Greater percentage of wrecked cars being scrapped rather than repaired

The trouble is that ABS also makes the assumption that rolling tires
have more traction/friction than sliding tires. This is true on dry
pavement and wet pavement, but isn't true in a number of other
situations such as snow of any depth and sand. I'm not sure about dirt
or gravel roads, but I wonder if ABS is an advantage there. In snow and
sand you get more friction by locking the wheels and letting the snow or
sand pile up in front of the tires. ABS greatly increases stopping
distances in such cases.


Matt

 

You have to consider that today's crumpling cars are not doing as much human
damage, so that has to reduce insurance rates. Been in the hospital lately?
One surgery and you've bought a car. That doesn't even consider injury
lawsuits. One of those and you've bought an airplane.

Your shift to bitching about electronic "doodads" has nothing to do with the
subject of this article, does it? I wonder about that too. It seems to me
they're pretty careful to make sure they get a lot of your money if you get
a nice looking car with good performance. Not sure why they do that, but
that's life. Any cheap car with good styling will evolve to a bloated parody
of itself over time.

 

I don't get it. My car has a few 'gimmicks', e.g. a retractable roof that
is almost completely automatic. The new version of the car does have a
fully auto soft-top, i.e. no hand intervention at all. My car has this
gimmickry to achieve what it does. The new version has even more electric
motors and sensors.

Would I want to go back to a fully manual soft top of the thirties, or even
to that of a Mazda MX-5 (Miata to you in NA)? Certainly not.

I could have bought a car without all that, namely the nearest hardtop
saloon (sedan). But I didn't.

Would I want to go back to pre-engine management days and higher fuel
consumption? Certainly not.

Etc

Define gimmickry.

DAS

 

Yes, in Europe air bags & seatbelts are an integral system. As a result the
air bags are, I understand, smaller in Europe.

DAS

 

Not, apparently, a widespread problem in Europe. I have had some bumps that
seemed quite severe (not crashes) but the air bag did not go off.

Regarding the comment about mandatory insurance, are you telling me that in
some US states you can drive without insurance at all? Or are you just
talking about comprehensive insurance?

DAS
--
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
---

[........]

..........................

 

That is something that somebody else's car has and yours doesn't and
about which you are jealous.

Matt

 

Regarding the comment about mandatory insurance, are you telling me that
in some US states you can drive without insurance at all? Or are you just
talking about comprehensive insurance?
********
Used to be you could drive without insurance in *all* states. Then the
insurance cartel started paying off our politicians, & got the mandatory
insurance laws passed. Before, it was the *driver* that was insured, & he
could drive anything he wanted. Now it's the *car* that's insured, at
*whatever* price the cartel wants to charge! This means that a person with
two or more cars pays ALOT more for insurance, with less coverage. In my
case, I have several cars (being an enthusiast) & now cannot drive AT ALL
because I don't have the money for insurance (hard times). I cannot go
find a job, get groceries, or even wash my clothes, without BREAKING THE
LAW & taking a chance of GOING TO JAIL & getting my car IMPOUNDED!!!
To answer your question, there are still two or three states that do not
have the UNCONSTITUTIONAL mandatory insurance laws.
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

 

Your right to drive without insurance comes ahead of the right of
others to be compensated if and when you screw up?? I think not.

IF you have enough money and assets to cover the expenses of an
accident and resulting litigation, fine. Self insure.

If you do not have enough money to pay the insurance premiums, as
insane as they are, you cannot afford to drive PERIOD.

 

If you do not have enough money to pay the insurance premiums, as insane
as they are, you cannot afford to drive PERIOD.
*********
The point is (& I don't know WHY I have to say this!) the premiumns would
not be INSANE if the insurance was not MANDATORY!!! Why can you not see
that? IF IT WASN'T MANDATORY I COULD AFFORD IT!!! Also, WHY do I have to
insure EVERY car I own, when I can't drive but ONE CAR AT A TIME & do not
loan my cars to *anyone*??? If the MANDATORY insurance covered the DRIVER
like it did before, I COULD AFFORD IT!!! I drive VERY LITTLE but yet I
have to pay the SAME AMOUNT PER CAR as someone that drives FIFTY
*THOUSAND* MILES A YEAR!!!
Not to mention that the mandatory laws are unconstitutional, as they make
it IMPOSSIBLE for the poor (& most folks on a fixed income) to feed their
families because of the INSANE cost of insurance or not being able to
LEGALY get their groceries. Ever had 3 or 4 kids & had to decide whether
to spend your paycheck on food or insurance? ("sorry kids, I have to buy
insurance so that I won't go to jail for driving to work so you have to go
hungry this week") I know all about your apathy for the poor, as it's
rampant in this country. As long as everything is hunky-dory in *your*
life, you don't give a flying duck about anyone else. If the laws were
fair, it would be entirely different. Did you know I have to pay the
*same* amount for no-fault insurance on my *motorcycle* as alot of folks
do on their SUV? How can I *possibly* be as much risk???
The laws are also unconstitional in my case as they *prevent* me from
pursuing happiness. Hell I'm trying to pursue *sanity* right now without
even being able to drive *one* mile to the country store to get a loaf of
bread! I *own* property; why can't *that* have a bearing on the law?
It's ALL just the PROTECTION RACKET made legal by CORRUPT POLITICIANS!!!
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

 

Why do you own so many cars if you can't afford them and can only drive
one at a time?

I> f the MANDATORY insurance covered the DRIVER

Do you have kids or are you just making this up? I do, and I definitely
know I have four of them, not "3 or 4".

("sorry kids, I have to buy

Since when have the police been operating check points for uninsured
motorists? How are you going to get caught unless you a. get in an
accident (and need insurance), or b. get pulled over for a traffic
violation (which you could avoid by being a careful driver).

Your motorcycle is actually a much higher risk. Not in the cost of
repairing it, but in the cost of repairing you if you get in an accident.

I'll buy that there is something fishy going on with the insurance
companies and the politicians. Insurance definitely could be cheaper.
But you have also left out another reason you need insurance. If you
are financing or leasing a vehicle, the bank wants to get its money if
you wreck it.

 

Why do you own so many cars if you can't afford them and can only drive
one at a time?
*******
Because I'm an enthusiast, & an artist. Cars are my life & my medium.

know I have four of them, not "3 or 4".
*********
I'm talking about folks I know, & for thousands (if not hundreds of
thousands) of other families in this country.

motorists?
********
Since it became illegal to drive without it. What planet have you been
on?

repairing it, but in the cost of repairing you if you get in an accident.
********
My bike can't possibly cause as much property damage or injury as an SUV.
And don't FORCE me to insure MYSELF! I'll deal with it (or die/whatever)
if I'm in an accident that's MY FAULT. Most people have *other* medical
plans, anyway. They're paying *twice* for coverage that only one policy
will have to pay out on.
Besides, why do we have to pay SO MUCH when the coverage is SO LOW???

companies and the politicians. Insurance definitely could be cheaper.
********
Then why are you giving me such a hard time, when I'm spending *thousands*
of hours of MY TIME as a consumer advocate trying to help *you*???

financing or leasing a vehicle, the bank wants to get its money if you
wreck it.
********
Has NOTHING to do with no-fault mandatory insurance. It DOES NOT COVER
collision on *your* car. It's *your* choice to finance something,
therefore requiring insurance. All *my* cars are paid for, & I don't
bother with collision. (I might if it were reasonable)

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!

~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

 

I heard recently about a feature on a new car (Lexus???) where a
moisture sensor will automatically turn on the wipers. That's a
gimmick in my mind. And I would guess there are situations (like very
light mist) where the system fails to do what it should.


John Keith

 

In my car I have a winscreen wiper setting which adjusts the wiper speed
(from zero) according to the amount of rain. I actually use it quite a lot,
but I am sure I could live without it. Lots of cars have them.

Could I do without it? Probably.

Would I demand it? No.

Do I mind it's there and/or worry it might fail? No.


DAS

 

Someone said "insurance industry crash test.." etc

I am curious if there have been studies and results comparing the use
of a mobile cell phones (even a mounted one) in a moving vehicle with
MDTs (mobile data terminals aka telematics). Is it my imagination
that the similarities far far outweight the differences. So why is
one an offence, the other a growing industry. Any further links
appreciated.

NL

 

This thread prompted me to double-check the terms of my insurance cover...

I have what is known as fully comprehensive, even on my wife's 11-year-old
vehicle. To keep the premiums down I have only authorised both of us to
drive each other's vehicle. To allow any driver would raise the annual cost
a lot. Of course, certain people are still authorised to drive, such hotel
valets and garage mechanics.

What is compulsory in the UK (and probably elsewhere in Europe) is
third-party liability and under my policy I have this cover for any other
car (and motorbike) I am authorised to drive excluding hired cars (which, of
course, have their own insurance). There are many drivers on the road in
the UK who don't have this (I have been hit by one) and, IIRC, the insurance
industry maintains a payout fund for such instances. To me it is a given
that such insurance must be compulsory and it is not possible to license a
car without it.

Even well-off people who could afford to replace somebody's written-off USD
25K vehicle could not pay the USD 100 000 property repair costs or 500 000
medical bills that may arise.

Of course, any cover beyond liability must be dependent on the vehicle as
the cost of cover depends on the value (and desirability to thieves) of the
vehicle (or this that not obvious to some people?).

Thus I am still puzzled by the content of the rant. If it was once possible
to drive without any insurance, then in my opinion that was gross negligence
on the part of the authorities. Are we ranting about the compulsion to any
insurance, or just fully comprehensive?

DAS

 

Actually eating french fries and screaming at your kid in the back seat rank
about as bad as cell phone use.

 

My 300M turns on the headlights if the wipers are on 10 seconds. I could
live without it but I like it. NC law requires headlites on in the rain.

 

I have what is known as fully comprehensive, even on my wife's 11-year-old
vehicle. To keep the premiums down I have only authorised both of us to
drive each other's vehicle. To allow any driver would raise the annual
cost a lot. Of course, certain people are still authorised to drive, such
hotel valets and garage mechanics.
**********
Here in the US the insurance cartel says it's the *car* that's insured,
not the driver. Once a car is insured you can loan it someone to drive, &
it's covered. Yet they make you list the drivers (in your household) on
the policy, & use that as yet *another* excuse to charge you even more (if
you have more than one driver).

third-party liability and under my policy I have this cover for any other
car (and motorbike) I am authorised to drive excluding hired cars (which,
of
course, have their own insurance).
*********
Not so here. I can have insurance on every one of my cars yet cannot drive
anything else unless the owner has their own insurance.

USD 25K vehicle could not pay the USD 100 000 property repair costs or 500
000 medical bills that may arise.
********
Well-off people can also afford "uninsured motorists". In fact most
policies here include that, even though there are not supposed to *be* any
uninsured motorists.

the cost of cover depends on the value (and desirability to thieves) of
the vehicle (or this that not obvious to some people?).
********
Not jermane to this discussion (it's a given).

possible to drive without any insurance, then in my opinion that was gross
negligence on the part of the authorities. Are we ranting about the
compulsion to any
insurance, or just fully comprehensive?
*******
I'm "ranting" about the ability for the insurance cartel to set the
*prices*, set the *rules*, & force you BY LAW to give them the money they
demand! They set it up so that they get the most possible money & provide
the *least* amount of coverage, THEN ON TOP OF THAT THEY DENY LEGITIMATE
CLAIMS!!! The MOB is easier to deal with!
Our politicians are a bunch of greedy panty-waist girly-men!
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

 

Dori A Schmetterling wrote:


\

I don't consider engine management "gimmickery," but on the other hand I
still have 2 pre-engine-management cars and a modern car all in use
daily. The older cars perform just as well as the new one, and don't
cost me $50 every time a little sensor quits working. In fact, they
rarely cost me anything. They get worse mileage, but I still kinda
prefer them.

Power antennas, power umpteen-way seats, HEATED seats (fer cripes sake,
what a stupid idea!), air-conditioned seats (just as stupid, and more
complicated to boot), power folding rear seats, power sliding doors,
power rear gates, automatic (never turn on or off at the right time)
headlights, GM's "I know what you REALLY want even if you don't" power
door lock and automatic lighting phuckery, Benz's "here, let me
interfere with driver control!" brake assist crap, BMW iDrive.... THOSE
things are "gimmickery."

A car is truly screwed up when all the nonsensical fractional-horsepower
stepper motors hung on its part total up to 1% of the engine's horsepower.

Maybe in 50 years, those things won't be considered gimmickery in the
same way that power steering, automatic transmissions, and air
conditioning aren't considered gimmickery today. But I really doubt it-
all of those things (except A/C) add some capability to the vehicle's
primary function of getting from point A to point B. Power nose-pickers
do not.

 

You're KIDDING! That would be right at the top of my "things I'm gonna
find a way to disable" list.