[Ford Man]

[QUOTE=Clev;156008] People accuse new-car buyers of being "fat gas-hog driving SUV lovers," yet here's the perfect example of wanting an inferior vehicle simply because it's big and heavy. The Lincolns of 1976 handled worse than today's biggest SUVs, stopped slower, sucked more gas and were far less safe.

You are turning around what I said, I said I would rather BE IN the '76 Linclon in the event of such a collision. I know well how the '76 Lincoln Continental Mark IV drove, handled, and what it's braking capability were, I owned one for several years and would probably still own it if I could have justified use vs. cost of totally restoring it.



If you don't drive a lot, don't worry.

I'm afraid I don't fit into that catagory either.



(Hell, if I had a 10-mile in-town commute, I'd be driving a '68 Beetle on those days I couldn't bike.)

So you are saying a '68 Beetle is safe enough for a 10 mile city commute, but not safe enough to drive on rural roads or the interstate where the likelyhood of a collision is less. I forget what the percentage was, but if memory serves me right they used to claim that something like 90% of all collisions happen within 25 miles of home.



You sure seem to be extemely worried about driving a 20 year old car, but like myself you are willing to get on a motorcycle where your safety is very much compromised or maybe your air bag is going to save you from hitting the asphalt. I had the asphalt chew me up once about 25-30 years ago while riding, because a tractor turned left in front of me and I took the option of laying the bike down to avoid going under the tractor and being run over, but I didn't stop riding, I got back on the bike, rode it home and started making repairs to damaged parts so I would know it was back in top notch condition. I still ride and have had many other close calls with accidents from cars pulling out in front of me and such, but I don't park it even though I know that safety is an issue vs. riding in any car.