I still disagree with rewarding hybrid technology regardless of MPG ratings. There are new light-weight vehicles that get better mileage than some of the new hybrids. For that matter, I have a 12-year old Civic that gets better mileage than some of the new oversized hybrids.
On a similar note, I dare say that SUVs are not inherently bad (there, I said it), IF USED TO THEIR CAPACITY. That is, if you are hauling 4 people around at 20mpg that calculates out to 80-mpg/person. Compare that to four 40 mph civics hauling one driver each across town and you'll see that the civic drivers are using 10-mpg/person. I know in actuality the majority of SUVs are hauling a single driver around, but the point is that we have to look past the quick judgments and labels i.e., hybrid= good; SUV= bad if we want make positive and lasting changes. Steve -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Schimpff, Jeff A Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 5:38 PM To: Bikies Subject: RE: [Bikies] NYT: (on the mythology of hybridvehicles) [snip] When we got a hybrid to get rid of an 11-year-old decatylzed small car, that is an improvement in the status quo. Instead of getting 20 mpg or less in town (even with shutting off the engine at many stops), we now can get up to 36 mpg. Many of those miles are traveled on an electric motor, so a cyclist can follow along and breathe deep without a health concern. When the engine is on, it reportedly emits as little pollution as any gasoline engine now available to the masses - considerably less than from the cleaner 2006 standard gasoline-only non-truck NBVs.. That said, it takes a lot of patience (and above-50 degree temps) to meet the EPA ratings, and requires a callousness about the impatient motorists behind you as you slowly accelerate to keep the engine off. Hybrids are not a perfect solution to our county's and state's many transportation-related problems, but they are far better than the continuing trend of more people going around in non-hybrid vans and suvs. Jeff Schimpff Bureau of Science Services Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources "Bus, Bike, Walk or Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids" (*) phone: (608) 267- 7853 (*) fax: (608) 267-5231 (*) e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
