Sun 11 May 2008
I’m always curious to read discussions of hybrid cars in the mainstream press. The following story came from Yahoo! News, and it was one of the featured stories for Yahoo! email users today. Part of the fixation with the anti-fuel efficiency perspective is on cost, especially relatively short term cost like what you’ll pay in a year or over 5 years. This article is no exception. What’s more aggravating is that when the environmental reasons are mentioned, they are done so with such tokenism in a way that’s really insulting or patronizing to the reader. In this article, the writer dedicates all of two and a half sentences to the really important reasons to buy more fuel efficient vehicles, only to ultimately leave the reader with the importance of a “bottom-line” analysis.
What’s most demeaning about this article and others like it is that it states the obvious as if it’s some grand discovery worthy of our attention: new hybrid cars cost a lot of money. Of course, so do new conventional fuel cars. In an analysis of a new hybrid versus a new conventional car of the same type or class, the financial benefits of the hybrid would likely shine. But instead of focusing on this comparison, idiot writers, like Terry Jackson from Bankrate.com, focus on ridiculous menial mental exercises that perpetuate our snail’s pace in the world of automotive fuel efficiency.
Click here to read “Trading in Gas Guzzler May Cost You.”
May 13th, 2008 at 10:53 am
I’m interested to know if anyone who 1) doesn’t have a gas guzzler in the first place, 2) can’t afford to buy a new car…actually drives less. I’m fortunate to live a few miles from my work so i can walk on nice days. I’ve also changed grocery stores so that i drive a few miles less. And i live on a bus line into hartford so i can actually go into hartford after work (from windsor) to happy-hour it with friends and then take the bus back (plus i hate the traffice).
I have to say, and tell me if i’m wrong, but i get annoyed when i hear people complain about the price of gas, but are not taking (inconvient) steps themselves to change their lifestyle. I don’t think driving a car falls under the “i’m entitled” category. But maybe i’m just being selfish…i understand there are things people cannot change.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Actually, I think you’re absolutely on point. It’s not selfish to think that we should be altering our habits. The reality is that people are going to need to change eventually. Part of this is certainly getting into greater fuel efficiency/sustainable living (beyond transportation).
Also, i think it’s interesting that you said “I’m fortunate to live a few miles from work…” I would say it’s an intelligent move to choose to live close to your workplace. More people should make this choice. I have to catch myself saying the same type of thing - “I’m lucky to live near work,” but really I chose it and I should be proud of that choice, as should you. But, we’ve become so accustomed to the suburban isolation afforded by our highway system, a system that has really accelerated our move toward the extinction of the human species. Happy weekend, everyone!
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Whilst i agree hybrids are good. living near your work is good. and riding bicycles is good, well, no, great! and we should all encourage all of the above.
i do not agree with your post, especially the sensational and incorrect title. it seems to me to be misdirected anger and only serves to make the open-minded people in the middle and on the right to give lefties less respect. we don’t need that.
the article is on a page entitled: Yahoo Finance.
above the title and byline is bankrate.com.
why shouldn’t it be about the money?
I can’t understand your critique of the article. Its about finances in a financial context on a finacial webpage. it should be about money. This was not a story in a regular newspaper or an environmental newspaper. it was on a financial site.
i appreciate people calling out the BS in the media. its great. its needed. but choosing a dubious battle like this one will hurt the cause more than help it.