It's the end of the car as we know it....

[Peter Gariepy]

It's the end of the car as we know it. And I feel fine

The world is running out of oil. Global warming threatens our very existence. The gasoline-fed V-8 engine will soon go the way of the dodo bird. In fact, cars as we know them are doomed. Who knows how bad it could get? Someday there might even be another Rambo sequel.

I say, get off the planet while you still can.

How homo sapiens managed to claim the top of the food chain mystifies me, for no other creature on earth-with the possible exception of the manicured French poodle-exhibits such unrelenting silliness. Never in all of recorded history has life been so good for so many, yet all humans can do is bite their nails with worry about the gloomy future that awaits us all. Best-selling books, the nightly news, and countless Web sites stoke the fire of fear. Life is awful and getting worse.

Really? Let me throw out a few facts. In 1900, the average life expectancy for an American was 47 years. In 2004, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, it was 78. In 1900, Americans devoted 50 percent of their incomes to putting food on the table. In the late 1990s, that figure had dropped to 10 percent. By the end of the 20th century, despite a five-fold increase in the U.S. population, forests continued to cover one-third of our land space (the world's forests have actually increased in size since the 1940s). Americans have three times more leisure hours over their lifetimes than did their ancestors in the late 19th century. I could go on and on.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE (MOTOR TREND) [img]<>/smile.gif[/img]

[rbl2]

I did not click on your link.

I sometimes think I'd like to be able to travel back through time to see some of the many changes that have occured. I also tell myself that I would like to go in the future, say in 50 year intervals, just to be the proverbial fly on the wall and see what changes have occured both nationally and world wide. Something tells me I may not like those changes though.

Cars, as we know them, will stick around awhile, unless they are outlawed and banned almost overnight. It would take a decade or two or three for everyone to be able to purchase whatever replaces them. Not everyone can afford, or wants, a new vehicle every few years.

As far as the media goes, I've been in two wars and participated in one murder trial. No, I didn't kill anyone, a close friend did. But I have been tempted a few times......

Anyhow, due to my experiences I have concluded the media does not report the news. They make it up. Sometimes they add just enough truth to make it believable. I haven't watched the news since Dec., '04. I'm not interested in being misinformed any more.

Beyond a doubt we have more liesure time than anytime in history. With all the modern convienences how else could we not? With all the modern inventions and what not we also accomplish a lot more, although not always in a good way. One example would be pollution.

While we sometimes wissh we could return to the "good old days" I think we don't stop and think of the convienences we have today. Personally, I am partial to electricity, indoor plumbing, hot running water, showers, central heat and air, AC in my vehicle, etc.

Doomsday sayers abound. Are any right? Damifiknow and damificare. Nothing lasts forever, not even the stars in the sky. Certainly not oil. Rest assured, there will be something to take its place though.

My biggest wishes would be that our children and their childrens' children, etc., are happy, healthy, well adjusted, and never know war. I never said I was realistic.

I also feel fine. Well, accept for tha aches and pains associated with aging.

'Nuff said.

[Mark Shaw]

I agree with the summary at the end of the article:

"Most of us long ago traded horses for cars, but you can still ride a horse. I'd bet that in 2050 you'll still be able to drive a vintage Viper-and your tire-smoking fuel-cell Vette. How can I be so optimistic about the future? Hey, I have history on my side."

[R W Burgess]

Quote:

All I need to know is this: Cars will continue, and they'll continue to wow us. How can I be so sure? Because mankind has always risen to the challenge. Always. The charts don't lie: The progress wrought by human ingenuity knows no bounds.

That's the part I believe in. These doomsayers about the "Sky is Falling" can not predict what's ahead for us. I'm not worried about the oil. There'll always be something else to produce energy.

My only concern is "Water". Hard to replace that stuff with something else. Wait, maybe the fuel cell cars will prevent the loss of water too. [img]<>/wink.gif[/img]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be thankful for what you have. It could be worse.

Wayne

[Dynaflash8]

QUOTE While we sometimes wissh we could return to the "good old days" I think we don't stop and think of the convienences we have today. Personally, I am partial to electricity, indoor plumbing, hot running water, showers, central heat and air, AC in my vehicle, etc. UNQUOTE

In 1955 life was great, no Wars, and all you mention except for the most part A/C. If you don't have it, never had it, you don't miss it. We all lived fine at home and in the car before we got it. Were in not for radial tires howling down the road, we could even open the car windows today and let our hair blow in the breeze

[rbl2]

I also have fond memories of those days. You're right too when you say if you never had it you won't miss it.

Problem being, I have now experienced indoor plumbing, hot showers, etc. I want to hang on to them.

Wasn't 1955 the year Ike started sending "advisors" to VietNam?

[RPrice]

Humans have always been able to adjust to changes. Right now, we're at the beginning of a massive change in personal transportation. We WILL be driving electric cars in the future and I have faith that tremendous improvements in battery technology are around the corner.
We're not running out of oil yet, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead.
Rog

[Paul Christ]

Originally Posted By: RPrice

...I have faith that tremendous improvements in battery technology are around the corner...
Rog

You are correct. In-fact, a flashlight is due to be released in early 2009 that will use no batteries and can be completely recharged in 90 seconds (versus 4 hours or more for comparable battery powered flashlights). While the power demands for an automobile are much greater than that required for a flashlight, what we're seeing here is a tremendous advance in technology.

By the way, sales literature for this flashlight states that this technology comes from "Dr. Alexander, a scientist with Flashpoint Technology...Dr. Alexander and his team have been working on this technology for more than ten years in the hybrid car market...".

I provided a link to the flashlight in case you're interested in how this technology will work.

** link to flashlight HERE **

[ex98thdrill]

Quote:

In 1955 life was great, no Wars, and all you mention except for the most part A/C. If you don't have it, never had it, you don't miss it. We all lived fine at home and in the car before we got it. Were in not for radial tires howling down the road, we could even open the car windows today and let our hair blow in the breeze

And if we were still living in 1955 technology, the restoration materials and reproduction market for our cars would be non-existent, and with the absence of today's medical procedures, there's a lot of people that wouldn't be alive today.

Now is today's technology really that bad??