Exactly. You can't force technology faster just to meet an arbitrary goal
dreamed up by a beaurocrat.
And the sick thing about it is that whoever dreamed up those regs goes to
bed thinking "I saved the world again today".

"Matt Colie" wrote in message
...

This has been my problem with the "evironmental movement" since they
forced cars to get much reduced fuel economy in favor of maginally reduced
tailpipe emissions. Remember the early cat cars of the mid seventies?

Matt

Garland Gray II wrote:
Exactly. You can't force technology faster just to meet an arbitrary goal
dreamed up by a beaurocrat.
And the sick thing about it is that whoever dreamed up those regs goes to
bed thinking "I saved the world again today".



Well regardless, the technology caught up and cars get roughly double
the fuel economy as they got in the 70s, have much cleaner emissions,
and many are far more powerful too.

"James Sweet" wrote in message
news:ah1bh.10103$7a2.1829@trndny06...
Garland Gray II wrote:
Exactly. You can't force technology faster just to meet an arbitrary goal
dreamed up by a beaurocrat.
And the sick thing about it is that whoever dreamed up those regs goes to
bed thinking "I saved the world again today".


Well regardless, the technology caught up and cars get roughly double the
fuel economy as they got in the 70s, have much cleaner emissions, and many
are far more powerful too.

The more economy is mostly from smaller cars. My 1964 300 hp 327 Impala SS
got about 16.5 mpg on average. City and highway. My slightly heavier, way
more technology 1999 Expedition got 14.5 mpg average. But MTBE cost about
10% milage, while reducing air pollution about 6%. Not a large combined
number. while at the same time, causing mass ground water pollution.

That's my point. It was misguided --inefficient-- to force manufacturers to
meet standards before the technology was developed. And I don't think for a
moment that the stiff initial regs caused the technology to be developed any
sooner.
Furthermore, it was counterproductive to prevent (which the feds did) the
major car makers from pooling their resources to develop this technology.
Anti trust laws, you know.

"James Sweet" wrote in message
news:ah1bh.10103$7a2.1829@trndny06...



Well regardless, the technology caught up and cars get roughly double the
fuel economy as they got in the 70s, have much cleaner emissions, and many
are far more powerful too.