Gas Hog-0-Rama

[Mark Crnolatas]

ARGHHH. This is about gas-hogs. I'm not sure it'll do a BIT of good, but I need to air this out. Just in the last week, within eye-sight of where I live, 6 new gas-hogs were purchased.

Maybe I'm envious, since I drive a used, P.O.S., and yes I'd like something nice, and dependable and yada yada, but nice doesn't have to be 10 mpg or less. For those I'm referring to, that can afford to buy a new vehicle, apparantly if it gets from one end of Lkwd to another , once, then requires a fill-up, it's fine with them.

So much for limiting our dependancy on oil huh?

[Bryan Schwegler]

Fuel economy is a huge deciding factor for me when I buy a new vehicle. I would never buy an SUV simply because of that. I often find myself wondering why most people have them. I mean I understand if you make living hauling stuff around or you have 10 kids, but I would venture a guess that most people with SUVs fit neither of those categories.

Don't worry, I predict the day is coming when most people will wish they never had one. They're already predicting huge spikes in gas prices this summer and that's without any bad hurricanes in the gulf or an interruption in oil supplies in the middle east. I have a feeling this summer will see a rise in gas prices that will make us jump for joy if it's only $3.00 a gallon.

Personally I would love nothing more than for Cleveland to build an efficient, underground subway system connecting Eastside, Westside, and Downtown. Buses are too slow and have way too many transfers to go anywhere West to East and the rapid, because it's above ground, doesn't necessarily take people to really useful places because no one wants to volunteer to have their houses or rich neighborhoods bulldozed to expand it.

I would love to be able to take a quick subway to work in Mayfield Village every day or maybe out to Crocker Park when I want to shop, but it's just not an option in Cleveland.

[Brad Babcock]

I'm no fan of gas hogs, but I may be preaching to the choir on that subject in the thread.
I am a small car and motorcycle enthusiast, and like the freedom they bring with minimal intrusion.

Mass transit is a tough one. I agree with you on trains. I take the Rapid to Hopkins, and sometimes down-town. I spent some years commuting into Cleveland from the east side. A lot of congestion was created by buses with 2 or 3 riders stopping every couple blocks. This converts a two lane in each direction road to a one in each direction road. In rush hour the buses are full, but they run the rest of the time nearly empty, causing huge inconvenience to a huge number of drivers.
Unfortunately, if buses run they have to run all the time. I don't pretend that it is viable to run trains to Mayfield, or to my workplace in Medina County. It might be cool to be able to get to work that way, though.

For now, for many, cars are the best way. I will even acknowledge that some people have legitimate use for full size SUVs, but that is probably 1 in 10 among the people who actually own them. If we could all just drive appropriate vehicles...

[DougHuntingdon]

My favorite vehicles are the 4wheel drives with Off Road painted in large letters with huge, knobby tires. Probably 90% of these have never seen a dirt-road. Probably 95% of these have never been "off-road."

Doug

[Jeff Endress]

Actually Doug, a good many of those vehicles go off road daily, as their operators are unable to keep the massive beasts centered on their driveways when they back out!

Jeff

[Bill Davis]

Yesterday we saw the Hummer stretch-limo. It's about a mile long. My wife asked "who in the world would rent that for a limo?" It got me to thinking, who actually would, and why a Hummer instead of something nice?

Any guesses?

[Stan Austin]

Bill--- A couple of years ago I saw the longest car in the world. Ask Jim about it
Stan

[Joan Roberts]

Yesterday we saw the Hummer stretch-limo. It's about a mile long. My wife asked "who in the world would rent that for a limo?" It got me to thinking, who actually would, and why a Hummer instead of something nice?

Any guesses?

Because they can. Simple as that.

[Mark Crnolatas]

A former employee of our old company, was a limo driver for a company on the West side of Greater Cleveland. It seems the longest stretches they have..I believe 32 feet is the max length , and their Hummer(S) are the most requested. Somehow I doubt that who rents them cares about the oil situation anywhere.

Now she's a private pilot, multi-engine prop rating, and she said the company she flies for, is booked for months in advance by not only companies, but private individuals throwing parties and just using the planes for getting from A to B.... Now THOSE are "gas" hogs..and still......