Department of Transportation new rules will make cars more expensive

daily caller ^ | 12/7/10 | Jeff Winkler

[SpaceBar]

Just another dictate from our alphabet soup overlords.

[AAABEST]

I’m wondering what companies stand to gain from selling these cameras.

[4Runner]

What happens to otherwise sane individuals when they win an election, get to Washington, and are installed in Congress? Is there something in the water? I mean, how do bills like these ever get majority votes for passage in both houses? Clearly lack of parental oversight, and careless driving habits, are to blame for accidents such as these, not the absence or presence of video cameras! No amount of mandated hardware is ever going to mitigate parental bad habits, laziness, haste, absent-mindedness and just plain carelessness .

[Uncle Miltie]

The next rule should make every car a Porche 911.

[SpaceBar]

I’m wondering what companies stand to gain from selling these cameras.

Five letters. Sounds like honey.

[dr_lew]

PORSCHE! PORSCHE!

... please.

[Secret Agent Man]

Well I will always be buying used anyway.

[goldstategop]

Individual responsibility is omitted. Good drivers check to see if a kid is in the back before they back out of a driveway. A bumper camera will lead people to have a false sense of security. They don’t work all the time - especially at night. But try telling that to DOT bureaucrats.

[goldstategop]

Very few people are killed in backover accidents. The cost of equipping a car to prevent something that will likely never happen is crazy. Just now much do we want to spend to prevent every conceivable auto accident?

[appeal2]

I’m a free market guy and don’t like the idea of government dictating what should be made and the regulatory democracy nauseates me. But these cameras, when combined with sensors are really fabulous. They definitely increase safety. But the industry is well on its way to adopting this technology and didn’t need to be told to do it. You find them on most mini-vans, crossovers and suv’s. This is clearly a case of the government getting ahead of the curve and trying to look like its leading.

[Sarajevo]

Par for the course. 1 idiot does something stupid, and everyone is to blame. It’s yet another sign of stinking liberalism.

[dhs12345]

Yup. I have a 93 4Runner with the 22R engine. I expect to get 300K miles. My other car, a Neon, will probably fall apart but it is cheap to repair.

[dhs12345]

A new trend and it doesn’t bode well for car companies. For years they have come up with creative ways to make cars affordable. Cars are just too expensive.

[dhs12345]

Very wise.

[Arrowhead1952]

Very few people are killed in backover accidents. The cost of equipping a car to prevent something that will likely never happen is crazy. Just now much do we want to spend to prevent every conceivable auto accident?

KLBJ in Austin had this on last week. They quoted a total of 292 people are killed in the US by drivers backing up. I wanted to call in and ask if anyone in this area ever goes to defensive driving schools any more. I do it for a 10% reduction on insurance.

One of the things they teach in EVERY class, is to back into parking spaces and driveways, since you know it is empty. Then you can safely pull forward when leaving. Also, pull through one parking space into the front one, if there are no curbs or parking blocks. Believe me, I HUNT for those, even if they are a long way from the store entrance.

[seemoAR]

Probably companies owned by some buddies of Zero the Magnificent.

[Nowhere Man]

Yup. I have a 93 4Runner with the 22R engine. I expect to get 300K miles. My other car, a Neon, will probably fall apart but it is cheap to repair.

Good. Yeah, I have a 1994 Ford Explorer, it has issues with it, lots of them. If I had to come down to a car, I would consider something older but more popular (for parts) and cheaper to maintain since I only have limited means. I should have kept Mom's 1989 Buick Skylark for me, basically it was a Cavalier with a Buick body and it had the Iron Duke engine.

[Nowhere Man]

A new trend and it doesn’t bode well for car companies. For years they have come up with creative ways to make cars affordable. Cars are just too expensive.

On Facebook, Subaru had an ad campaign featuring a car called the "2011 Mediocrity." When you look at it, it isn't such a bad idea to make a basic car line and only that for people who are of limited means and/or just want basic transportation, like the certain sects of the Amish that do drive cars. Basically, it should have automatic transmission, AM/FM radio and A/C and not much beyond that.

2011 Mediocrity on Facebook

I'd buy one.

[dhs12345]

LOL. And only $25,000 (starting). What a steal. Unfortunately, there aren't any dealers near me. Darn.

Like the quiz. Lol.

Which would you prefer to visit?

* Iceland
* Las Vegas

A few of my favorite things are:

* Folding envelopes
* Rock and roll music

I like to sleep in:

* Flannel pajamas
* The nude

......

Is this where I admit that I owned a “K” car? :)

*******

Seriously, lol, if I can be at this point...

Who really needs electric locks and windows. And a standard transmission is just fine for me. And airconditioning may be optional in some more northern states. I live in Colorado.

Just don't compromise on quality. I am tired of a car wearing out shortly after 100K miles. I expect a car to last well above 200K miles if I maintain it properly. But that defeats the purpose, doesn't it. Means they can sell fewer cars.

BTW, I own a Model A. About as basic as you can get.