[Shotimes] Re: Almost death by SUV (NOT SUV, bad driver!!!!)

[D Potter]

Of course it's the driver;s fault, Josh, but the problem is more than
innatentive drivers. The companies that make these large vehicles aren't
tailoring to their utility anymore. They are selling them as replacements
for luxury vehicles and doing everything they can to attract buyers from
that segment. At one point they were looking for ways to lighten the large
luxury vehicles and improve their gas mileage. Now, vehicles like the Town
Car are going the way of the Dodo and are being replaced by SUV's that weigh
1000Lbs+ more. The vast majority of Sport "Utility" Vehicles don't even have
a ride that can be classified as either Sport or utilitarian. Soft and
luxurious are the keywords these days. Sure, the driver's make the poor
judgement calls, but does this mean that society should enable these bad
decisions at every chance?

I am insulted by the insinuation that sports cars of 30 years ago are
usurped by the SUV's of today. Boy, those 365GT's must have been real pieces
of junk.

I am also insulted by this "crap happens, deal with it" non-sense. This is
nothing more than BS cop-outs for people that refuse to be part of a
resolution. Maybe we should "thin the herd" of these people? I for one am
very tired of listening to people devalue human life rather than offer
solutions. I certainly don't think of the loss of innocent lives as a
"downside", and I sure as hell would never weigh it against someone's desire
to put their tush in a vehicle that is three times larger than they will
ever need. Complacent attitudes are as dangerous as bad driving.

It's obvious to me that some that have replied to this thread have not
actually read the post, because I've not seen one "SUV bashing" comment.
I've also never seen it written anywhere that driving is a right. It is
clearly stated by the DMV here in Ky that driving is a priveledge that can
and will be revoked when abused. I'm sure it's the same for all 50 states
and US Territories.

Also, I clearly stated that I did not have time to react to this situation.
Please do not applaud my quick actions, which may have indeed saved my life
in the past, but cerainly not in this situation. The other vehicle simply
got through the intersection before I blocked it's path. Too often this is
the case. You rarely get enough time to attempt a fighting chance before
it's all said and done.

DP


----- Original Message -----
From: "Josh Salaets" <jsalaets@msn.com>
To: <shotimes@autox.team.net>; <BJamesjr@aol.com>; "Ron Porter"
<ronporter@prodigy.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2002 11:02 PM
Subject: [Shotimes] Re: Almost death by SUV (NOT SUV, bad driver!!!!)


> > Frankly, I'm very tired of the SUV bashing, particularly when it's done
by
> > car enthusiasts.  They are very useful vehicles that serve practical
> needs.
> > Of course they don't handle like a Porsche.........but neither does a
SHO,
> a
> > Saturn, a minivan, or a Buick LeSabre. Drivers who aren't aware enough
to
> > adjust to their vehicle and driving conditions deserve what they
> > get......it's called "thinning the herd".....the only downside is that
> > innocent people get taken out with them. But, there's also a couple of
> terms
> > that explains this phenomena: (1) Life's a bitch, and then you die, and
> (2)
> > Life is not fair.
>
> I am glad someone FINALLY stepped up and said something about this.  I was
> thinking about responding with a similar message, but it never seems to
> help.
>
> Needless to say, I am grateful nothing happened to Mr. Potter and applaud
> him for his quick thinking and reflexes that most likely saved his life
and
> possibly the lives of several others, but it is NOT the fault of the SUV
OR
> the cell phone - it is the driver that ran the light.  It wouldn't matter
if
> he was driving a Mack truck or a motorcycle, HE is the one that is
negligent
> and is the party that should be held accountable, NOT SUVs or their
drivers
> in general, NOT the manufacturer, and NOT the city for designing the
> intersection.
>
> We need to focus on better driver training, not on banning certain
vehicles.
> A bad driver is a bad driver - you could put them on a bicycle and they'd
be
> a hazard to both themselves and others around them.
>
> Let's start placing the blame where it belongs and give SUVs a
well-deserved
> break!  After all, there's plenty of people out there that want to see
cars
> like our SHOs taken off the road, but I'll be damned if I'll let that
> happen!  I fight for ALL automotive enthusiasts - everyone has a right to
> choose the car they want to drive without being criticized for their
> decisions!  That's what makes America so great!
>
> Josh Salaets
> 95 SHO MTX (I SHO U)
> 85 Omni GLH-T (Yeah, it's fast)
> Eugene, OR
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