Um yeah, no. I’m all for calling out the bloggers here but it’s obvious you just read the headline and jumped to make a snarky post only to end up looking the fool*.

Unless you can point me to a study that definitively shows that driver risk-taking, however you’d measure that, increases proportionally to “external safety”, however you’d measure that, anecdotal evidence and “feels” are all we have. I mean read what he wrote:

I’m certain that phenomena is real. I’m also convinced that there is a level of risk involved here when we’re talking about piloting multiple tons of steel containing the only thing in this world that you cannot replace (lives) that makes it small enough of a factor that we would be regressing overall saftey by…

Welcome, this is the first “good” news we’ve had around here in quite a while! Looking forward to the quality of writing improving as you get on board!

If you do happen to read this... I don’t want to get all herb-like and say stick to sports, but just in my personal opinion this place could stand to do with a lot less…

The basis for the entire argument is whatever the strongest synonym for ridiculous you can find:

Agreed, there is a LOT of grey in what “safe enough” is. But when this author - no, this FATHER - literally watches both his and his son’s life flash before his eyes in an event that had ZERO to do with his own driving, maybe he should consider getting a car with at least an airbag, you know?

Instead, we get an article…

Fair reply.

So then are there no truly smart/intelligent people who are successful? Or is all success simply luck?  There is definitely luck involved with everything, but if luck was all there was to it, why would these folks have such sustained success after their big breaks?

Just curious where we draw the line here.

Not saying you’re wrong, but what is your opinion on Gates, Jobs, Page, and other guys who started on the technical side and successfully created juggernauts?  All lucky?

Driving a car that weighs < 2,000 lbs and has basic modern saftey features like crumple zones and a couple of airbags is not a “giant box of padding”. No one is asking him to drive The Beast. Just to use some sensible judgement and NOT drive around in a tiny 30 year old sub-ton box on wheels.

I’m not talking V3s or clubs for tracking.

whynotboth has never been more appropriate than in response to your comment, and others like it.  You drive safe, and also drive something safe, when carrying precious cargo like kids.

This is a BS argument. Driving kids around is a necessity. It’s inherently risky and adding to the risk on a daily basis because you want to be in a funky old car is absolutely selfish. Apples to oranges comparing pleasure activities with necessary activities.

Had we actually been in a head-on collision, that 5,000 pound Tahoe or whatever it was would have absolutely mulched my 1,800 pound Pao. Sure, the SUV would have sustained a lot of damage, but with all the airbags and the mass advantage, it’s likely the people inside would have survived relatively unharmed, while…

Ah yes, an anecdote being used as data.  Classic internet comment!

Yes, I agree this would be used as a show car, not for a family DD or grocery getter. I think that’s exactly what I said in my post. I appreciate you agreeing with me.

And you know what? Accidents happen, and they happen mostly in modern cars. Those low death rates aren’t from thousands of 2020 F150s crashing into a 30 year old tin cans with no safety features. Death rate is low in large part because cars are much safer now than they were when this was built.

That’s exactly the point. There’s this righteous indignation about all the crap that Amazon pulls, but yet... here we are. The G/O blogs are literally biting Amazon’s hand as it’s opening to give them their pittance in commission for recommending Aukey and Anker charging cables for the 61st day in a row. And most of…

I think the safety aspect (or lack thereof) is very important when considering this for real-world use. There aren’t even any headrests in the rear! Can you imagine getting rear ended, even in town, by a modern 2-3 ton SUV or truck? Whiplash is a given for anyone taller than 3 feet. And I don’t think I even see…

Z-CAR Z-CAR Z-CAR.

Rogue first, yes. Probably a new Murano. Maybe even a competitive Altima.

After that?  They have to NAIL the next Z.  It has to bring back some excitement and gravity to the brand.  I just hope it’s analog enough to be a future car of mine.