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U.S. hikes mileage standards for cars, trucks

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Its about time. But we also need a ban on rampant gas guzzlers like the Humvee...today.

Plus we need to crack down on industry much more than personal transportation. Industry is where most of the greenhouse gas emissions come from, along with all the other environmental pollution.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

How about just letting consumers decide what they want to drive.

It's not the government's job nor role to mandate the preferences of consumers. The idea of a free market is that the consumers decide and companies provide what the consumers demand.

A lot of families chose large vehicles for safety and convenience also. There's no substitute for passenger safety then size and weight.

And what's better for the environment and traffic? One mother car pooling 8 kids to the soccer game in one Chev Suburban or 8 mothers driving their own kid in 8 tiny skimpy Smart cars that are actually death traps in accidents.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

NeverSubmit Aug. 29, 2012 - 08:05AM JST How about just letting consumers decide what they want to drive. It's not the government's job nor role to mandate the preferences of consumers. The idea of a free market is that the consumers decide and companies provide what the consumers demand.

They have. If the gas in the U.S. becomes over $5 - $6 per gallon on the average, consumer will adjust to their own individual budget. The higher price of gas will become a reality in the U.S., since China sells about 18 million cars a year, they buy most of their oil from the same source as U.S. Within a decade, China will import over 70 percent from abroad and over 80 percent in two decades. The incease in demand for oil from China, India, and other developing countries will make it harder for U.S. to have cheap energy like in the past. This is the reason why all the U.S. and foreign auto manufacturer is adjusting to making the cars lighter, stronger, with smaller powerful engine, and with a better gas milage. These fuel efficient cars and trucks will be the norm for the future.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The idea of a free market is that the consumers decide and companies provide what the consumers demand.

Maybe you should take some time to also look into the ideas of mass extinction?

I don't see nukes, fully automatic assault rifles, or cyanide on the free market either.

And you cannot drive certain vehicles if they don't pass emission standards.

Fact is, total freedom is not possible. Try it, and you get a pirate ship, or Somalia. Rules and restrictions are necessary to a point, or it all collapses. Horribly polluting vehicles are just not worth the enviromental degredation. Sorry.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It's black and white.

Obama and co. want to clean the air and increase auto engine efficiency.

The GOP want more coal that will subsequently lead to dirtier air, and more disease and death.

The GOP - amazingly - even wants to break up the EPA in favor or more polluting big  businesses. That's the same EPA that helped bring them cleaner air and water.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"How about just letting consumers decide what they want to drive"

Nah, consumers don't know what's good for them.

"we also need a ban on rampant gas guzzlers like the Humvee"

Heck, how about a ban on Hollywood movies where they use tons of gasoline blowing up stuff, lol.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Heck, how about a ban on Hollywood movies where they use tons of gasoline blowing up stuff, lol.

Or just require CG effects from now on? Sounds good!

Just because I said ban Humvees does not mean I want to do it totalitarian style. I would be happy with banning sales of new ones and leave the ones on the road today alone. The average joe does not need a humvee or 3/4 ton any more than he needs handgrenades. Still plenty of ways to make up for having a mini-sausage without them.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Oil is a finite resource, this is common sense long awaited from the US.

High MPG demands better innovation, not necessarily less power. The mentality of the past 70 odd years to make it bigger, rather than better, has gone the way of the dinosaur.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I would take it a step further, say the Indy 500?? Make gasoline illegal and use hybrid engines etc... just an idea...oh and all those trashy monster trucks?? Etc just ban all that shit if they can not make it zero emissions and/ or hybrid!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Pure stupidity. Of course, a better milage is desirable. But way to achieve that is to set proper incentives and let the market forces work, and not by creating yet a law based on figures that politician pull out of thin air.

2025? 2x milage? How the clows come up with that? Why not 2014 and 4-times? Or any other combination? Whenever politicians want to micromanage technology based on figures based on comittee decisions, a sane person has to shudder.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sushisake:

" It's black and white. Obama and co. want to clean the air and increase auto engine efficiency. "

LOL, yeah right. One has to admire the abilitiy of some to live in such a simplistic world, though.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Consumers can still freely decide which car to buy and there is no reason that makers would not offer gas guzzlers any more. They just become slightly(!) more expensive. Compared to car prices and fuel costs, CAFE penalties are negligible. CAFE is a smoke screen for politicians who want to give themselves some green paint but are too coward to do what would really be effective: raise taxes on fuel.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

willi,

"But way to achieve that is to set proper incentives and let the market forces work"

The US has been fighting that hard reality since the 1960's to no avail. America is in denial about fossil fuels in a desperate attempt to cling to their under-engineered, overweight and poorly built dinosaurs, but in fact it is in the US's interests to wean down it's use of imported fuel.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17344368/ns/business-autos/t/us-stuck-reverse-fuel-economy/#.UD4yAdYgdBk

This was an article written years ago, in the five years since European technology had gotten more powerful and even more economical. I'm currently driving a chipped Audi A5 diesel that will out run and certainly out handle most American sports-cars today, at 55 MPG. Time to wake up.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Madverts:

" The US has been fighting that hard reality since the 1960's to no avail. America is in denial about fossil fuels in a desperate attempt to cling to their under-engineered, overweight and poorly built dinosaurs, "

The "under-engineered, overweight and poorly built dinosaurs" are being built because people buy them. A serious gasoline tax would create a demand for fuel-efficient cars in no time, and industry would produce them. That is how a market works.

But don´t expect politicians from either party to touch that. To the contrary, you can fully expect Potus Obama to tap the strategic oil reserves to keep pump prices down if the Middle East heats up... after all, an election needs to be won.

Instead, politicians pull out wild figures out thin air and promise mircles for the year 2025. Hell, if you can solve engineering issues by law, why don´t they make a law requiring perpetual-motion motors? It is the same childish idea, namely that bureaucrats can decide by decree what is technically and economically feasible.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Hell, if you can solve engineering issues by law, why don´t they make a law requiring perpetual-motion motors?"

Because that technology is up their with Robby Rocket-Pants.

" Hell, if you can solve engineering issues by law,"

Did you read my post or link? Clearly not.

The technology has been developed elsewhere, the Americans have been in denial for years, their automobile industry is on the brink. How can a country that brought us all amazement from NASA's achievements be so backwards elsewhere?

It's in the US national and global interests to act on this, as China and India's consumption skyrockets forcing the prices up.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And besides, US emissions and safety requirements are subject to strict legislation, why shouldn't manufacturers be forced to get their MPG levels to a standard still under current euro levels? Two words;

Common sense.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The air is very dirty in Tulsa today. Came up over the hill on I44 east and it looked like a brown blanket over the city. Never Submit a bigger vehicle is not always safer. They are very dangerous in rollover accidents. Because the vehicle is so heavy the roof caves in. Then there are people being ejected from not wearing seat belts.

Less fuel consumption means less pollution and less money spent.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm currently driving a chipped Audi A5 diesel that will out run and certainly out handle most American sports-cars today, at 55 MPG.

Maybe the government should make a law forcing you to switch to an A3 or better yet an A1. After all, that excess horsepower is no doubt being unused and your needlessly burning fossil fuels and polluting the environment.

Where does the encroachment of regulation end?

Why not let the consumer decide, every person knows best what their needs and preferences are. It's fruitless and intrusive for government to mandate preferences.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"Maybe the government should make a law forcing you to switch to an A3 or better yet an A1. After all, that excess horsepower is no doubt being unused and your needlessly burning fossil fuels and polluting the environment."

Only in your eutopia, Comrade...

Every litre is burnt equally for me, drive it like you stole it.

Jason Bourne showed you Bolsheviek's that even a Volga can NE driven in anger....

But not with 300bhp @ 55mpg...heh, I feel your inferiority comrade

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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