Couric HATES SUV's?

Yeah her little feet can't reach the pedals

couric lost all credability when she went into mourning after bush won this last election.. frell her..

well, if it's not in a rough terrain, then it's extremely inefficient as well as irresponsible. I know people who drive their suvs to the gym... 6 blocks from their house.

Reply #3 By: perhaps_the_only_liberal_here - 2/2/2005 6:47:43 PM well, if it's not in a rough terrain, then it's extremely inefficient as well as irresponsible. I know people who drive their suvs to the gym... 6 blocks from their house

Get a grip. It's called America, the land of the "free". I don't care if I'm only driving "2" blocks to the store. It's a *right* that I as a taxpayer ( highway taxes) and a consumer ( gas prices, insurance and registration fees) PAY FOR!!!

Someone needs to ask all the entertainment industry hypocrites why they figure that a gas guzzling stretch limo is any better for the "environment" than an SUV.

If you really want to fluster them, ask them if all the footage that ends up on the cutting room floor (and then the landfill) is biodegradable. But of course none of that matters since it is we (the great unwashed) who are supposed to bend towards their windmills. ;~D

well, if it's not in a rough terrain, then it's extremely inefficient as well as irresponsible.

And how "responsible" is it for you to be on the internet. Do you realize how much energy is expended every day, just so you and I can Email, Surf and Blog?

And how "responsible" is it for you to be on the internet. Do you realize how much energy is expended every day, just so you and I can Email, Surf and Blog?

Umm.. id venture not nearly as much energy is used in a month for the internet as is used for a day for the Ford F150s and Explorers and the like.

Computers really don't use very much power at all, especially compared to a F150 or better yet Toyota 4Runner (14mpg).

The responsibility factor is going to catch up with everyone once the prices rise or we have to declare yet another war for oil.

Couric is pretty dumb though, and not much of a journalist.

Regarding fuel economy: Yes you have the right to choose if you're going to drive an SUV in your everyday use. You also have the right to choose if you're going to drive a more economical car. But one choice makes you a smarter consumer than the other. (Extenuating occupations and circumstances exempted.)

Regarding SUVs, absent of fuel, the facts are thus:

1. SUV headlights are blinding to nighttime drivers of cars because they are higher. This endangers other drivers.
2. SUVs do more damage in wrecks. Car occupants experience substantially higher fatalities and more severe injuries in collisions with larger vehicles. (Source: Paul Craig Roberts, "Fuel Economy Laws Bite Back")
3. SUV drivers tend to be poorer at parking within the lines of a parking lot, no doubt due to their poorer turning radii. This is, for lack of a better word, stupid.
4. SUVs are difficult to see around in heavy traffic, thus depriving smaller drivers of the knowledge of what's going on up ahead (if car drivers pull back, other drivers will continually seize the opportunity to cut in). Again, this can be dangerous.

Those are my arguments against SUVs. I'm not a big Katie Couric fan, but if she's driving a small car, it can squish her--yes, just "like a bug." A stinkbug, perhaps.

-A.

Reply #9 By: Angloesque - 2/2/2005 10:10:29 PM Regarding fuel economy: Yes you have the right to choose if you're going to drive an SUV in your everyday use. You also have the right to choose if you're going to drive a more economical car. But one choice makes you a smarter consumer than the other. (Extenuating occupations and circumstances exempted.) Regarding SUVs, absent of fuel, the facts are thus: 1. SUV headlights are blinding to nighttime drivers of cars because they are higher. This endangers other drivers. 2. SUVs do more damage in wrecks. Car occupants experience substantially higher fatalities and more severe injuries in collisions with larger vehicles. (Source: Paul Craig Roberts, "Fuel Economy Laws Bite Back") 3. SUV drivers tend to be poorer at parking within the lines of a parking lot, no doubt due to their poorer turning radii. This is, for lack of a better word, stupid. 4. SUVs are difficult to see around in heavy traffic, thus depriving smaller drivers of the knowledge of what's going on up ahead (if car drivers pull back, other drivers will continually seize the opportunity to cut in). Again, this can be dangerous. Those are my arguments against SUVs. I'm not a big Katie Couric fan, but if she's driving a small car, it can squish her--yes, just "like a bug." A stinkbug, perhaps. -A.

Have you ever been in a *SERIOUS* accident? I'll bet not. If you ever had been your choice of vehicles would show it rather quickly! You neglected to mention that SUV *drivers* tend to suffer fewer injuries due to the larger vehicle sustaining less damage. And BTW #3 is a crock. If they seem to be bad at parking that's the drivers fault NOT the SUV.

You neglected to mention that SUV *drivers* tend to suffer fewer injuries due to the larger vehicle sustaining less damage.

Exactly. They feel less obliged to drive more safely. I have seen so many SUV drivers drive around in a very risky way. I almost got in serious accident with 3 SUV so far, and only one regular car. The regular car one was my fault, I am still kinda new on driving and I made a major blunder.

You could easily power entire house from one of those SUV engines for longer time than they last with a full tankful of gas. So you're basically making so much power driving around, but doing nothing but move around and create tons of heat. Maybe listen to some music, and some lights, thats it. The heater don't count, since it uses the engine's heat to heat up the air.

Reply #11 By: XX - 2/3/2005 1:05:38 AM You neglected to mention that SUV *drivers* tend to suffer fewer injuries due to the larger vehicle sustaining less damage. Exactly. They feel less obliged to drive more safely

WRONG. They suffer less damage and injury due to the sheer size, weight and metal content in an SUV Even if what you say is true. Is that the SUVs fault? NO! It would be the drivers fault.

Yeah her little feet can't reach the pedals

That is kind of ironic as most of the people I see and know who drive them are little ladies.  They must use booster pedals!

Umm.. id venture not nearly as much energy is used in a month for the internet as is used for a day for the Ford F150s and Explorers and the like.

And you would be wrong.  There are thousands of 150s and Explorers.  There are over a billion internet users and the equipment needed to make it run sucks down a lot of juice.

You could easily power entire house from one of those SUV engines for longer time than they last with a full tankful of gas. So you're basically making so much power driving around, but doing nothing but move around and create tons of heat. Maybe listen to some music, and some lights, thats it. The heater don't count, since it uses the engine's heat to heat up the air.

Not unless you live in a log cabin.  When we lost power for 10 days after isabel, I got a 5500 watt generator.  That would only run the lights and small utilities, not the heater/AC, Washer Dryer etc.  And it used over 5 gals per 24 huors.  Adding the rest to a generator that would carry the load would easily drink up 25 gals per day.  Most SUV drivers dont use near that much in a day.

Have you ever been in a *SERIOUS* accident? I'll bet not. If you ever had been your choice of vehicles would show it rather quickly! You neglected to mention that SUV *drivers* tend to suffer fewer injuries due to the larger vehicle sustaining less damage. And BTW #3 is a crock. If they seem to be bad at parking that's the drivers fault NOT the SUV.

Yes, I have been in a serious accident. You bet wrong--I hope you don't gamble.

#3 is not a crock. Yes it's the driver's fault but the fact that it's an SUV is the reason the drivers have a harder time parking within the lines. That's why I said that the SUV "drivers" tend to be bad at parking, not SUVs. If a company invented a self-parking vehicle, I'd bite. Anyway, go to a parking lot and check this out. Better yet, come to my local Safeway and check it out. It never fails that the only spot is next to an SUV parked on the line. If I were a worse person, I'd ding their car as i open my door.

My arguments were against SUVs, not for them. I do realize that SUV drivers tend to suffer fewer injuries; however, they are also 40 to 60% more likely to rollover, depending on the model. My friend was killed that way.

-A.

My arguments were against SUVs, not for them. I do realize that SUV drivers tend to suffer fewer injuries; however, they are also 40 to 60% more likely to rollover, depending on the model. My friend was killed that way.

Some are, but most are not.  And consumer reports that the better made ones are the best cars to own and drive from a safety standpoint.

As for the parking, their turning radius beats mine all to hell, so the obvious answer is not the car, but the driver.  I know, my wife owns one and I own a Toyota Tacoma.  Hers is a lot easier to park than mine.

Umm.. id venture not nearly as much energy is used in a month for the internet as is used for a day for the Ford F150s and Explorers and the like.

Computers really don't use very much power at all, especially compared to a F150 or better yet Toyota 4Runner (14mpg). The responsibility factor is going to catch up with everyone once the prices rise or we have to declare yet another war for oil. Couric is pretty dumb though, and not much of a journalist.

Oh silly mortals!! Your computer may not use very much power, but think about all the millions of computers in millions of homes around the world. Then take all the telephone wires, switching stations, microwave towers, satelites, and everything else it takes for our little bits and bytes to Keep On Truckin' down the information super highway. As if that wasn't enough, think of all the energy expended by the ISPs, keeping our servers open and running at ever increasing speeds. Now, try to wrap your minds around all the energy spent on manufacturing, distribution, and retailing of our little PCs and Apples. Those semi trucks, factories, warehouses and stores don't run on hydrogen... right?

The world at the flip of a switch does not come cheap, nor does it run on anything other that the good ol' Corporations that liberals love to hate.

Just because it don't have a tailpipe, doesn't mean it isn't burning fuel!!! ;~D

sqrrldrw - agreed, Couric's prime has passed.

Well, I don't know anything about Couric, but I also hate SUVs. Angloesque already noted many of my gripes against them. Personally, my feeling is that they are so popular, particularly with women, because of the "Napolean complex." Because you sit up higher, you simply feel more powerful. I recently took a trip to California, and basically had to rent an SUV because no one rented wagons and I couldn't get a guarantee that a mini-van would be configured in the manner I required to hold all of my family's luggage, and I can tell you for a fact that sitting up higher absolutely does not give you any better view of what's going on around you. It does, however, nicely block the view of anyone driving behind you. In addition, you absolutely do not have as good a view of what's happening around you from the driving position. Sure, they're safer vehicles from the standpoint of "passive avoidance" (meaning you're less likely to suffer injury due to the sheer size of the thing), but so is a tank (I'm sure we'll be seeing them on the road soon). From the standpoint of "active avoidance" however (the ability to maneuver around trouble), they lose out to most "regular" cars. And I'll tell you another thing while I'm on my soapbox, people who drive the full-sized SUVs like the Suburban, Expedition, and Hummer, should absolutely be required to get a different class of driver's license. There is a huge difference between driving one of those and driving around in your Honda Civic. Most people have no business driving around in something that big with being specifically qualified to do so. To sum it up, SUVs are "me" cars, and mini-vans (and the like) are "we" cars. I'm getting down now.

Bill

It does, however, nicely block the view of anyone driving behind you. In addition, you absolutely do not have as good a view of what's happening around you from the driving position. Sure, they're safer vehicles from the standpoint of "passive avoidance" (meaning you're less likely to suffer injury due to the sheer size of the thing), but so is a tank (I'm sure we'll be seeing them on the road soon). From the standpoint of "active avoidance" however (the ability to maneuver around trouble), they lose out to most "regular" cars.

So I can count on you to sign my petition to ban all those annoying huge (as well as just plain noisy ) ambulances from the road? ;~D

So I can count on you to sign my petition to ban all those annoying huge (as well as just plain noisy ) ambulances from the road? ;~D

How about the Semis?  They block it worse than SUVs and are a lot more dangerous in a crash!

Katie got her job because she is cute, and she still is. But she's been admiring herself in the mirror way too long and has apparently mistaken cuteness for intelligence. She's as transparently vapid as Jessica Simpson, if you ask me. I respect Jessica more, however, because she doesn't take herself so deadly seriously the way Katie does.

Cheers,
Daiwa

Actually, it would be great if we could build a transportation system just for semis. Here in PA, there is a highway that I believe is considered one of the deadliest in the country because of the frequency of car/truck accidents resulting in fatalities. And as for ambulances, well, they're built the way they are because they pretty much have to be to serve the purpose they are meant to serve (did I say that in as confusing a manner as possible). My Taurus wagon seats more passengers than all but the largest SUVs, and is just as capable of hauling as much junk, probably even more than Explorers and the like. Yes, I feel like a complete dweeb riding around in it, but it serves it's purpose well (hauling around 3 kids and their pals). And it doesn't blind you when I'm coming toward you at night, unless I do it on purpose with the high beams because your freakin' SUV has temporarily place me among the non-seeing. So there.

I'll tell you one thing. If I'm going to be in a SERIOUS accident I think I'll follow the CHP advice that was given to me. I'll be the one in the SUV, NOT the Honda Civic or the Kia Sorrento. And just for clarification for ALL those that don't know. A pickup (F-150 ) is NOT even considered an SUV.

Actually, it would be great if we could build a transportation system just for semis.

This kind of reminds me of a time I was home on leave from Ft. Bragg. Me and my brother were stuck behind a convoy of military vehicles on I-15. My brother, being the ever so patient driver he is, starting complaining about how those vehicles shouldn't be on an interstate freeway.

I laughed and reminded him that the nation's freeway system was funded mostly with Department of Defense dollars. The justification being, that with a system of freeways criss-crossing the country, the military could move equipment much faster.

Then I told him, "So I'd thank you to not get in the way of those military vehicles who do OWN THE ROAD!!! ;~D