Is it just me, or am I seeing a steep increase in official disrespect for older vehicles lately? First, we had the cash for clunkers nightmare. Now we see this Insurance Institute for Highway Safety video crashing a 1959 Chevrolet up against a 2009 Chevrolet to illustrate “how far we’ve come.”
Actually, it’s difficult to discern the exact purpose of the video. On YouTube (via TTAC), it’s suggested the video was made to commemorate the IIHS’s 50th anniversary. On Good Morning America last week (via the H.A.M.B.), it was used to hype accident-avoidance technology. In either case, the point seems to be: old=bad; new=good.
We could point out, as others already have, that the ‘59 appears to lack a drivetrain and suffer from rust-induced weakening (maybe not – see links below and NYTimes update here), while the ‘09 appears entirely intact. We could also point out that in 1959, three-point seatbelts were hardly in use, ABS hadn’t yet been invented, and crash helmets were mere scraps of leather. It was a different and supplanted time.
Yes, safety is good. Yes, taking care of the environment is good. But don’t disrespect American motoring heritage by anachronistically comparing cars from two different eras and declaring that progress triumphs yet again. Progress has brought us bland cars that remove the driver from the driving and any semblance of excitement from the motoring experience, meanwhile farting rainbows and unicorns out our cars’ exhaust pipes. So if I need to compromise my safety and burn a couple more gallons of gasoline by driving an older car just so I can feel alive behind the wheel, then so be it.
Related posts:
- The 1979 Chevy K10’s New Paint
- Nana Okada: Yokohama Drama
- EPA Confirms 20/21-mpg Fuel-Rating for GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe
- Pontiac mulls G8 GXP Coupe based on Holden concept
- Breaking: Pontiac G8 to Live on as a Caprice, Built in Oshawa
Related posts:
- 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
- More Pics : 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
- GeigerCars Chevrolet Camaro SS Compressor
- New Chevrolet Camaro SS Spy Photos
- Chevrolet Camaro LS7 Concept Car
0 коммент.:
Отправить комментарий