[metromizer]

Psychology and ecomonics...

If I had a nickle for everytime I heard and SUV driver say "I just feel safer..." I could retire. Particularly when it comes to women drivers, who wind up driving the 14mpg family truckster (Suburban, Yukon, Escalate, etc) taking two kids to soccer practice and school. Sitting higher in the saddle for a better view of traffic is part of it, but having this big massive SUV is an ego trip for many drivers "get out of my way or I'll run you over" kind of thing. I've always asked "Safer than what? A 45mpg Diesel Jetta with anti-lock brakes, front and side curtain airbags and advanced crumple zones?" then I get this glazed-over stare... another favorite of mine, to ask a California SUV driver "Have you ever actually put that thing into 4 wheel drive? Do you know how?" the answer usually goes something like this "No, but if we ever go up skiing I could figure it out, hahaha..." Just think of the fuel wasted by heavy 4wd SUV-type vehicles that have never so much as seen ice, snow, or mud. The last time I checked, 4wd doesn't help you stop, where most traffic accidents happen. Sure, there's parts of the country where 4wd is very useful, just not where I live, the land of D&G sunglass wearing, cell phone gabbing soccer moms traveling from the school drop off to Starbucks, then the nail salon and back home in a leased 3 ton 4wd.

On the economic side, fuel has been relatively cheap in the US until recently. Forget dollars per gallon for a moment, think dollars per annual income as a ratio. If you spent half your income on fuel, you'd be looking for a cheaper mode of transportation.