be able to drive any car the person chooses to. Be it a Prius, Jeep, mini-van, or SUV. I thought America was about freedom, or least it was at one point in time.
23797382 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 1:33 PM Hank wrote ...
Good lib John H, Good lib. 46,000 deaths are 'lame'???The only lame thing is your "sit back and wait for china and japan to do it" comment. Do what - cripple their auto industries like the US government has crippled ours? We can only hope they follow down the same path to ruin- right now that's the only hope the US has of maintaining its superpower status. However, most of the rest of the world (especially china and india) are moving away from the disastrous policies obama wants to adopt.
23797377 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 1:29 PM John H to Hank wrote ...
So those 46,000 were all in compact cars? You find these new standards lame then you use lame stats to try to back it up. What is your solution, sit back, wait, Let Japan do it or China? You obviously think we can't, so what is your plan, doing what we have been doing since '74..basically nothing. Then you wonder why Republicans aren't getting elected. What is your timetable, do you have one, or is the goal just to complain and do nothing, yeah that will work.
23797372 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 12:37 PM Hank wrote ...
Here's some of the human toll of hope and change (courtesy of Walter E Williams): "In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences calculated that CAFE standards caused 2,000 additional traffic deaths each year. In 1999, a USA Today analysis of government and Insurance Institute data found that since the 1970s CAFE standards went into effect, 46,000 people died in crashes which they would have likely survived had they been riding in heavier cars".
23797367 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 11:43 AM Amy P. wrote ...
That, or Zenia has no problem walking several miles - especially in the dead of Wisconsin's winters - when that "wind trolley" has no wind to move it along. But I still see she has no problem using energy when the rset of us are bad for - gasp! - wanting to drive safe, roomy, accommodating vehicles. Satire or insanity - either way it's sad.
23797362 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 11:32 AM Hank wrote ...
John H, we're appalled because it's stupid and short sighted. It will cost people more money, and also cost lives as compromises to structural design are made in the name of fuel economy. But it's hope and change - who cares what the real impact is. It's the thought that counts, right?
23797357 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 11:20 AM Dave P. wrote ...
And the winner must be...QUIRKY SATIRE!!! Why else would Zenia present a wind trolley as a viable alternative? Because if she really, really means it, she is merely an object lesson on what happens when you sniff aerosol one too many times...
23797352 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 11:15 AM Zenia wrote ...
I agree with me that we need more wind trolley innovation. Wind trolley would make good way for us who care about environment to get around.
23797347 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 11:13 AM Dave P. wrote ...
Zenia has returned...mindless sloganeering or quirky satire? Who can tell?
23797342 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 10:41 AM Amy P. wrote ...
Zenia: If pollution is such a problem, why do you still use electricity and have a computer? When folks like you live as green as they want the rest of us to, then we'll have a discussion. In the meantime, keep your hypocritical hands off my steering wheel. I have a family, a job, and a life that requires a vehicle bigger than a Matchbox Car. Don't like big cars - don't buy one!
23797337 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 10:40 AM John H wrote ...
The reason for the law is for all automakers to have one standard, not 50, which would even be a bigger nightmare than you are already imagining. Now because we have one standard introduced by a liberal, according to you people the know how of American Industry is hand tied and the world will end soon. Every President since Nixon wanted to do this, finally one actually is doing it and suddenly you are appalled.
23797332 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 10:34 AM btycrkr to bajaskier wrote ...
That's the point! They don't WANT you to haul anything! 1)Your boat pollutes the pristine lakes! 2)You shouldn't have so many kids! 3)You don't need to work! The government will take care of EVERYTHING.....you are getting sleepy.....soon you'll be a drooling loser with a vacant look on your face waiting for the government to tell you what to do next! Just as Zenia/feenpell
23797327 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 10:24 AM bajaskier wrote ...
Note the anti-(real) car crowd never did answer how to: haul kids, haul equipment or tow a boat/camper in a tuna can? And when all the cars are electric, we can look forward to being told not to charge them because we are overburdening the electric grid.
23797322 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 10:22 AM DG wrote ...
Yep, this all makes sense to me. In place of taking on vehicle that seats 6, we will now have to take 3 vehicles that seat 2. Load up the goodies and we are off to up north, Brewer games, Badger games, Packer games. Yep, makes sense to me to pay 3 times the parking.
23797317 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 10:17 AM RobK wrote ...
It's nice to see a review of a vehicle and how it performs as a vehicle, rather than as a tool to save the earth. I like the fact that Jeremy points out that since these new hybrids are terrible to drive compared to contemporary cars, the only people that drive them are people that need to show off their save the world credentials, even as they drive cars that do more harm to the environment than a Land Rover when you factor in the manufacturing inefficiencies of building them. Top Gear Rules!
23797312 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 10:05 AM Locke wrote ...
Bush blew it by completely stalling CAFE. BUT Fleet average isn't fair to some lines and is easy to game. Simple solution: Each car model must improve a set percentage year on year. Maybe 2-5 percent. It does't have to be a big number, just continually improving. Obviously manufacturers don't update/refresh every year so the less frequent they update, the bigger the step up they must take. And a percentage instead of fixed MPG means trucks/SUVs don't die, they just get gradually more efficient.
23797307 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 9:51 AM Walt to Zenia (or feenpell) wrote ...
If you are really looking forward to “breathing again” here is a tip for you. You can still cup that paper bag over your nose and mouth to breathe but next time try to cut down on the airplane glue. You will find that you can once again breath but may make more sense on your next post. An even better idea would be to use plastic.
23797302 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 9:12 AM Hank wrote ...
Ah, the nonsense was so obvious it could only have been one person. Or a group of howler monkeys pounding on a computer keyboard.
23797297 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 9:02 AM Dragondazin wrote ...
ALSO john h. I do believe it still is America, Why shouldn't I be able to drive what I want when I want? Next You have never been outside your liberal bubble long enough to realize there is no REAL advantage to making cars smaller. If you want a prius carry on, BUT DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DRIVE! And dont make me subsidize the disposal of your polluting batteries from them. And don't forget the lithium batteries are VERY dangerous and when they fail they burn at over 2000 degrees!
23797292 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 9:01 AM Zenia wrote ...
Hank-hold on, I have to cough up my soot covered phlegn wad. Get your head out of halyburton backside and see the truth that has finally exposed the dark greedy underbelly of the right wing.
23797287 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 8:56 AM Hank wrote ...
Zenia, is that you posting gibberish under a new name?
23797282 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 8:53 AM feenpell wrote ...
No reason for single occupency with giant SUVs. Bush crackdown on environment why Honda car is poor. Solar and wind trolley innovations are what the market needs. These sources of energy are pollution free and hiways won't be clogged with gas guzzlers. I look forward to when we can breathe again.
23797277 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 8:40 AM JJ wrote ...
John H is just taking the Saul Alinsky/Obama tact of identifying, ridiculing and destroying anyone that thinks something different from you... The problem there - more and more are getting hip to their groove. The insults are starting to roll like water off the proverbial duck's back. Seriously - how many of you care if you get called a racist anymore? The term has been so over and stupidly used its now meaningless.
23797272 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 8:39 AM Bill the Broker wrote ...
Hey John, I drive a chevy avalanche, a new one thanks to the market. It weighs 6700 lbs. heavier than my last silverado. Up high, heated leather seats, smoothest ride on the planet. I drive about 30k mile/yr, mostly me and XM radio. I will order a brand new engine and tranny for this one, and keep it in the heated garage with my SUV so I can do this as long as I can... If the ethanol people get their way, I will buy all of the gas I need as well and store that too...
23797267 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 8:05 AM foodwagon wrote ...
I have a suv that sits 4 adults & 4 sets of golf clubs. Do I now have to buy 2 cars to do the same thing or do I take a bus to South Hills?
23797262 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 7:45 AM DG wrote ...
And what about all those busses that clog up the city streets with all their smog? Any rules for them??
23797257 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 7:40 AM Hank wrote ...
John H, I agree. We shouldn't allow vehicles that don't get filled to capacity all the time. Therefore, we must ban all county buses, which are usually under 5% capacity every time I see one.
23797252 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 7:31 AM Locke wrote ...
Wow John H, nothing like derogatory stereotyping people. Though I guess that's acceptable if you're doing it against the right kind of people. And a cap reduces your hauling capacity by 50% or more? Wow, I'm guessing you'd fail that same math test that bunch of would-be teachers did. Unless you consider the storage capacity of a pickup to be stuff piled to double the height of the top of the cab.
23797247 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 7:05 AM John H wrote ...
Of the next 100 PUs you see 98 will be empty, and the 2 hauling anything would fit into a trunk of a ‘51 VW Beetle. These guys need a truck for their hauling, then don’t haul squat. Some put a cap on them to eliminate about 50% or more of their hauling capacity. They all drive like they are permanently lost. Getting these goofs off the road would one of this country’s greatest accomplishments. The market for greasy baseball caps would diminish, but that is small price to pay.
23797242 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 6:04 AM Ruben in Brookfield wrote ...
LOL Soccer Mom! I drive a big V8 and I get a whooping 14.8 mpg. If I ever hit one of those 'Insights' I probably wouldn't even feel it. I was watching the press conference yesterday with "O" and nothing was added together between what car makers are going through right now (bankruptcy), and what "O" wants them to do for some more mpgs (big bucks!).
23797237 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 6:00 AM Walt wrote ...
I’ve got these liberals all figured out. When I worked SAR in Oregon I had to be a qualified EMT to crew our rescue boats. In training for my EMT license we had to practice extractions of victims from car crash vehicles and it was tough going in a FULL SIZE CAR. As liberals put us all in these tiny little coffins what they are actually trying to do is solve the “health care problem”, because there will be fewer survivors needing medical care.
23797232 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 5:49 AM Stan wrote ...
Dawn, soccer moms and North Shore Nancies such as yourself....who are proud to be wasteful, ignorant and materialistic....typify everything that is wrong with much of modern society. However, as soon as things go south, Dawn will be first in line, demanding all the assistance, money and special treatment she can get for her precious little snowflakes. Keep on driving that SUV three blocks down the street to pick up diapers for your little runt, you lazy WASP.
23797227 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 5:37 AM Dawn- Soccer Mom wrote ...
The will have to pry the steering wheel of my hulking SUV from my cold dead hands!
23797222 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 5:15 AM Jeff wrote ...
What people don't understand is that Europe and Japan are smaller than the U.S. They don't need to drive as far on a regular basis as we do. Small cars with small engines work for them. NOT FOR US. Oh how I long for the V8 power of the 60's & 70's, to cruise all day long at 75mph and the engine was hardly even working. Real American cars made right here in the good old U.S.A. Cars you could work on yourself. 20 to 25 mpg in a big car with a V/8, not too bad, I could live with that.
23797217 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 4:58 AM jenni wrote ...
There is no way I am buying one of these death traps! I fear I will have no choice in the matter later because I'm only 25 and have a lot of driving years left.
23797212 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 4:52 AM Locke wrote ...
You should've credited the article - it's not some rant by a anti-environment hack who doesn't know anything about cars, it's by Jeremy Clarkson. While I can say I really know nothing about his politics (and don't really care to) he is a "car guy." He spends pretty much every waking minute driving them, talking about them, researching them. What he says about the new insight...it carries a lot of weight.
23797207 Flag for moderationWednesday, May 20 at 4:35 AM Amy P. wrote ...
But Charlie, these results don't matter. What matters is that Obama and other environmentalists FEEL good. If the car doesn't work, well, that's just too bad...intentions - not outcomes - are all that matter.
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