It's Official: SUV Owners Are Stupid

No, but in a related news story personal bankruptcies have tripled in the last ten years. The main rason given was people live on plastic these days. And their incomes haven't tripled, or even doubled, or in many cases even kept pace.

John

Maybe, but he owns eight Hummers. And a Gulfstream GV, btw.

John

There may be some truth to that. Where I live, if I travel south into the "badlands," I see lots of houses with bars on the windows and Escalades and Navigators in the driveway. Often they have to park them half on the lawn because the driveway is really a dirt patch and too small.

But I also see them in the mansions up north, though they're generally smaller versions (car platforms instead of truck) and the family also has a more "sensible" compact or midsize car too.

John

You just accused him of not supporting his opinion with any meanful data, then did same.

John

Oh, pulease. I live in Oakland California and I pass through neighborhods with bars on the windows and doors, barking pit bulls in the yard, and Escalades and Navigators in the driveways. Or Mercedes and BMWs SUVs. These are in "underprivileged" neighborhoods where all the shootings take place.

He didn't say rich. He said intelligent. I personally know some salespeople who are very rich but their IQs are definitely < 90, by their own admission. One guy I know can barely follow the instructions at a self-serve car wash, but he can sell sand to Arabs. I've seen it, and it's incredible. I wish I could do it.

Then there's someone like Albert Einstein. Intelligent, but I doubt he'd be much of a salesman.

John

Could I see the data to back up that these are stereotypes? (Well, as long as we are playing we might as well play fair from both sides.)

John

I once read a book about how to get away with speeding, written by an ex-cop. (I read it mostly out of curiosity, as I don't generally speed--at least by CA's liberal standards--and I've never been pulled over for speeding.) Driving in a "cop-type" car is one thing he recommends to avoid tickets. Another is to wear a Roman collar and black clothing and carry a Bible or some other religious books in plain view in your car, as well as have a religious medallion dangling from your rear-view mirror. He says priests rarely get more than a talking-to if they're even stopped at all. But he urges you never to claim to be a cop, or even a priest, if asked by an officer. There are laws against impersonating cops, and in some places there are even laws against pretending to be a member of the clergy for deceitful purposes. Whereas there's no law against just dressing in a Roman collar and carrying around a Bible, and if the cop gets the impression you're a clergyman, well, hey, not your fault...

John

I haven't read that book, but I'll buy into the priest thing. I doubt I'd write a priest, nun, nurse, doctor, firefighter, EMT, or another cop. Like you said, it's the impression - so long as you don't make false claims. I'll buy that.

When he's not teaching Mikey how to use an Acetylene torch. :)

BTW, did you catch Monster Garage right before AC? That Celica ought to be enough to make aunt MORON, CT and maybe "Blossom Dearie," have a heart attack!

-- Paul

So they charge up as much as they can and declare bankruptcy. Sounds like good sound financial strategy to me -- they come out debt free and get to keep most of their assetts.

Yup, that's the one I was talking about.

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 09:30:31 -0600, "Paul"

You bet! Did you see the one where they made a Peterbuilt into a bike (actually a trike)?

Chief Wiggum: Evening, Simpson. You've got a short or something...your taillight started blinking when you made that turn. Let's see your chauffer's license

-=-=- ~angela email not valid

I know someone with a white Crown vic. No one cuts him off and sometimes people slow down near him, which could be a downside. It only has a car phone antenna, otherwise it's a normal white crown vic. I suggested getting black wheels and silver hubcaps, black front grill, ram bars, cago net between front and back seats, hairdryer for the dash, and a CB radio (and antenna.) He also has a radar detector so no tickets.

There are smart, rich people who feel they don't need to flaunt their wealth.

"Paul" > > Chopper.

Good episode a Jet engine in a Celica, kinda went over the $3000 budget.

I'll cut them some slack. The concept was totally cool. I'd like to see what that car would have really been able to do given a longer runway.... ;-)

-- Paul

That was a wild concept.

My all time favorites are the Mustang Lawn Mower ("Mowing the grass at 100 mph rules. Doing anything at 100 miles an hour rules, for that matter.") and the Escalade Tailgate Vehicle.

I can't wait to see what they come up with next....

-- Paul