Suvs – Yes
I am the proud owner of an SUV writing on the side supporting SUV restrictions. When I first purchased my truck, I was hauling around teen-age boys who played travel hockey. When they weren't playing hockey, they were surfing. I belonged to a car pool and had to transport not only my three younger children to school, but some of their friends as well. So, at the time, it was a necessity to have an SUV. I still love my car except for its gas gluttony. However, even though I would like to find it a new and loving home, my car has become a pariah.Guess what you can get for a trade-in on these vehicles today.
I remember when SUV's became popular. It was during the summer that the movie about dinasaurs came out. The Ford Explorer was showcased in that movie and, thereafter, everyone wanted one. The SUV became the sporty and trendy alternative to the family station wagon.Station wagons became unchic because they were the "carpool mom" car. The economy was great then and people didn't worry too much about the cost of gas. Boy, were we short-sighted. Who could have predicted the situation we are in now?
Despite how we love the SUV, the time has come for some restrictions. I have noticed that some auto manufacturers have designed some alternative fuel and more fuel efficient SUV models. That is a very good thing. However, there are not enough options. It would also be great if current models could be retrofitted with engines that are fuel efficient. Many of us cannot afford to trade our obsolete vehicles in because they have little if any value in today's market. Retrofitting would give them new life and value.
Currently I don't really need my SUV for the same purposes I had when my kids were living at home. Now I cart things home from the home improvement store and occasionally drive my grandchildren around. Most of the time, however, it's just me in this big empty space. I would love to have a cute little hybrid to sport around in my mature years. But that would mean car payments again. That fact puts a damper on my plan in a big way.
Like many Americans, I am caught between a rock and a hard place. I feel guilty about using my gas guzzler and, therefore, drive much less than I used to. But I don't want to be anti-social either and have my world become smaller and smaller every time gas prices go up.Show me a way to get an affordable hybrid vehicle and I will sign up in a flash. Until then, I am stuck. The cost of trading in would be far greater than the extra money I spend on gas currently.
In order to change the current situation, SUV owners must have economic incentives for trading in their vehicles. Tax credits for buying a hybrid are just not enough when one considers buying a new car of this sort generally runs about $25,000 and up.
Some families with two or more children need a larger vehicle, too. They should not have to suffer because they choose to have a large family. Other people need larger vehicles because of the nature of their work, hobbies, and life style. The cost of filling up is creating suffering for all these people. The cost of gasoline is not only impacting us economically.It will change the way we live. Frankly, I liked the way we lived before and would like to keep it going.
My solution may be to save up for a hybrid and keep my old SUV for necessary uses such as moving big pieces of furniture or going camping. Most likely, many SUV owners are thinking like me. We want to be responsible, but we don't want to change the things we do, to change our entire life style. I am hoping not so much for "restrictions" on SUV's as alterations to it to make it a more responsible and sensible choice.
My prediction is that families will have several types of vehicles and modes of transportation to deal with rising gas prices. They will use bicycles more and even small motorized bikes as well as scooters. They will use small hybrids when there is only one occupant using the car. But many of us will still be interested in larger vehicles so we can continue carpooling, going camping, hauling kids and sports equipment around, and doing other activities the SUV is useful for.
Changes need to be made in our road systems to make using alternate forms of transportation safer. We need better mass transit systems that are more accessible. Our auto industries need to work more quickly in addressing our needs and concerns. New forms of transportation need to be affordable to the average buyer. How we design our communities needs to be changed, too, so that the places we frequent and the services we need are closer to our residential areas.
While we are overhauling the auto and transportation industry, we need to think about the ways we want to change our life styles and the things we want to preserve.
