Comments on: Americans Growing Too Large for Their Cars http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ocean Railroader http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-280885 Ocean Railroader Mon, 08 Nov 2010 04:47:44 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-280885 I think the fate of the human race in Wall-E is going to happen not the stuff in the Rise of the Machines movies. What we need is to expland the sidewalk systems in the cities and suburbs to stop this nightmare from happening. I think the fate of the human race in Wall-E is going to happen not the stuff in the Rise of the Machines movies.

What we need is to expland the sidewalk systems in the cities and suburbs to stop this nightmare from happening.

]]> By: Spud Spudly http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37218 Spud Spudly Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:16:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37218 This story is silly. It's not a question of people not fitting in their cars, it's a question of a silly government rule. The gov't mandated weight capacity of the Caddy in the picture might be 362 pounds but the car can of course safely handle much more weight than that. The gov't also has rules about removing the tags on mattresses and pillows, but that doesn't make it newsworthy. The auto industry probably donated a few thousand dollars to a few key Republicans to get the regulation enacted and to limit their liability. So now if you have two 185-pound people in a Caddy like this General Motors is immune from many claims regarding mechanical failure. If something goes wrong they can ridiculously say, "Hey, the car was overloaded. It's right there on the door frame, as mandated by the federal government. Not our fault." This story is silly. It’s not a question of people not fitting in their cars, it’s a question of a silly government rule. The gov’t mandated weight capacity of the Caddy in the picture might be 362 pounds but the car can of course safely handle much more weight than that. The gov’t also has rules about removing the tags on mattresses and pillows, but that doesn’t make it newsworthy.

The auto industry probably donated a few thousand dollars to a few key Republicans to get the regulation enacted and to limit their liability. So now if you have two 185-pound people in a Caddy like this General Motors is immune from many claims regarding mechanical failure. If something goes wrong they can ridiculously say, “Hey, the car was overloaded. It’s right there on the door frame, as mandated by the federal government. Not our fault.”

]]> By: Stephen Rees http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37209 Stephen Rees Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:40:46 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37209 It is not a significant problem as most cars are usually occupied by just one person. In fact average car occupancy in Greater Vancouver BC (where I live) is higher than most North American cities and is still only 1.3. However, the cars themselves are getting heavier due to the American obsession with massiveness as an indicator of strength/safety, and their preference for using trucks where a small car would probably be adequate for purpose. It is not a significant problem as most cars are usually occupied by just one person. In fact average car occupancy in Greater Vancouver BC (where I live) is higher than most North American cities and is still only 1.3.

However, the cars themselves are getting heavier due to the American obsession with massiveness as an indicator of strength/safety, and their preference for using trucks where a small car would probably be adequate for purpose.

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37203 Larry Littlefield Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:57:24 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37203 What is interesting is how little weight motor vehicles can carry relative to their own weight. What are we burning all those fossil fuels to move anyway, us or the vehicles we ride in? The R160 subway cars are 73,000 pounds and can probably carry up to 40,000 pounds of flesh and accessory fabric in a pinch. What is interesting is how little weight motor vehicles can carry relative to their own weight. What are we burning all those fossil fuels to move anyway, us or the vehicles we ride in?

The R160 subway cars are 73,000 pounds and can probably carry up to 40,000 pounds of flesh and accessory fabric in a pinch.

]]> By: Ken F http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37197 Ken F Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:22:08 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37197 If people walked more maybe they could fit in their goddamn cars again. If people walked more maybe they could fit in their goddamn cars again.

]]> By: Large and in charge http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37196 Large and in charge Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:14:36 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37196 Check out how "super-sized" restaurant seating booths for places like Applebees and TGIFridays have become. You can fit four 300 pounders in there with enough room for a couple of kids. Check out how “super-sized” restaurant seating booths for places like Applebees and TGIFridays have become. You can fit four 300 pounders in there with enough room for a couple of kids.

]]> By: Ian Turner http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37195 Ian Turner Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:04:51 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37195 Angus: I forgot to mention in my screed that from my perspective Mr. Ryan does not appear particularly concerned about safety, obesity, public health in general, or any such thing. Rather, he is concerned with the reputation of his employer, and is attempting to pass blame for the low weight ratings onto federal regulators. Angus:

I forgot to mention in my screed that from my perspective Mr. Ryan does not appear particularly concerned about safety, obesity, public health in general, or any such thing. Rather, he is concerned with the reputation of his employer, and is attempting to pass blame for the low weight ratings onto federal regulators.

]]> By: Ian Turner http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37194 Ian Turner Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:02:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37194 Angus: The problem is not limited to the American propensity to drive; the desire and ability to drive prompts a tendency for infrastructure to be build around the auto, creating a positive feedback loop where even those of us who would prefer to walk or bicycle are forced to drive, because the distances and environment are so hostile to other modes. It is easy to forget that New York City is a pleasant oasis from this situation; in the vast majority of America, even in most cities, living without a car is an abject hardship, undertaken only because of extremely limited means or as a form of political protest. Angus: The problem is not limited to the American propensity to drive; the desire and ability to drive prompts a tendency for infrastructure to be build around the auto, creating a positive feedback loop where even those of us who would prefer to walk or bicycle are forced to drive, because the distances and environment are so hostile to other modes.

It is easy to forget that New York City is a pleasant oasis from this situation; in the vast majority of America, even in most cities, living without a car is an abject hardship, undertaken only because of extremely limited means or as a form of political protest.

]]> By: Angus Grieve-Smith http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-37193 Angus Grieve-Smith Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:40:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/19/americans-growing-too-large-for-their-cars/#comment-37193 <blockquote>The limit may not be realistic "given American propensity for food, but that is the regulation," says Mazda safety director Dan Ryan.</blockquote> The problem is the American propensity for driving everywhere they can. I personally gained about twenty pounds when I lived in North Carolina. In a lot of the country, walking is something that you do by driving to a designated walking area; biking is similar. If Dan Ryan is really concerned about safety and obesity, he should be encouraging people to rebuild their walking infrastructure, but then they wouldn't be driving his cars on his expressway.

The limit may not be realistic “given American propensity for food, but that is the regulation,” says Mazda safety director Dan Ryan.

The problem is the American propensity for driving everywhere they can. I personally gained about twenty pounds when I lived in North Carolina. In a lot of the country, walking is something that you do by driving to a designated walking area; biking is similar.

If Dan Ryan is really concerned about safety and obesity, he should be encouraging people to rebuild their walking infrastructure, but then they wouldn’t be driving his cars on his expressway.

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