(oh, and I drive a small sedan.)
..jonah
DEAR GASPIG
Like every other idiot in the world, I
saw your site on Slashdot today.
So... I have a Land Rover Freelander, which is, truth be told,
really a car. I am a BMX racer and use the trucklet to take me
and three other people to the trails (plus four bikes via the
hitch rack). Plus, the Freelander weighs the same and has the
same size motor as an Accord V6. Should I feel guilty? I had a
Discovery, which is a much bigger truck, but I used it to pull
Grand Cherokees out of the ditch every winter.
I also have a BMW 330i and a Superformance S1, which weighs 1400
pounds and is shorter than an Excursion's wheelbase. You don't
know fear until you have been doing 110 on the freeway in this
thing and have had an Ex-whatever just pull in front of you...
because they can't see you in their mirrors.
So, can I get an absolution? And why are you picking on on those
CR-V and RAV4 owners? Most of the cute-utes are lighter and
smaller than, say, an Intrepid... and if they are more likely to
roll over, well that will cull the herd of people who can't steer
into the skid.
hi Jack
good stuff! sounds like you're really using the freelander.
still, i think any vehicle (even the cr-v and rav4) with a
warning sticker showing it rolling over is kind of a lousy bet.
my pathfinder's engine is similar to my accord, but the accord
gets twice the mpg - weight and aerial profile. that's cool what
you say about towing cherokees from ditches - doesn't say much
for the cherokees. the bmw sounds like an awesome ride... watch
out for them Ex-trucks!
i absolve you my son. five hail marys and see you next week. hey
man, i'm not out to make you feel bad about your car - just
ranting on my soapbox. all the best! would you like a sticker for
that freelander?
joe
the Pig
DEAR GASPIG:
I do like how one of your writers
(letter 62) used the words:
"If you don't like it then leave and go live in some
communist country with all your liberal friends."
Given that the terms "communist" (authoritarian, left),
and "liberal" - (liberal, er.. either way) are by
definition opposed, it's a miracle this man managed to finish his
paragraph without drowning in his own drool!
I mean.. not only is there a rather famous landmark in NY which
kinda contributes to a good description of the term, but as a
word which is by definition an exact opposite to the word
"authoritarian" - surely it's more "liberal"
NOT to ban SUVs? bah..
Only in america :-) Good site!
yesterday i had an amusing conversation
with a woman who said she's all for free press and all, but they
shouldn't be allowed to do stories about the liberals and their
anti-war protests. another woman told me recently that the world
would be a better place if we just nuked the entire middle east.
god love em, man! i don't consider myself brilliant or anything,
but i've got a pretty keen grasp of the obvious! :-) thanks for
the letter!
joe
the Pig
www.gaspig.com
DEAR GASPIG:
Hi,
I have enjoyed your gaspig.com website and am happy that more
people are becoming aware of the problems indirectly caused by
our oil addiction. I drive a 2002 VW New Beetle TDI 5spd and have
a lifetime average of 48 mpg's, mixed city and highway. I also
burn a B20 blend, which is 20% soy-based biodiesel (a domestic,
renewable, clean-burning, superior diesel with a nearly closed
carbon cycle) and 80% petro diesel. In Europe, diesel engines are
sold in 40% of the new cars, mainly because of their superior
fuel economy. Almost every major car manufacturer in Europe
offers a diesel engine in most of their cars. North America is a
different story. Because of the powerful trucking and oil lobby,
the quality of our diesel fuel is several orders of magnitude
worse than what's avaiable in Europe (that's changing in 2006
with ULSD). This means that most European-designed diesels won't
run on today's North American diesel fuel. This leaves the sole
supplier of North American passenger diesels as Volkswagen.
Furthermore, their only passenger diesel engine VW sells in NA is
the 1.9L TDI. Fortunately, you can get it in 4 forms:
1) Golf (most popular)
2) Jetta
3) Jetta Wagon (mmm....yummy....excellent handling, spacious,
long roof rack, and still gets 50mpg :) -- I should have gotten
one of these !! )
4) New Beetle (that's what I drive)
Unlike diesels of old, a modern diesel engine has performance and
emissions comparable to a similar-sized gasoline engine. However,
the fuel economy is far superior. VW TDIs are EPA rated at 42/49,
though many of us TDI drivers regularly see over 50mpgs and even
60mpgs, putting the VW TDI models up there with the Insight and
the Prius. What gives the TDI an edge over any gasoline-based
engine is the ability to run 100% biodiesel. That's right. 0%
petroleum. At $2.50/gallon, B100 is cheap enough to make it a
reasonable fuel alternative. How's that for cutting our
dependence on foreign oil :)
If you're interested in learning more about clean diesel
technology, including biodiesel (which, by the way, is what will
keep internal combustion engines running long after we have
depleted the world's petroleum reserves), please visit the forums
at www.tdiclub.com . You'll find a lot of people concerned about
fuel economy, terrorism, global warming, despotic regimes, and
oil depedency problems in general. You'll also find very few SUV
fans :)
David White
Glenview, IL
DEAR GASPIG
Hi,
Dont know if you know about this car (called SMART), but its a 2
seater car, that eats around 5 liters per 100km and can very
comfortably fit two people plus their holiday shopping, or golf
bags, or weekend packing (and if you are pushing it, 2 of the
aforementioned). It is only 2.5 meters long and can be parked
perpendicular to the curb without obstructing traffic! Its
available as a convertible, and if you really want you can even
put 2xBikes or some ski's on the back of the car! Its now
recently been made available as a roadster too, a bit longer, but
alot more sporty. Its a perfect city car and useful for shorter
trips to the country.
Its owned by DaimlerChrysler and manufactured in France. Check it
out, I am going through my second already in sweden and i think
when its made available in the US it will be a great addition to
crowded city. I heard DaimlerChrysler is working on getting them
to the US now.
www.smart.com
DEAR GASPIG
Not my 'toon, but a photograph of a toon
that is on a Gas Pump at the Mobile Station on Los Positas St. in
Santa Barbara, CA.
(oh, and I drive a small sedan.)
..jonah
DEAR GASPIG
Love it, we need a Canadian equivalent.
I can tell youthat the suv craze is just as bad up here...
Sometimes, the Bruce Cockburn song comes to mind... "If I
had a rocket launcher..."AAAAnyways, what I really meant to
point out to you is that your store is broken: http://gaspig.com/miva?/Merchant2/merchant.mv gives me a 404
Keep up the excellent work!
DEAR GASPIG
Okay here are my views on SUV's. I drive
one, but it is not a gas guzler it uses diesel. I get better
mileage than most of the other sedans in the family (which
incluse 2 ford focus's, one 2002 SVT and one 2000 ZX3, and my
daughters 2002 Volkswgean Jetta). My SUV is a 2001 Ford
Excursion. I had it specialy made so it is two wheel drive. It is
considered a large SUV but to me it is a truck. I use it to haul
engines to Long Island, and my 7 person family out to dinner once
a month. I also have 3 animals, one pitbull, one mutt about the
size of the pitbull, and a kitten. When we go on vacation all 7
people, and 3 animals have to go with us. Some people will say
get a minivan, but we used to have one and as our children have
grown (they range in ages from 13-20) they need more leg room and
not to be in as close vicinity to eachother as they were in the
van. And this Excursion is the only SUV made to accomodate all of
this. And no I am not one of those crazy mothers on a power trip
when I drive. I am very curtious I singal when I turn, Let people
cross the crosswalk by stopping, stop at all stop signs, and obey
the speed limit. I have been in one asccident in the 50,000 miles
that I have driven that car. It was the other drivers fault, he
changed lanes into my passenger side. He claimed he didn't see me
there, he was driving a Subaru WRX. I am not denying that some of
these cars guzzle gas but its those people paying for it and we
live in America so they have a right to. But I still feel that if
they want to drive a car like that they better have a good reason
and not just oh, I look cool in it. I wouldn't change in my
Excursion for the world.
wow! a letter from a driver of the
notorious excursion. thanks! i'll post it just as you wrote it.
sometimes i see an excursion towing along a yacht or some huge
trailer and it makes sense. utility vehicles have been around
since the first autos and will be around for a long time to come.
the problem is that suvs have become the latest fashion trend and
people are lining up like ramp models on parade. what the rest of
us see are traffic jams filled with top heavy vehicles that kick
up lots of smog. i completely agree that some people use suvs how
they were meant to be used, however most don't. thanks a lot for
taking time to email your thoughts!
joe
the Pig
www.gaspig.com
DEAR GASPIG
Hi Gaspig
Good to see someone in the states has come to their senses. I
quite like these comments below but feel they should be the main
part of your page rather than a little trifle in the corner.
I drive a Fiat Punto 1.2ltr petrol which manages around 35 mpg
mixed driving. This is the family car, five of us.... Keep up the
good work lets hope a it makes a difference. Derek
"OIL DEPENDENT At the pump, part of your gas money goes to
dictatorships run by people who don't like you. Given today's
technology, 12 - 15 mpg is a joke"
"The choice of vehicle you drive has a greater effect on the
environment than any other choice you make as a consumer"
Union of Concerned Scientists
"DID YOU KNOW.... over 70% of SUV and light truck drivers
support the Ca. legislation to further limit vehicle emissions".
"America has the best paved roads in the world. We buy cars
like we live on the Serengeti"
DEAR GASPIG
I need a sticker! The grade school that my children attends has a parking lot full of these pigs. The entry door would be a great location.
DEAR GASPIG
http://www.detroitproject.com/ You should place a link to here on your site. cheers chadd Done...
DEAR GASPIG
Love your site!
You probably should disclaim the SUV drop to point out that proof
of vehicle ownership is required. Honestly, If I had several
hundred thousand dollars to spare I would volunteer a small army
of SUVs for the drop--that is, all the SUVs my ignorant L.A.
friends drive. In fact, this would make for a rather fun (but
litigation filled) spin on the popular design program "While
You Were Out." Instead of coming home to a artfully
redecorated living room, you pull up and there's your redesigned
Escalade--or the two dimensional remnant of it. Alas, a suitable
answer to the challenge of turning your SUV into a compact!
Long live gaspig.com!
Augie
Lots and Lots and Lots more letters -
I'll post more every day.