The congressional crazy train just keeps on rolling, as haggling over changes to roof-crush standards have taken [another] turn for the surreal. Needless to say, lawmakers never stopped posturing long enough to question the safety value of making vehicles more top-heavy. In fact, they launched a whole new round of stupid. In response to the administration's attempts to write limits on future rollover lawsuits into the new rules, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark) told Bush to drop the lawsuit-limiting language or "you'll get a reaction from Congress that you won't like." Pryor and his equally hysterical colleagues failed to realize (or admit) that limits on lawsuits are actually the responsible choice– once you accept that increasing roof crush standards requires automakers to build top-heavy vehicles more likely to roll over. This rush to righteous anger over Bush's perceived pandering only further marginalizes the much-needed debate over the actual benefits of reinforced roofs. With the NHTSA facing a July 1 deadline for new rules, don't hold your breath for that action.
8 Comments on “Rollover Rhetoric Rumbles On...”
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Well, they could always pile more weight in the floor to lower the CG…Oh weight! That would hurt MPG!
Carry on guys (they will anyway).
Bunter
oy vey. Well, as Churchill said…
“rush to righteous anger over Bush’s perceived pandering”
It’s Kabuki theatre. Or maybe Little Nell, Snidely Whiplash and Dudley Doright, with the politicians alternating in the various roles.
While a static crush test is a dumb method of predicting injury likelihood in real rollover accidents, a sunroof (especially a double one) probably weighs more than all the pillar reinforcement needed to meet the higher standard.
The real problem is high clearance vehicles being used as family haulers, which will soon be history.
Patrick: “The real problem is high clearance vehicles being used as family haulers, which will soon be history”
The market is making legislative bodies obsolete? An outrageous, intolerable situation. At least if you are a politician.
That diagram of a VW Jetta doesn’t look right. This is better.
http://www.projectbronco.com/Cartoon/Jetta.jpg
mdf: “The market is making legislative bodies obsolete? An outrageous, intolerable situation. At least if you are a politician”
Do the m and f in your name stand for Milton Friedman by any chance? :p
Rather than designing cars, perhaps our elected class could get back to doing what they do best: Taking from the productive and giving to the non productive.