[extropy-chat] Real Extropians don't drive SUVs

[David Lubkin]

[ Natasha and Greg opined on SUVs ]

As posters in the last month's thread on driver safety showed, published 
analysis or discussion of the relative risks and benefits of a vehicle 
choice can rarely withstand rigorous review.

I recently bought a Toyota 4Runner, a medium-sized SUV. I have been fond of 
the vehicle category since the 1970's, long before the current boom.

I often transport objects that would not fit in a station wagon.

I often drive on surfaces where 4WD is useful (or, at least, more 
pleasant). In just the past few days, I've encountered grooved roads, steep 
hills, dirt roads, major potholes, mud, and heavy rain. And this is August.

In February, here in New England, driving a different class of vehicle in 
other years has meant leaving my vehicle a mile from home because the road 
was impassible, sliding uncontrollably down an icy hill into traffic, 
skidding into a snowbank, or simply having to go the long way around 
because I knew my car wouldn't make it up a hill.

More generally for extropians, a suitably chosen and outfitted SUV, *with* 
the experience to use it effectively, can be a life-saver in a variety of 
natural or man-made circumstances, either in getting away from a hazard or 
to a medical facility.

By the way, if you are concerned about fuel economy, SUV hybrids are now 
becoming available, such as the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid.


-- David Lubkin.