Fuck Cars

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[–] Jiral@lemmy.world [S] 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (11 children)

I am not too worried. US cars are simply increasingly less competitive by the day. Transition to electric is going on at a good rate. In a few years only Tesla will have competitive offers, (possibly not even they). Gas guzzlers will be items for the rare confused with too much money. Maybe some of those electric abominations could be an issue but then I'll want to see that first. So far I don't see any indication for that. Most people want affordable cars.

Also for any of that to happen in the first place, a number of laws would have to be scrapped and that needs majority in the Council and European Parliament. Given the hostility from the US and the not too popular nature of that demand let them try. Chances are very high that this "pact" will be obsolete by the time anyway.

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[–] aramis87@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 child)

Gas guzzlers will be items for the rare confused with too much money.

Rich people will always have their toys. But I think gas guzzlers will stick around longer for more poor people. They can't afford new cars, and can barely afford used cars. The middle and upper class will transition to electric, and their old ICE cars will be sold (or occasionally given) to the poors.

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[–] Jiral@lemmy.world [S] 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I doubt that. The reason is simple, as soon as the EV used market balances out, used combustion engine cars will be more expensive to operate, making them an overall more expensive option, on top of being worse and more maintenance intensive. Norway is wealthy but not everyone there is rich. Yet they have 97% BEV among new sales now. Denmark will be next, soon enough and once Belgium and the Netherlands get there, the "only rich can afford BEVs" will be disproven for good. Without new ICE vehicles, also the used market will disappear eventually.

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[–] philcowans@universeodon.com 3 points 1 week ago

@Jiral @schipelblorp - I'm not sure it's even a few years. American brands already feel like also-rans in Europe, and the economic tipping point for EVs vs. ICE vehicles is already in the past. I don't think politicians could stop this even if they wanted to.Sure, some people will still feel the need to buy obnoxious vehicles to show the world that they're arseholes, and the existing stock of ICE vehicles will be sold at a discount to people who need a low up-front price despite the increased operating costs, but even that latter segments will rapidly get smaller and smaller.

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[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 point 2 weeks ago (7 children)

I think you're overly optimistic. There are stupid, rich asshole everywhere.

Though I think a European infrastructure just wouldn't support cars this size, so hopefully aggressive ticketing on the local level will discourage people from buying them.

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[–] Jiral@lemmy.world [S] 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (6 children)

Yes, but if it is just a small number of people it can't impact road safety as much as if there are masses of these vehicles on the road. I mean there are some idiots with Cybertrucks and individual certification in the EU, even though they appear to have largely shut up as the reputation of that thing has gone down the train even among Teslarites and lovers of oversized cars.

I am just not convinced that there will be a large number of people enticed to buy overpriced outdated vehicles with questionable quality reputation, no matter their size. Even if there will be some.

I am more worried about oversized cars from Europe itself or Asia but they got some dampening with the current energy prices and when it comes to EVs they came with an incredible extra price tag. There range matters and the huge tanks need to overcompensate with so much more battery capacity to have at least moderate range, that you pay a fortune to get a worse product.

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[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 point 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Everything about cars is self reinforcing enshittification. Biking and walking would be GREAT if there were no cars, but once there are cars, everybody needs to get a car to avoid getting by a car. And then, once they have cars, they want to get bigger cars to protect themselves, and then other people get even BIGGER cars to protect themselves... it can happen there.

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[–] Jiral@lemmy.world [S] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (4 children)

The safety is mostly a lie though. The big cars are hardly safer even for those inside, even compared to smaller cars and even if all the others are driving obscenely large vehicles. They are just more dangerous to everyone else.

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[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 child)

The truth is rarely an issue for people.

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[–] Jiral@lemmy.world [S] 2 points 2 weeks ago

You've got a point there.

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[–] aramis87@fedia.io 1 point 2 weeks ago (1 child)

They are just more dangerous to everyone else.

If you've been driving a smaller car (like I have), you absolutely get tired of people in massive vehicles who just try to drive through you because they either "didn't see you" or felt they could bully their way in because they're bigger.

And when it comes to getting your next car, in the back of your mind you do end up thinking about maybe caving in and getting a bigger car - you'll be less likely to get into an accident (because they'll see you or be more reluctant to bully you), and less likely to be injured (because your cars are off more equal weight and height).

It also doesn't help that, because the manufacturers are so penis-focused, it's harder to find a reliable smaller car.

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[–] Jiral@lemmy.world [S] 1 point 2 weeks ago

That is such a BS argument that people in these compensation cars can't see people in regular sized cars. While road view is much worse, small cars are not that small nor are they that low. If that ass in a big car crashes into yours, what will most likely happen is that they take just as much of a hit as you. Don't let yourself being bullied, they can only bluff and if not, sitting in an oversized car yourself only helps you by placebo effect.