Mark wrote:
>> I saw a very whiny story on NBC news the other night - complaining
>> about cars not getting nearly the mileage their owners were led to
>> believe by the EPA stickers. This always happens when gas prices go up
>> and the media is complicit in the "blame the EPA for my lousy mileage"
>> mentality. There was NO MENTION of driving habits, maintenance or
>> inflating tires properly.
>>
>> They even had the nerve to criticize the EPA for neglecting to let the
>> car idle in traffic for a while during the test. DUH... should you
>> complain that your mileage won't be quite up to the estimate if you are
>> NOT MOVING while your engine is running?
>>
>> Assuming the tests are fair across manufacturers, I believe it's pretty
>> easy to achieve the EPA numbers (at a minimum) in everyday driving if
>> you drive conservatively and take care of your car. My 4-cyl 87 Camry
>> was rated at 25/31 and I consistently made 27 or 28 mpg around town for
>> the 15-1/2 years I owned it. It easily did 40 mpg or better on the
>> highway at 65. My current 03 Matrix is also rated at 25/31 and I am
>> consistently hitting 30 mpg in mostly suburban driving. It's not quite
>> as good as the Camry on the highway (35 or so) but I also drive it >> faster.
>>
>> Come on people, if you are myopic enough to buy gas guzzling cars, let
>> the tires go flat and drive with a lead foot, then at least stop
>> complaining... and please.... LEARN HOW TO DRIVE
>>
>> Thanks for reading my little rant...
>>
>Same old story - nobody wants to take responsibility for their own
>actions. And the media is quick to ell us It's Not Your Fault - it's >"THEM".
Yeah, kinda childish. We want to hear from people who don't even care about us, blaming others for problems. But then, these shows are very popular, I guess there are many people who want to be treated like children. Now this is just a guess...
imho,
tom @
formatting link