T i m wrote:

I don't believe you can really follow the argument that it is not good
to have some vehicles outperform others though. You will always have
that situation - an 18 wheel artic will never stop as well as car.


Oh true enough, but, we *need* 18 wheelers and what they do, but tell
me who (in the UK) *needs* a Supercar? Ok, a very tiny proportion of

Sure you don't need a supercar. But need does not really come into it.
Whether you want one and can afford it is probably more relevant!

(there is an argument (less relevant these days since even many "basic"
cars are refined and well appointed) that if you are driving high
mileages either for a living, or as a fairly fundamental part of your
job, then having something that can cover distance without causing you
to arrive stressed out helps greatly.

Well, true fine and dandy if we all have the same .. if not you are
either hit or the hitter?

My argument was even if we don't all have the same it is still worth
having the extra stopping power. Yes sometimes you will be able to avoid
hitting something where otherwise you might have, only to have the car
behind hit you. But equally the first part will apply in isolation
sometimes! ;-)

Oh indeed, but (and what I was trying to say) in most cases the
builder 'needs' the van to conduct his business? The spirit of my
point was if it was a sports car that caused the accident though too
much speed or the 4x4 because of it's weight (roadholding / tyres etc)
then these may not have happened if they were 'ordinary' cars (with
'ordinary' drivers'). Not a perfect description but I hope you get the
spirit of my point. Why is it always more expensive to ensure anything

Yup I see what you mean, but you could just read that as "as many cars
as possible ought to corner and brake well". So by extension we are back
to "better get a Porsche" ;-)

that has the word 'Sports' on it than without (if the was no greater
risk)?

Except for perhaps a Jaguar XJ sport (which is IIUC the lower spec model).

Well there is more risk of the sportier motor being nicked, more chance
that its performance will out rank it's drivers etc. Not to mention
costing more to fix when you bend it!

plough into the back of his Disco at traffic lights. Result: one written
off Renault, one new rear fog light lens required for the Disco!).


I bet ;-) But we might not be laughing if the kid had died and the 4x4
was being used as a Chelsea taxi...?

Don't somehow think my though process would have been, "screech bang, oh
look flat teenager - if only I have bought a more flimsy car he might
still be person shaped" though... more like glad this is a solid lump or
it could have been curtains for me as well... (or SWMBO who was in the
car with him at the time).

(Kid was fine BTW, just a tad embarrassed).

further, how they are often used). I mean, they did a 4x4 Panda .. now
I doubt many of them were used off road and their economy 'couldn't

Oddly there were actually pretty good off road - quite popular with
farmers wives etc for that reason. (I remember reading a group test of
small 4WDs many years ago. They rated the Panda as the most capable off
road, followed by the Subaru Justy (which was really cobbled together
from an old Suzuki design). Although they preferred the Justy as an "all
round" car.

have been as good (extra weight, friction etc) as their 2wd brothers
and it wasn't like you needed to put the power down better (like a
Pretza) .. so as they must cost more to maintain what would you *need*
one for?

Smiling out of as you cruise past all the cars unable to get up an
ungritted hill perhaps ;-)

But I do few miles and drive with these thoughts / consequencies in my
mind. From *my* health point of view I don't see the risk any greater
(and probably better) than when I'm on my motorbike?

What is the other name for bike riders...? oh yes that was it "organ
donors" ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

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