[W126 Coupe] 300SE meets Sucky Utility Vehicle (SUV)

[Dick Spellman]

Hi Bill:

In my many trips throughout Canada I've never seen a large population of 
SUV's.  I think this is due to the substantially greater gas prices in 
Canada.  Last time I was in Ottawa (great city by the way) a liter of 
gas was about 60% greater than an equivalent amount in US gallons.  So, 
I think the fuel prices do aid in curbing the enthusiasm of a would-be 
purchaser of an SUV in your country.  I think you have the advantage of 
stopping the onslaught before it reaches critical mass as is the case in 
the US.  The US is the ONLY country that has taken the SUV to excess by 
offering tax breaks rather than tax increases.  As I travel here and 
there, most recently Japan, where I saw not one SUV but, a smaller 
contained country with great transit systems and most everyone walking 
here and there after exiting a bus or train system.  In the US we fail 
to realize just how clean and efficient public transit can be.  We 
tolerate mediocre service with unreliable time-tables, dirty vehicles, 
dirty terminals etc.  In Japan by way of example the transit systems are 
immaculate, very reliable and most importantly affordable.  If you drive 
a car in Japan you pay a hefty road tax similar to our US tolls but 2 to 
3 times the cost our daily commutes.  Hence the cities are large, little 
urban sprawl and public transit is stellar.

In the US traveler's defense, we have a vast piece of land to traverse 
and a population of 300+ million, we have urban sprawl forcing the car 
commute, we have this nasty air travel system that seems ever-ready to 
collapse and provides no quality of service.  So, it is what it is.  
Probably said too much already so best to leave it alone.  Take care Bill.

Dick

Bill Reford wrote:

> Hear Hear!!!

>

> The same crap goes on up here in Canada. The Ministry of Transport has 

> a proposal on the table that will subject an average SUV to a $ 

> 4000.00 additional tax (gas guzzling tax) when purchased new. (Good) 

> and a payment (kickback) to any person who invests in a hybrid (any 

> make)  I admire your patience, a pity to have one of your classics 

> wounded by a piece of shit and piloted by an idiot..

>

> Bill

>

> 1985 500SEC Euro

> 1984 300D

> 1988 420SEL

> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dick Spellman" <spell.yy at verizon.net>

> To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 6:59 PM

> Subject: [W126 Coupe] 300SE meets Sucky Utility Vehicle (SUV)

>

>

>> Well for those of you that do not know me, I have a particular rant 

>> that simply stated suggests that this government and US automakers 

>> conspired to permit the sale of SUV's at a time when they realized 

>> they could no longer compete with a sedan or other family vehicle 

>> made in Japan.  It started with the Dodge/Plymouth Caravan which was 

>> in my opinion a reasonable compromise and natural evolution of the 

>> family station wagon.  The caravan even made a reasonable utility 

>> vehicle once absent the rear seats.  Gas mileage, visibility and 

>> safety were good as well.

>>

>> But, today we have nothing but gas guzzling SUV's on the roadways 

>> where the drivers are forever thinking they are invincible and do 

>> more stupid SUV tricks than any other motorists on the road.  100's 

>> in accidents from a single snow event mostly SUV's (snow rare this 

>> winter in Btown).

>>

>> Now for today's case in point.  Today while stopped at a RED light (a 

>> long wait I might add) in the left turn lane to enter a MASS highway 

>> the SUV operator in front of me decides he needs to move to the lanes 

>> to my right for local traffic and not the highway.  Without so much 

>> as a glance in his OBSTRUCTED rear view mirror, he throws the sucky 

>> utility vehicle in reverse and slams into the front of my 300SE Euro 

>> sedan.

>>

>> I was polite enough given the adrenalin rush from the stupid event 

>> (that's why they call them accidents I suppose) but, had he been 

>> driving a sedan or other similar passenger vehicle his glance in the 

>> rear view ( I won't bother to comment on not checking his side view 

>> mirrors) would have given him the visual clue that a line of cars was 

>> in fact behind him!

>>

>> Anyway, rental car tomorrow for the rest of my weeks business, then 

>> the insurance hassle etc.  Just another day in Boston where driving 

>> is always an experience.

>>

>> By the way, last winter it was a city plow truck that drove into the 

>> trunk of my other MB sedan at yet another red light where traffic was 

>> clearly stopped.  There's no escaping the madness!

>>

>> Dick

>> rant off and a glass of merlot in hand.  By the way I don't care if 

>> you own an SUV, it's all a part of the conspiracy and marketing hype 

>> that says everyone's gotta have one, not much you can do about it.  

>> If I had been in a lean, efficient SMART Brabus car it would have 

>> been trashed by the SUV and I might not be writing this piece at 

>> all!  So, no way I'm getting a smaller car where the roads are 

>> nothing but SUV's.

>>

>> The MB Coupes Website!

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>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C. 

>

> The MB Coupes Website!

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> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>

>