In a recent editorial, I criticized – very mildly – his belated discovery that Mr. Latrell Sprewell has been up to no good by choking his coach. The fact that his coach is patently awful doesn’t mean that he is a candidate for garroting.
Today, I find an editorial that seems to say what needs to be said. It has to do with “The Family Truck.” (See Editorial on December 10, 1997.)
While Mr. Howell Raines lards his piece with statistics that have to do with carbon emissions and other erotica, I have other objections.
Yes, they don’t have to meet the fuel standards applying to each manufacturer. They are trucks. Don’t you understand?
Yes, they are exempt from the $36,000 luxury tax, even though many trucks cost more. Don’t you see that they are trucks?
Well in addition to Mr. Raines objections, I have at least two more. When the lights shine from the rear into my car, they are blinding because they are mounted so high. And when one of the new trucks is met, the effect is the same. A good many trucks seem to have the Range Rover complex. They let nothing stand in their way – they just roll over it with headlights all ablaze.
Now, my second objection is that I can’t see through those trucks. If I try to back out next to a Range Rover or whatever, there is no hope unless the driver approaching takes pity on me. I can’t see. When I am frequently between two trucks, it looks like a small canyon to me. I can’t see right or left.
I had hopes that there would be a phase during which the appeal of the trucks would die out. Now, it looks as though the reverse is true – trucks have about overtaken cars.
So Howell Raines, get on your horse and chew on those family trucks. I’m floundering in a sea of Trail Blazers, Range Rovers, Mountaineers, Jeeps and Durangos. Just don’t tell me that I have to join them.
E. Carr
December 16, 1997
Essay #12 (Old Format)
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Yeah, I don’t know what editorial he’s looking for here. Maybe Judy can help out! If she can shed light here, I’m happy to update.
The essay made me think of an article I read recently about how gas price is so cheap that cargo ships are going the long way around Africa instead of taking the Suez canal right now because gas is so cheap. Similarly, I think when gas prices spike, we see less SUVs, but right now we’re in another truck renaissance.