Detail of a 2010 Sandy Beige Toyota Camry

[Vadar]

Sorry for the OT post, but Interesting article:

http://cbs.marke````ch.com/news/stor...7D&siteid=mktw


I think for me the main message is not so much the cars, but the irresponsible drivers. Although these days, it is not limited to the american cars anymore, but also to the souped up civic`s etc.

I see no need for street racing, when we have great programs from the SCCA (Solo 1 and 2), legal drag racing, etc. Most of this stuff is relatively inexpensive to participate in, and much much safer than racing on the streets.

Meanwhile, I think my Alfa needs another coat of Z2...

Dom
1991 Alfa 164S


:bounce

[edgewise]

Interesting reading.

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

For example, another type of relatively inexpensive sports car, the BMW
3-series, came in only slightly higher than the national average of two deaths per
10,000 registered passenger cars in the first IIHS compilation of fatal crash
statistics released in 1989.

Corvette drivers died at more than two-and-a-half times that average, and drivers
of the Camaro and Mustang weren`t far behind. The 4.9 death rate scored by the
larger Chevy, and the 4.4 of the Ford are both more than twice that of the
average, with room to spare.

The Firebird`s death rate of 3.8, by contrast, seems the safest of the lot. Still the
rate is in the same range as the others, with almost twice the deaths per 10,000
registered vehicles of all other models.

In 1991 the IIHS released an expanded study using information on the 1984 to
1988 model years. While the national average remained the same at two deaths
per 10,000 registered vehicles, the additional years diluted the death rates of the
sports cars somewhat.

The usual suspects still top the list, though. From the Firebird death rate (again
the best of the worst) at 3.2, the death rate increased to a tie between the
Mustang and Camaro at 4.3, and finally up to a 4.7 for the Chevrolet Corvette
Coupe. The Corvette again rang in at almost two-and-a-half times the national
average and nine times that of the safest car, Volvo`s 240 station wagon.

"People drive the Corvette differently than they would drive a Volvo and it tends
to be a different type of driver," says Daniel Pund, an associate editor for Car
and Driver magazine. "There`s nothing inherently unsafe about the Corvette."

While he concedes that the Corvette produces a lot of power, and the rear-wheel
drive of the `Vette is less common across the fleet of cars than it once was,
Pund insists that the domestic sports cars aren`t to blame.

"The Firebirds and Camaros have done very well in crash tests," says Pund.
"Combined with high death rates, what that statistic tells you is how people
handle those cars."

Champion of Consumers Union agrees that the type of driver is an important
factor. "The person behind the wheel has a lot to do with the death rates," says
Champion.

And young males, propelled by their testosterone, are the ones that are most
likely to die in a car crash, says Champion.

"Look at sports cars as opposed to minivans. Minivans tend to be driven by
some of the safest drivers out there," says Champion. "Minivan drivers tend not
to speed, they tend not to drive at night after drinking heavily, and the death
rates are much lower than sports cars."

The statistics tell the same story. Between 1985 and 1989, 90 percent of all
deaths in Corvettes occurred with men at the wheel, and 56 percent with drivers
under 30 years old. For the Camaro, Firebird, and Mustang, more than 70
percent of crashes involved drivers under 30, and more than 70 percent of drivers
were male.</blockquote>

[JonB]

Damn! This is the first time I am glad that I am over 40....



H

[mx5]

Just buy a Hummer or cement truck. You should feel safe with that.

[YoSteve]

when the flappin mullet hairs get into your eyes, it affects your line of site causeing more accidents



haha j/k for those with these cars and mullets

[Langley Interior Car Kare]

look at u being so politically correct....worrying about the mullets and all....your getting old dood.....anybody with a mullet...doesnt realize that he has one...thats the beauty of having one..... ...and take it from a lifelong New Yorker...i know alot about mullets...ive seen Joe Dirt 4 times on pay per view.....

[PETER GIANNONE]

they are only deadly when an idiot gets behind the wheel



or as yosteve implied, if your mullet gets in your eyes

[Preachers Sheets]

I`m 19 and drive a 330 horsepower 1999 Camaro SS. A fool can kill himself in the 3.6 V6 200 hp verison, or even in a Geo Metro.



It`s not the car, it`s the fact that more idiots buy these cars. I mean come on, you see how dirty some Firebirds, Camaro`s and Vettes are, what a shame.

[We&#39;re Here]

Ahhhh ... a chance to vent!



Is it my imagination or are drivers wearing baseball caps the biggest damned fools on the road?



How about Volvo drivers? I can only explain their driving by suggesting that they think that they`re in such a damned safe car that they don`t have to give a sh*t!



Admittedly, beyond the drivers wearing baseball caps, nothing`s 100% but I`ll bet half of the Volvo drivers have driving behavior sufficiently aberrant so as to warrant they`re regularly being pulled from their car and whipped like a rented mule!



How about those filthy pickup trucks (with their 70-30% weight distribution) zooming north on 95 at 85mph to scarf down the last of those federal monies before the Big Dig`s done?



Hey! How about those SUV drivers in the left lane?



We`re Here

[Lemonxxs]

The most dangerous car is what ever my ex-wife drives! Stay very far from her!

[rstype]

Did I tell you my dad drives a Volvo?

Well, actually they <em class=`bbc`>are[/i] pretty fast. He has the 2000 V70 T5 which had 236 hp, and now more with the chip and exhaust.

[Jngrbrdman]

The very most dangerous vehicle in the world is an SUV in the winter being driven by a Utah licensed female driver that is putting on lipstick and talking on her cell phone at 95 mph while trying to either change lanes (without signaling) or merge onto a freeway. I challange one person to argue with that! I hate those people that think that just because they have 4WD and they are a truck that the laws of physics don`t apply to them and they will be able to stop on black ice better than everyone else. GAH!! I HATE THEM!!!!

[We&#39;re Here]

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

<em class=`bbc`>Originally posted by Jngrbrdman [/i]<strong class=`bbc`>

The very most dangerous vehicle in the world is an SUV in the winter being driven by a Utah licensed female driver that is putting on lipstick and talking on her cell phone at 95 mph while ! [/b]</blockquote>Good point Jngrbrdman and one I failed to mention. Locally, I haven`t seen a vehicle occupied by a single female driver that hasn`t had a cell phone stuck to her ear since I last saw a Rhode Island driver use a directional signal - a long, long time!

[Langley Interior Car Kare]

and ever since the SUV craze began...im convinced that guys buy these huge beasts for their wife and kids so that no matter what happens...no matter how bad the accident....they will be safe...the other driver is a pile of chopped meat.....and i think that being up that high...in the SUV gives alot of people a sense of superiority...and makes them think they have every right of way and are invincible....that can be the only explanation for driving that fast....in the rain....and doing all kinds of maneuvers when it first starts with the snow...i think they feel that if they dont change lanes at 70mph ...in the snow...then they didnt get their monies worth with the expedition...excursion...escalade...lexus.......pa thfinder...etc...etc.....or....i wish i had one..........

[soonchawal]

Somehow, I feel like I am being beat up on. We have three cars that My wife and I drive. We are big people and have a diesel Excursion for her and a diesel crew cab pickup for me. We also have four cookie crumblers and recently gave up the minivan thing.

The excursion is safer for my family, event though my wife is usually a very safe driver. I can even sleep in the car when she is driving (Not many can say that) We did buy the diesel because it gets as good of fuel mileage as our former Astro Van. I tow a work trailer and a couple of employees in my crew cab, so I need the size etc.

If we are making short runs without the kids, it is to the Toyota pickup. It gets good mileage and drives pretty well.

As for my wife, I will give anyone $100,000 if they find her putting on makeup in the car. It doesn`t happen.

We also don`t drive like we are crazed in the snow. Of course, we never get snow on our roads, but even if we are going out of town we don`t.

And just for the record, both the pickup and excursion are detailed once a month. Now stop witht the broad brush strokes.