Maybe I'm not watching the right programs, but I don't recall seeing many commercials for Echos.

I would be interested in viewing any data about car models advertised compared to car models sold.

I don't see many Corolla commercials either, but they are a great seller.
Are there commercials for Prius?

Are you actually stating that you don't consume and destroy the environment just by existing?
You have no leg to stand on.

Of course we all pollute. It's a matter of degree. If all good Americans drove fuel-inefficent vehicles everywhere, there would be much more degredation to our land and air. Give every Chinese an SUV, and it would effect the air and climate here.

I drive( rarely), my wife drives daily, and I don't think that I'm some environmental nut case. I think that many forumites might be suggesting that society would be better off, if it's members consider the societal and environmental consequences of how they choose to live. Few are planning a cycle revolution.

Whereas I would like many fewer big vehicles driven by Soccer Moms, I'd be loath to dictate who can drive what, when. On the other hand, anyone who worked for themself, could get a huge tax break, by driving one of these behemoths, until very recently. In many ways car use is subsidized and encouraged. Being a fiscally responsible Democrat, I think that those who have, should pay as they go. Will this ever happen? Not while the vast majority blithely drive, and set policy.

I don't see many Corolla commercials either, but they are a great seller.
Are there commercials for Prius?

Maybe, I probably don't watch enough TV to be able to answer. I think the Corolla has kind of a cult following, doesn't it? It's known as a pretty reliable car from what I gather.

I still would like to see if there's any kind of statistical relationship with models advertised to models sold.

The Echo is being phased out in about another year....

I'd like to see some more info on that. They're selling like hotcakes up here in Canada.

I first saw one at the end of the introductory year (2000) then I did some research, bought a 1 year lease return in the fall 2001 and starting in 2002 they grew by leaps and bounds on the roads here.

If they do discontinue them it might be because they require so little work and gas. I change my plugs at 200,000 kms, no rotor or leads, computer controlled everything. Fluids, filters, belts and hoses brakes and tires. That's it.

I think the fact that the SmartCar sold out in Canada before they could even unload them all is a great sign for the future of personal urban transport. If they won't get out of them altogether, which is quite understandable, then please god let them choose Echos, SmartCars and the like

I'd like to see some more info on that. They're selling like hotcakes up here in Canada.

I first saw one at the end of the introductory year (2000) then I did some research, bought a 1 year lease return in the fall 2001 and starting in 2002 they grew by leaps and bounds on the roads here.

If they do discontinue them it might be because they require so little work and gas. I change my plugs at 200,000 kms, no rotor or leads, computer controlled everything. Fluids, filters, belts and hoses brakes and tires. That's it.

Well, Canada is another story. you guys have different names for different cars, and sometimes cars like the Prizm, or something will continue to be offered.
I think you guys had the Echo hatchback before we did also.

If I remember right, the Echo was offered in Canada before the States and so was the hatchback.

Those smartcars (that look very bizzare by the way) are selling very well in Vancouver. Just yesterday when my wife and I went out for a dinner and a movie (27th Valentines day together) we saw 3 of them in traffic.

What I don't get with those smartcars is they are not any cheaper than an Echo in cost or gas mileage, and the interior room in an Echo is an outstanding feature. There is tons of room inside for a small car.

I was looking forward to the Echo hatchback because my Chevette was a hatchback and I could fit anything into it. The Echo hatchback is a disapointment because they cut off the trunk and put the door right across the back seat eliminating the opportunity for more carrying capacity.

If I remember right, the Echo was offered in Canada before the States and so was the hatchback.

Those smartcars (that look very bizzare by the way) are selling very well in Vancouver. Just yesterday when my wife and I went out for a dinner and a movie (27th Valentines day together) we saw 3 of them in traffic.

What I don't get with those smartcars is they are not any cheaper than an Echo in cost or gas mileage, and the interior room in an Echo is an outstanding feature. There is tons of room inside for a small car.

I was looking forward to the Echo hatchback because my Chevette was a hatchback and I could fit anything into it. The Echo hatchback is a disapointment because they cut off the trunk and put the door right across the back seat eliminating the opportunity for more carrying capacity.

The Echo is a way better deal than the Prius as well. I've heard of people getting close to 50 mpg, and the car is only like 11 grand american.

Car shows are awesome, where's it at again

Maybe, I probably don't watch enough TV to be able to answer. I think the Corolla has kind of a cult following, doesn't it? It's known as a pretty reliable car from what I gather.


Corollas used to be nice small economy cars. Now they're bloated mini-luxury sedans. They grew at the waistline and became flabby along with the babyboomers. (my car is an old Corolla hatchback)

The one thing I don't understand is the demise of the hatchback. Real hatchbacks are rare now. Almost all of my cars have been hatchbacks - you can't beat them for versatility, compactness and carrying capacity. Fit a bike in a sedan? I don't think so. Haul a load of boxes, bookshelves or a small couch in a sedan? I don't think so. My next car will be a hatchback too. And the one after that.

Fit a bike in a sedan? I don't think so

You gotta learn not to make sweeping generalizations. Would you like to see a pic of my 2001 Chevy Malibu swallow up either my Road or Pseudo-Hybrid bike?

I hope you put plastic over the seats. A Chevy? Hey man, it's your soul, to burn eternally if you so desire I guess. :D

The Echo is a way better deal than the Prius as well. I've heard of people getting close to 50 mpg, and the car is only like 11 grand american.

The Prius costs twice what the Echo does and highway mileage is the just about the same. City milage is better than the Echo but you'd have to put on a lot of miles to make up that difference in price. Plus there is the extra cost on maintenece with the way the engine and brake system are different.

Are you actually stating that you don't consume and destroy the environment just by existing?
You have no leg to stand on.

Maybe I am like an aborigine and perfectly in harmony with my environment :)

Ok you are right I have a car and consume and destroy the environment. So what. I am not talking about the environment in some abstract sense. What I am talking about is quality of life. The basic question you have to ask yourself is do cars enhance our quality of life or not. I personally don`t think that automobiles overall add to the quality of our lives. In fact they are a disaster. I think that if people 100 years ago had seen the nightmarish future of concrete, stench, noise and death that cars would bring they may well have outlawed them. Now it is too late. No one can stop them. Anyway most people have never known anything different.

I have a car myself mainly because I am lazy. I am not willing to pay the price of not having one. I keep my car use to a minimum (more because I hate them than on idealogical grounds) but society is basically geared up for people with cars. No housing where people work-no corner shops-no trash pickups-no safe public transportation-no public transportation at all at night-don`t feel safe with the family on the roads..Etc..Etc. This is a direct result of the car culture.

I suppose I also have a car because I am a coward and am scared of being seen as the oddball cycling eccentric with a trailer full of stuff- a sort of homeless guy with a home. Society is not usually kind to eccentrics.

I don`t see though why any of the above disqualifies me from proposing we improve the world in which we live.

I suppose I also have a car because I am a coward and am scared of being seen as the oddball cycling eccentric with a trailer full of stuff- a sort of homeless guy with a home. Society is not usually kind to eccentrics.


Hey, I consider being "eccentric" a mark of distinction. :D

If I had to get a car, I would definitely look for an electric car first, but if I couldn't get one of those, I'd go for a hybrid. If I couldn't afford that, then I'd definitely go for a Smart Car. Any of those would be an acceptable form of transportation for me.

I love my bike. But I can't continue to ride my bike forever (in my opinion). At some point, I'd like to move to a car for basic grocery shopping, or when I want to visit my friends that live farther away. I'm going to be moving soon, and the nearest train is about 20 or so minutes by bike, then when I get to the train, it's an additional 20 to thirty minutes minimum getting to the city. That's a bit much for me, so I have to look for alternatives for the days when I'm just feeling too pooped to ride, though I will be riding as much as possible anyway. If I do have to drive, I just want a car that's as environmentally friendly as possible. I doubt in my lifetime, I'd get more than a couple of thousand miles on it anyway, but I want a car that I know will get me around quickly and is zippy as hell.

I totally love the Smart Car. I've been in love with them since I first saw them unloaded in 2001, and they have advanced so much and look more and more cool every time they upgrade the look. They take up hardly any space, even at the dealerships, and they just look so cute. I just can't help it- I love those cars!

Koffee

I think I've got a couple of those in the back of my closet somewhere. :D

In Rome we passed a Smart ("Zzmaaart!") and a Ferarri parked next to each other on the street. I wondered if I could hot-wire the Smart for a joyride around town. :D

The Prius costs twice what the Echo does and highway mileage is the just about the same. City milage is better than the Echo but you'd have to put on a lot of miles to make up that difference in price. Plus there is the extra cost on maintenece with the way the engine and brake system are different.

Few people consider the operating costs when buying a car. Bottom line is purchase price and whether they can afford the repayments (at least, that's how I remember it being -- it's been over 7 years since I owned a car -- but friends keep me in touch with these things).

Interesting little scenario here. We've all been led to believe that new technology is expensive. Look at video, CD, DVD, iPOD, anything electronic and to do with sound or pictures. Expensive at first under the guise of recovering the development costs, then declining cost until the item becomes redundant. And remember the market was manipulated with video when the best system -- beta -- was overrun and made redundant by the much poorer VHS (now that couldn't have been the movie industry working in cahoots with the video people to ensure copying was of such poor quality as to be useless with VHS, could it?).

In the case of the major car companies with their Prius' and so on... if there was a real commitment to energy saving, the car companies would introduce these models at a price commensurate with traditionally-powered vehicles...except they are having a bet each way.

-- Are these hybrids trendy enough that people will pay a premium to buy one? Market forces will determine that. Screw the environment or any commitment to it.

Or...

-- We tried the hybrids in the marketplace and they didn't work; cease production because we'll go bankrupt (oops, some already are under internal combustion engines, anyway)!

Or...

-- We're going to screw people who think they are responsible consumers, and if oil does dry up, well, we've recovered our costs, and we'll make those rich armchair greenies look like dorks by buying too early.

Or...

We, as a car manufacturer, have a loving relationship with oil companies; governments want us to play ball (a little bit) on energy savings, so we'll offer this as a sop to the leftist greenie socialist factions in government around the world, just so we can continue to sell our combustion-engined cars without any additional barriers.

You don't necessarily have to be cynical, but it helps. Pick any scenario you like, and let's develop it.

I totally love the Smart Car. I've been in love with them since I first saw them unloaded in 2001, and they have advanced so much and look more and more cool every time they upgrade the look. They take up hardly any space, even at the dealerships, and they just look so cute. I just can't help it- I love those cars!
Enjoy! The pictures of the canal parking in Amsterdam were taken in 2001 or 2002.

The smart cars are "neat" but that's about it. They just logically don't make sense.

I had a 1988 Plymouth Sundance (my first car), the engine on which put out a whopping 92 horsepower. I rented a PT Cruiser a couple of years ago (right before I moved) and it put out somewhere around 115.

Both of them practically dropped dead doing the climb up the Verrazano Bridge from the Belt Parkway. For those of you that don't live in NYC, the VZ is the longest suspension bridge and one of the busiest in New York City.

So... That being said... If someone is going to use a "Smart Car," where the heck are they gonna go with it? It would have to be so slow doing the things a normal car would do that it moving in traffic with other cars would almost create a dangerous situation.

And if the car isn't meant to go on the highway, that makes it even more ridiculous because, for example, in NYC, anywhere you're going within the city you can get to by train or bus.

The Smart Car isn't a bad idea, I just question how practical it really is.

Interesting that this article appeared yesterday on AP News:

Study: Pollution May Affect Babies' Genes

Feb 15, 8:24 PM (ET)

By KAREN MATTHEWS

NEW YORK (AP) - A study of New York City newborns suggests that prenatal exposure to air pollution may be linked to genetic changes associated with an increased risk of cancer, researchers said Tuesday.

The study by Columbia University followed 60 newborns and their non-smoking mothers in low-income neighborhoods, primarily in Harlem and the Bronx.

Their exposure to combustion-related pollutants caused primarily by vehicles was measured by backpack air monitors worn by the women during the third trimester of their pregnancies.

When the babies were born, genetic alterations were measured. Researchers found about a 50 percent increase in the level of persistent genetic abnormalities in the infants who had the higher levels of exposure, said Dr. Frederica Perera, director of the center and senior author of the study.

"We already knew that air pollutants significantly reduced fetal growth, but this is the first time we've seen evidence that they can change chromosomes in utero," Perera said.

She said the kind of genetic changes that occurred have been linked in other studies to increased risk of cancer.

"While we can't estimate the precise increase in cancer risk," Perera said, the findings underscore the need for government to take steps to protect children.

The study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, is part of a broader multi-year research project started in 1998 that examines the health effects of exposure of pregnant women and babies to air pollutants, pesticides and tobacco smoking.

James Quinn, a biologist at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, who was one of the authors of an earlier study that examined pollution-related mutations in mice, said the Columbia study merits attention.

"This study adds to a growing list of studies suggesting that anthropogenic air pollution carries health risks and genetic consequences that may affect the next generation," Quinn said in an e-mail.

Although the research isn't conclusive and leaves open other possible causes for the genetic changes, Quinn said, the pollutants were "a likely explanation for the elevated anomalies. Presumably there will be follow-up experimental work."

Christopher Somers, a research associate at the University of Regina who was another author of the mouse study, said, "The fact that the simple act of an expectant mother breathing might cause chromosome abnormalities in her unborn child is cause for concern."

Hi, my name is Gus, and I like cars... :o

And I will hate to see them go, but eventually they will... or at least the gasoline that powers them will go away (run out) sometime in the near future. With developing countries fast on our heels with growing auto populations, it won't be long before the M.E. quits giving us a break on prices as well. I'm glad I got rid of that motorhome! :rolleyes:

I had a 1988 Plymouth Sundance (my first car), the engine on which put out a whopping 92 horsepower. I rented a PT Cruiser a couple of years ago (right before I moved) and it put out somewhere around 115.
Both of them practically dropped dead doing the climb up the Verrazano Bridge from the Belt Parkway.


My car has similar or less power than that, and I have no problem roaring up mountains. Quality and weight matter as much as horses. I would not be surprised if the Smart is faster than my old Corolla, since it weighs about 1000 pounds less. I had a friend with the 3-cylinder Geo Metro and it was quite zippy too.

And if the car isn't meant to go on the highway, that makes it even more ridiculous because, for example, in NYC, anywhere you're going within the city you can get to by train or bus.


You should feel fortunate, because NYC is very unusual in that respect.

You should feel fortunate, because NYC is very unusual in that respect.

I agree with that.

I'm lucky that way. I drive my car once, maybe twice a week. The rest of the week is PT and bike. In fact, I just got the Navigator for shooting around the neighborhood.

[QUOTE=vincenzosi]The smart cars are "neat" but that's about it. They just logically don't make sense.
...So... That being said... If someone is going to use a "Smart Car," where the heck are they gonna go with it? It would have to be so slow doing the things a normal car would do that it moving in traffic with other cars would almost create a dangerous situation.
QUOTE]

Gee, I don't know. I saw lots of them pass me at about 160km/h on the Autobahn in Germany. I drove a similar, but slightly larger rental car, the Ford Ka, from Cologne to Heidelberg and back, and on a different occasion from Heidelberg to Vilseck (in Bavaria) and back and had no problem with maintaining 160 km/h (100mph).

I think European spec small cars would have no problem handling the NYC environment other than being equipped with puny horns, inadequate for demanding right of way or demonstrating frustration NYC -style.

[QUOTE=I-Like-To-BikeI drove a similar, but slightly larger rental car, the Ford Ka...[/QUOTE]
attached are pictures of British model Ford KA.

The Euro Fords sort of suck compared to the Euro-manufactured smaller cars, including the Smart cars, Citroens, Peugeots and other brands.

BTW - I did see an advert for the smaller Toyotas on TV last night - it was a combined ad for the Corolla, Matrix and RAV4.

The Euro Fords sort of suck compared to the Euro-manufactured smaller cars, including the Smart cars, Citroens, Peugeots and other brands.

BTW - I did see an advert for the smaller Toyotas on TV last night - it was a combined ad for the Corolla, Matrix and RAV4.

Mebbe so, but the Mondeo(5-spd MT) I rented in Deutschland years ago flew down the Autobahn, esp. compared to my poor '94 Cavalier.

Also, I think I've seen 1(maybe 2) commercials for the Prius. Actually, I saw one at the store this morning after work. Not my cup of tea(aesthetically speaking), but it's much better looking than the Echo, IMHO....

Oh, yeah--almost forgot: Down with cars and stuff! Booooo!

The Euro Fords sort of suck compared to the Euro-manufactured smaller cars, including the Smart cars, Citroens, Peugeots and other brands.


French cars? The 2 CV was cute and loveable, the Bugattis were/are/and will forever be SUPERBO! The rest? - Not for me.

French women on bicycles, now that is another story.

Can someone refresh us on what happened to all those American Bison?

Cars burn oil that kills people and our planet. Kudos to those that confront this basic truth instead of hiding behind yellow ribbon magnets made in china and bought off ebay.

Huh? Bison were killed for their tongues and hides before the auto was invented. The rest moved to Alaska and Canada.

We got our yellow ribbon magnet at the gas station. ;)

Bison were killed by european settlers to put the hurt on native americans that used their meat for food and their hides for shelter.

The USA has about 4% of the world's population and uses about 1/3 of the world's resources.

According to the World Bank, in 2003 the USA also produced about 30% of the world's economic output (http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/GDP.pdf).
Let's be fair here.

Gee, I don't know. I saw lots of them pass me at about 160km/h on the Autobahn in Germany. I drove a similar, but slightly larger rental car, the Ford Ka, from Cologne to Heidelberg and back, and on a different occasion from Heidelberg to Vilseck (in Bavaria) and back and had no problem with maintaining 160 km/h (100mph).

What kind of terrain? I'm not talking about gentle climbs, etc., I'm talking a sudden sharp steep climb to get up on a bridge, or something of that nature. Wide open on a highway at 100 is a lot different than climbing a steep grade at 55.

The smart cars are "neat" but that's about it. They just logically don't make sense.

I had a 1988 Plymouth Sundance (my first car), the engine on which put out a whopping 92 horsepower. I rented a PT Cruiser a couple of years ago (right before I moved) and it put out somewhere around 115.

Both of them practically dropped dead doing the climb up the Verrazano Bridge from the Belt Parkway. For those of you that don't live in NYC, the VZ is the longest suspension bridge and one of the busiest in New York City.

So... That being said... If someone is going to use a "Smart Car," where the heck are they gonna go with it? It would have to be so slow doing the things a normal car would do that it moving in traffic with other cars would almost create a dangerous situation.

And if the car isn't meant to go on the highway, that makes it even more ridiculous because, for example, in NYC, anywhere you're going within the city you can get to by train or bus.

The Smart Car isn't a bad idea, I just question how practical it really is.

Smart cars are meant to ride fast so you can take the autostrada, and it's FAST in general. It's also fuel efficient. You get like 40 miles to the gallon, and it's environmentally friendly, besides not taking up any space to park! It's not like those American cars, where the smaller thy are, the less efficient they are. They actually put thought into building cars out there in Europe.

They are nice. Next time you go to Europe, you should rent one for a day. You might try to put it in your pocket and take it back home with you!

Koffee

Smart cars are meant to ride fast so you can take the autostrada, and it's FAST in general. It's also fuel efficient. You get like 40 miles to the gallon, and it's environmentally friendly, besides not taking up any space to park! It's not like those American cars, where the smaller thy are, the less efficient they are. They actually put thought into building cars out there in Europe.

They are nice. Next time you go to Europe, you should rent one for a day. You might try to put it in your pocket and take it back home with you!

Koffee


The Echo already gets close to 50mpg, and looks reasonably normal and safer than a smart car.
The Echo is a smarter car.

And? First you're upset they're having a car show, now you're making a comment about which smaller car is better? :-/

Koffee

And? First you're upset they're having a car show, now you're making a comment about which smaller car is better? :-/

Koffee


Nope. I was never upset about there being a car show, you must be confusing me with randya.
The Echo is hands down the best economical car for the money. It's reliable and is very cheap like 11 grand and up last ime I looked.

What kind of terrain? I'm not talking about gentle climbs, etc., I'm talking a sudden sharp steep climb to get up on a bridge, or something of that nature. Wide open on a highway at 100 is a lot different than climbing a steep grade at 55.

That kind of terrain is PERFECT for a small light car. The more curves and up-n-downs the better. zoooooom!

Oh sure. I wanna be wizzing up mountainous terrain with a 92 HP 100 lb car.

So much fun to be had.

This car his its place, I'm sure. I'm just not so sure it's in my city. Your results may vary.

The Echo is hands down the best economical car for the money. It's reliable and is very cheap

The only downside that I can see is that an Echo was the car of choice for "Psycho Sy" in One Hour Photo.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265459/maindetails

What does it say about me that my choice is the same as Sys' choice?

Oh sure. I wanna be wizzing up mountainous terrain with a 92 HP 100 lb car.

So much fun to be had.

This car his its place, I'm sure. I'm just not so sure it's in my city. Your results may vary.

It sucks to think you can't make it up a hill at 55mph. Man you might just have to slow down. What a terrible thing that would be.

Nobody on this forum (or anywhere else) can afford to drive autos at our present rate of consumption. NOBODY!!!!

America is addicted to cars. Cars we simply can't afford.

FxJohn has to argue for cars as he is very attached to his. It allows a completely unsustainable lifestyle. He is like most americans and simply doesn't want to know the truth about what he is doing. It makes us feel better. Everybody that drives a car knows what a terrible thing they are doing, reason just gets blocked out with excuses.

Before you start attacking, please think about what you used your car for today. Now think about the other options you just subconciously blocked out so the you could rationalize driving. You could have walked, did that idea ever cross your mind? You could have biked, or hitched a ride with a neighbor (who was probably going to the same damn place you went), did that ever cross your mind?

Before you flame, read. It's a fun skill that some people like to develop; I highly recommend it. In fact, on this very thread which you obviously did not take the time to read beyond the last page, I said the following:


I'm lucky that way. I drive my car once, maybe twice a week. The rest of the week is PT and bike. In fact, I just got the Navigator for shooting around the neighborhood.

Now, see, had you read this thread before responding to this thread, you would've known that. But you didn't, so your response was utterly pointless. Now put the match away and stop flaming people when you don't bother to read an entire thread. I don't have to "rationalize" my driving, because I rarely drive. I live next door to a train station and take the train pretty much everywhere I need to go. If it's in the neighborhood, I walk or ride my bike. If it's outside the range of the Subway, or outside NYC, I do drive, but the occasions where I'm going somewhere not in the five boroughs are very rare.

If you had read the thread prior to responding to it, or any of my other 450 posts on this forum, you would understand that. But, again, you didn't, and your rant does not apply to its target.

Feel good now?

I did read it, you just don't make much sense. Is "shooting around the neighborhood" not driving? Does that SUV make you feel good? Does it do something for you? Why do you drive it?

Your reading ability just flat out sucks dude.

See the lines under the post? They're called signature lines. In those lines, I display a little bit about me including the two bikes that I ride and the two groups I pay membership fees to.

Note the names of the bikes:

2005 Trek 1200 T
2005 Trek Navigator 50

Now, what was that about your ability to read that I should be noticing again?

Your reading ability just flat out sucks dude.

See the lines under the post? They're called signature lines. In those lines, I display a little bit about me including the two bikes that I ride and the two groups I pay membership fees to.

Note the names of the bikes:

2005 Trek 1200 T
2005 Trek Navigator 50

Now, what was that about your ability to read that I should be noticing again?

I have signatures turned off. Post has been deleted.

Interestingly enough, in Dayton where I live people here seem to be overwelmingly positive about bicycle transportation. Literally everyone I've ever talked to here about it think it's a good idea and I've NEVER had a negative responsive about it. Even the Avalanche owner with his 36mi commute said he would like to try bike commuting if he could. Unfortunately no one I've talked to is willing to do it themselves.

Bike transportation here, however, is still a minority but is growing here every year.

Just Say "No!" to the Chicago Car Show
Bike Mechanics, Street Performers Undermine Auto Industry $15 Billion
Brainwashing Campaign with Car Show Shutdown Festival
http://www.chicagocriticalmass.org/media/AutoShow05.html

What? Chicago Car Show SHUTDOWN Festival 2005

When? Saturday, February 12, 12 noon to 4pm, 2005

Where? Hundreds of cyclists will pedal from Daley Plaza at 12noon, arriving 1pm at the north parking lot entrance to McCormick Place, which will serve as the main Festival grounds.

What? A peaceful Shutdown Festival utilizing: big puppets, mobile TVs, religious revival and the unveiling of the "Vehicles of Tomorrow!"

Hundreds of performance artists and bike builders will pedal from Daley Plaza on Saturday, February 12, at 12 noon to the Auto Show Entrance at McCormick Place to carry out a peaceful Car Show Shutdown Festival.

The Car Show Shutdown festivities will include:
- Unveiling and test driving of sporty, safe and super-efficient vehicles of tomorrow.
- A live performance by the Chicago Car Alarm Symphony.
- Levitation and exorcism of McCormick Place by a pastor from Church of Christ Without Cars.
- Oversized Puppet Parade depicting auto industry titans.

Each year, more than 200 Chicagoans die in automobile crashes and nearly 15,000 are maimed and injured, according to Chicago Police Department statistics. To convince us to buy their dangerous and expensive products, car companies spend over $15 billion annually on advertising, the most of any industry in the United States. Part of this huge advertising budget includes the Chicago 2005 Auto Show.

Car dependency negatively impacts us all in numerous ways. Chicago's children suffer asthma hospitalization rates twice the national average, according to the American Lung Association, as automobile emissions continue to be the major contributor to our city's poor air quality. Chicago families spend two to three times as much on transportation as their European counterparts due to the high costs of car ownership. Forty percent of Chicago's land area is wasted on asphalt to accommodate cars. Drivers waste millions of hours stuck in traffic gridlock each year.

"It's time to hold the auto industry accountable for their role in thousands of needless deaths and injuries in Chicago," said Becki Retzlaff, a festival organizer. "It's time to shut down the Chicago Auto Show!"

In conjunction with the Car Show Shutdown festivities, anti-auto artists will be celebrating the opening of the 8th Annual Critical Mass Art Show the night before the shutdown, Friday, Feb. 11, 6pm, at High School Gallery, 1542 N.Milwaukee 3rd floor. For more information on the Car Show Shutdown Festival and the Critical Mass Art Show see www.ChicagoCriticalMass.org or call Dan Korn at 312-505-9307.

That'll teach em!

Automobiles are also the single most inefficient method energy-wise for transporting a human body from point a to point b. Convenience is the main cause that sustains its use and popularity.


How the toad pulling full size RV?

It sucks to think you can't make it up a hill at 55mph. Man you might just have to slow down. What a terrible thing that would be.

Nobody on this forum (or anywhere else) can afford to drive autos at our present rate of consumption. NOBODY!!!!

America is addicted to cars. Cars we simply can't afford.

FxJohn has to argue for cars as he is very attached to his. It allows a completely unsustainable lifestyle. He is like most americans and simply doesn't want to know the truth about what he is doing. It makes us feel better. Everybody that drives a car knows what a terrible thing they are doing, reason just gets blocked out with excuses.

Before you start attacking, please think about what you used your car for today. Now think about the other options you just subconciously blocked out so the you could rationalize driving. You could have walked, did that idea ever cross your mind? You could have biked, or hitched a ride with a neighbor (who was probably going to the same damn place you went), did that ever cross your mind?

What on earth made you mention me?
All I said was that a echo is a great car?
I suppose you live in a cave wearing a hair shirt.
You consume excessively worse than 90% of the rest of the people on this planet.
That would make YOU a hypocrite, not me. If you think people are going to bike to work in January at below zero degrees, in the dark, you're a fool.

Still John, you do always seem to go to bat for the auto industry. Conflict of interest? Playing devils advocate? Or just trolling? ;)