| Subject: |
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No Priuses Allowed at Hybrids and Harleys for Obama Event |
| Name: |
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Keith Barry |
| Date Posted: |
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Sep 18, 08 - 6:19 AM |
| Web Page |
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http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/09/no-priuses-allo.html |
| Message: |
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In an attempt to criticize John McCain's economic policies and apparent unwillingness to support "buy American" restrictions including Harley-Davidson motorcycles for the Secret Service, a group of American-made hybrid car owners and Harley-Davidson riders rolled into downtown Grand Rapids, MI on Tuesday. The only stipulation for participation? Hybrids had to be American made, meaning no Priuses were allowed.
Led by Hybrid Malibu owner and congressional candidate Bob Alexander (whose love for his battery-boosted Chevy led to more YouTube videos of it than last week's Tina Fey appearance on SNL) the group timed its rally between two Michigan-centric events: the unveiling of the game changing Volt, and a Grand Rapids visit by McCain. Of course, the new-media-savvy Obama campaign promoted the event with Facebook invitations and blog postings. One campaign staffer wanted to live blog the event on a BlackBerry, but John McCain refused to build one for her.
We know this post is going to push more buttons than a guy trying to turn on the AC in his '93 Alfa 164. In fact, we're placing bets on how many seconds after the post hits that the first commenter is dissecting the overall emissions of a Sportster or arguing whether it's OK to buy a Ford made in Mexico. Still, we think the Hybrids and Harleys crowd are on to something that goes beyond politics: they've highlighted the fatal flaws of both the American auto industry and the American public that the winning candidate will have to deal with in January.
By the very groups of cars the rally decided to include, Hybrids and Harleys chose to highlight systemic and psychological impediments to rebuilding the American auto industry. Let's remember that right now, American-made hybrids suck. Really. Two more miles per gallon does not a fuel-saver make. Most drivers can save more than that by laying off the gas, emptying the trunk, and keeping their tires inflated. Like the heinous Oldsmobile diesels of the early '80s, the current lineup of American-made hybrids (with the exception of the amazingly engineered Tahoe Hybrid) are poor feel-good imitations. To think, we make fun of the Chinese for that!
That's not to say that the American auto industry isn't capable of greatness. Even though we're starting to sound like we're waiting for the Great Pumpkin, it's true that the Volt is going to make all hybrids before it about as popular as a Chrysler Aspen. Since 2001, however, Americans looking to double their current mileage had to look overseas to a Pur-ess. Er, Py-russ. We mean, Piruss. It's no wonder that Detroit couldn't be as responsive and innovative as their foreign competitors: the automakers face the same skyrocketing health care costs and unsure retiree benefits that the rest of America has to deal with. At nearly $40,000, we're not so sure anyone will be able to afford a Volt by the time it comes out. In fact, we'd be saying the same thing if it were $5,000.
Harley-Davidson is the kind of company Americans love to love. They make powerful, beautiful machinery that cultivates a certain lifestyle among devotees. Under the chains and leather, a lot of Harley riders are absolute gentlemen and ladies and would do anything for their fellow man or woman. That's why it's so disheartening to see the recent H-D ad campaign pleading with Americans not to buy a Harley for its gas mileage, as if there's something toxic about saving gas, saving the planet, reducing dependency on foreign fossil fuels, or any other quality perceived as "weak."
While there's nothing wrong with deciding to "Screw it" and ride, there's also nothing wrong with being proud of using less of a resource. We suspect a lot of Harley riders are proud of their gas mileage that bests any other American-made gas-powered personal transport. The American public could use a little more of that kind of nuance in order to move forward without running headfirst into a emotional, fact free shouting match. Example: A multi-sided half-hour discussion on the McLaughlin Group (Wrong!) about the merits of offshore drilling? Nuanced. "Drill, Baby, Drill!" chanted during one of the most important political speeches of the year? Not nuanced. We expect your nuanced and not-so-nuanced comments below. |
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