Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Orbital Engine (OE) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: dwight martin who wrote (4510)	10/9/2000 8:59:59 AM
From: Dr Mike	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4908

Dwight-- I agree with everything in your post. What I disagree with is Mav's air of moral superiority and smugness. Maybe my skin is too thin, but I am weary of being accused by some elements of our society (including a leading presidential candidate) of being unworthy of the luxuries in my life that I have worked hard to pay for. We can either let the market sort things out, or heap scorn on those who behave in a way that we don't approve of. I have a much larger house than I need to protect my family from the elements. It consumes a lot of energy to heat and cool, and it blocks my neighbors' view more than a smaller house would. Must I "grab my ankles" (Maverick's phrase) over this also? In many (most?) US markets the combined sales of SUVs and light trucks exceeds sales of traditional sedans. This means that a lot of people, who either go through the thought process that you suggest, or are oblivious to it, really do like the "...real and measurable benefit the owner receives from the safety and comfort of a large vehicle," and believe that it "...is worth the adverse impacts on the environment and the price of oil, the relatively poor visibility from within such vehicles, their tendency to block the sight lines of others, their poor collision avoidance maneuverability, and their disproportionate infliction of fatal results on drivers of smaller vehicles in collisions that do happen." I strongly disagree that I am "needlessly guzzling" (again Mav's phrase) the world's natural resources. I am purchasing a product that the market has priced. Nobody is forced to extract, produce, transport, or sell that gallon of gas; everyone involved in the transaction is there voluntarily. I don't think that there is any moral superiority associated with riding a bicycle or driving an OCP powered hybrid vehicle as opposed to driving a "gas guzzler." The bicyclist may be on his way to a meeting of the KKK and the driver of the Ford Excursion may be on his way to volunteer work at the old folks home. I pay more in gas taxes, licensing fees, and insurance premiums than the driver of the Civic or Harley with whom I share the road. If these additional charges are not sufficient to overcome the societal costs of the larger vehicle in terms of pollution, additional wear and tear on the road surface, or whatever you want to charge me for, then the charges can be adjusted. But please don't try to make me feel morally inferior for the choices I have made. In fairness, you haven't, but it was Maverick that I was responding to. If the resale value of my Suburban is less than it was when gas was $.89/gallon, that is my problem if I choose to view it as a problem. BTW, if Mav had a nickel for every single occupant 12 mpg SUV he saw on the road, he'd probably have more money than he's made on OE stock, but that is all of our problem.