Gas Is Cheap: What Will Happen To Economy Cars?

[Flammable]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

IMO, this is one of the reasons Florida is worse than Texas. From what I've seen in Texas, usually if a driver goes at least 10MPH over the limit in one of the two right lanes on the freeway, they won't get tailgated, rather than the truth (as I've witnessed it) as you describe in Florida



. Same thing in Texas, except in my experience, the turn is usually right rather than left . Often people will do this when their right turn is a block or less than a block away . It is as if the only reason they do it is to show you that they think you weren't going fast enough . What a waste of gas and brake pad or shoe surface! Somewhere among my YW posts I describe two different situations where I avoided any accident at all...in either case an accident would likely have been fatal. One was on I-75 South (South of Bradenton, but before Naples), and the other was on Highway 17 that sort of parallels I-75 and goes between 'just south of I-4' and Fort Myers.



I imagine this must be the case, or else there wouldn't be so many drivers who feel free to do what they do.

Wow hwy 17 is where I had my first auto accident back in 1980 when I was 17. It was between two small towns called Pomona Park and Crescent City in Putnam County. It was in my very first car and some 18 year old punk was drag racing a duly pickup in the rain going around 100 mph from what a witness said. The truck passed me but the 'Cuda behind didn't and slammed straight into the back of my 70 Duster. I rolled it about three times and needless to say it was totaled. The guy never stopped. Oh another thing I failed to mention that they do around here is pass you when a red light is like 500 feet in front of them lol. It's especially irritating when they do it on a two lane road so they have to get back in front and force you to burn your brakes as well. Sounds like we both live in stinky driving states. I also love how the local cops put all these lighted mobile signs around every so often saying stuff like "crack down on aggressive driving week" LOL

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Flammable

Wow hwy 17 is where I had my first auto accident back in 1980 when I was 17. It was between two small towns called Pomona Park and Crescent City in Putnam County. It was in my very first car and some 18 year old punk was drag racing a duly pickup in the rain going around 100 mph from what a witness said. The truck passed me but the 'Cuda behind didn't and slammed straight into the back of my 70 Duster. I rolled it about three times and needless to say it was totaled. The guy never stopped. Oh another thing I failed to mention that they do around here is pass you when a red light is like 500 feet in front of them lol. It's especially irritating when they do it on a two lane road so they have to get back in front and force you to burn your brakes as well. Sounds like we both live in stinky driving states. I also love how the local cops put all these lighted mobile signs around every so often saying stuff like "crack down on aggressive driving week" LOL

I was coming around a sweeping corner on Hwy 17, in my blue Yaris, in my lane going south. The turn bent to the left. I couldn't see around the corner in my lane because there was so much traffic going north. As I came around the corner, a Mini was coming at me head on, trying to pass at least 10 cars and wasn't quite going to make it. One lane in each direction, and half a lane of shoulder in each direction. Split second, I sat on the horn and with the other hand immediately navigated to the edge of the shoulder...and prayed. By some miracle, can't remember if it was 3 or 4 drivers, traveling in the same direction as the Mini, also steered to the edge of the shoulder (on their side). The idiot in the Mini (who never should have continued a pass around that curve ) was a pretty good driver. He passed through the gap that I started and the aforementioned drivers going in his direction widened. Room for error.....virtually nil. Accident avoided. I hope he got a speeding ticket later in his journey .

"crack down on aggressive driving week' . Can't say I've seen that. We have lots of messages on the billboard style lighted signs...usually Amber Alerts, Abducted etc. elderly alerts, reminders re how many have died on Texas roads so far that year (sometimes the overall total, and sometimes re just the reason they are trying to warn about), and a myriad of different messages about driving while under the influence.

Yeah, the idiot drivers in both states really are pieces of work. Not bad enough though, IMO, to tip the scales re living in either state. There are only 8 counties outside of Texas (3 inside, including mine) that I would likely ever consider living in, and the most likely one would Probably be Pinellas (either in Dunedin or Palm Harbor). Some great places in Lee County as well . One thing (among many) that is great about Florida is that certain 'scooters/mopeds/motorized bikes' below a certain power level/engine size don't require a motorcycle license to operate (there might be some related local statutes that I don't know about in various parts of Florida )...so one could easily use one to get to the water or even the beach while living in a part of Dunedin or Palm Harbor that isn't within walking distance of either.

[Flammable]

Man that must have been a terrifying ordeal and so glad you made it thru ok. People don't stop to realize that nothing is worth a life when driving unless you are rushing someone to the hospital but even then if you do a dumb thing and get in an accident your patient and you may not survive. I have lived in Florida most all my life and this is home to me. Even though the drivers are bad I won't ever leave I don't think. True there are a lot worse places to live for sure.

[Jcp123]

Texas drivers are ignorant and aggressive. California drivers at least had a "system" of unwritten rules...

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Flammable

Man that must have been a terrifying ordeal and so glad you made it thru ok. People don't stop to realize that nothing is worth a life when driving unless you are rushing someone to the hospital but even then if you do a dumb thing and get in an accident your patient and you may not survive. I have lived in Florida most all my life and this is home to me. Even though the drivers are bad I won't ever leave I don't think. True there are a lot worse places to live for sure.

The desktop background on my computer consists if a map of the U.S. that ranks the states by 'freedom'. Florida is 1st. Texas is 12th. California is 48th...New Jersey 49th, and New York 50th.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Jcp123

Texas drivers are ignorant and aggressive. California drivers at least had a "system" of unwritten rules...

Yep, and have to lump Florida in there (both generally) with Texas.

[Flammable]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

The desktop background on my computer consists if a map of the U.S. that ranks the states by 'freedom'. Florida is 1st. Texas is 12th. California is 48th...New Jersey 49th, and New York 50th.

LOL yes I can certainly agree with your freedom map. That is one reason why NY lost its third place ranking as largest state to Florida.

[Jcp123]

Originally Posted by Flammable

LOL yes I can certainly agree with your freedom map. That is one reason why NY lost its third place ranking as largest state to Florida.

I headed off my wife's desire to move to NY. I love her but when she suggested that, I couldn't help but think she was a crazy bat.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Jcp123

I headed off my wife's desire to move to NY. I love her but when she suggested that, I couldn't help but think she was a crazy bat.

.I've never been to Rochester, but I've spent some time near Syracuse. Fine to visit, but I wouldn't want to live through a winter there .

[Jcp123]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

.I've never been to Rochester, but I've spent some time near Syracuse. Fine to visit, but I wouldn't want to live through a winter there .

Me either. Bleagh. Even worse with Reynaud's syndrome.

Back on topic, now is the perfect time to have an economy car. Demand is low, gives you better buying power. And 5 cents/mi for fuel frees up lots of beer (or stripper, or shopping) money.

I'll have to admit though, I have been lax, most of my tanks have been falling in the 38mpg range...1 or 2mpg less than I am used to this time of year.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by Jcp123

I headed off my wife's desire to move to NY. I love her but when she suggested that, I couldn't help but think she was a crazy bat.

New York The State of Superlatives!

Yes you have to shovel a little snow but theres plenty of water, no tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, forest fires, etc.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

no tornadoes, hurricanes

One word....Sandy.

When one of my sets of great great grandparents (mom's side) were first married, they lived in Ogdensburg, NY....across the St. Lawrence River from Canada. Goal (per family stories passed down): Oakland, CA...for two reasons...1. WEATHER....2. Oakland lacked a Baptist church (my great great grandftther was one of the founders of the First Baptist Church of Oakland). My great grandfather's older brother was born downstate a bit in Fayetteville, NY. Six years later my great grandfather was born in NYC (Brooklyn), and by the time he was a year or so old they were living in Oakland. Nine years later, their little brother was born in Oakland.

Imagining what those winters must have been like.....especially in Ogdensburg, but also in Fayetteville and NYC...and this being during the 19th century...the WEATHER must have been a strong motivator.

If you retire to a place with a climate similar to my area, your Yaris might be more likely to last until you are 75. Your ice related fender bender likely wouldn't repeat in such a climate .

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Do you think people will start buying gas guzzlers again or have they learned their lesson (the price of gas always goes up) and will they stick with economy cars?

If demand drops......this = a boon to those who assertively seek bargains. Wouldn't it be true that new economy cars MUST be presented to the U.S. marketplace because of CAFE standards?

[Jcp123]

Originally Posted by bronsin

New York The State of Superlatives!

Yes you have to shovel a little snow but theres plenty of water, no tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, forest fires, etc.

Again, my problem with snowbound climates...

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Jcp123

Again, my problem with snowbound climates...

Sorry that you suffer from this. Good that you were able to deter your wife re Rochester.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

One word....Sandy.

When one of my sets of great great grandparents (mom's side) were first married, they lived in Ogdensburg, NY....across the St. Lawrence River from Canada. Goal (per family stories passed down): Oakland, CA...for two reasons...1. WEATHER....2. Oakland lacked a Baptist church (my great great grandftther was one of the founders of the First Baptist Church of Oakland). My great grandfather's older brother was born downstate a bit in Fayetteville, NY. Six years later my great grandfather was born in NYC (Brooklyn), and by the time he was a year or so old they were living in Oakland. Nine years later, their little brother was born in Oakland.

Imagining what those winters must have been like.....especially in Ogdensburg, but also in Fayetteville and NYC...and this being during the 19th century...the WEATHER must have been a strong motivator.

If you retire to a place with a climate similar to my area, your Yaris might be more likely to last until you are 75. Your ice related fender bender likely wouldn't repeat in such a climate .

Sandy was a one in a hundred year event here. Fla., TX Louisiana get em MUCH more often. And the people who got hurt were the ones living at the shore. There was hardly a breeze where I live near Philly. You know what the Bible says about he who builds his house upon the sand...

Yes I imagine your ancestors had it pretty rough in that neck of the woods. I grew up in a place like that too. It was great! We got out of school on snow days, made money shoveling driveways ($5 per) When I was 12 I had $100 in my pocket from that at times. We had snowmobiles. We went hunting and ice fishing.

Yes now that I am old Ive moved south the NJ where theres half the snow and its much warmer on average in winter...

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

It was great! We got out of school on snow days, made money shoveling driveways ($5 per) When I was 12 I had $100 in my pocket from that at times. We had snowmobiles. We went hunting and ice fishing.

^^^^^ But that was before an age in life where one has to think about driving on the roads synonymous with those conditions .

I don't know where around here your mom nor your brother live, but one of the reasons I wouldn't want to live in Galveston County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, nor parts of Harris County is...too close to the Gulf.

I remember fairly recently, some people in NYC were trying to do what you did as a kid....shovel driveways...and were stopped by some city official and told that isn't allowed . I hope that silly stance hasn't spread to other areas.

[Flammable]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

^^^^^ But that was before an age in life where one has to think about driving on the roads synonymous with those conditions .

I don't know where around here your mom nor your brother live, but one of the reasons I wouldn't want to live in Galveston County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, nor parts of Harris County is...too close to the Gulf.

I remember fairly recently, some people in NYC were trying to do what you did as a kid....shovel driveways...and were stopped by some city official and told that isn't allowed . I hope that silly stance hasn't spread to other areas.

Why in the world would city officials stop someone from shoveling out their driveways??? That's insane lol