From: Doc Bryant (rbhonk1@cox.net)
Date: Fri Aug 29 2003 - 11:48:24 PDT
My point in the numbers issue is that the ownership base of old civilian
vehicles is larger than the ownership base of ex military vehicles. More
people to protest the government wanting to regulate antique cars or
individually imported exotic cars compared to the set of people who want a
Mutt or military humvee.
It becomes then a "3rd rail" issue. Highly charged, and one not to be
touched with any hope of survival.
The risk issue is a different matter. Lots of supposedly skilled GI drivers
smash military use only vehicles. So the powers that be figure, hmm, even
more civilians are gonna be on the Ten O Clock News with these beasties.
Not a good thing.
Now, people such as yourself driving older vehicles is interesting. But
there is a wide knowledge and experience base out there to help a young kid
handle some old mastadon of a Cadillac. When we got the 36 Ford, both my
parents had driven cars of similar vintage. So, they transferred this
knowledge to me. And when, going down hill one day on one of the steepest
hills in town, and the hydraulic brakes failed due to a burst line, I knew
how to use the emergency brake to get me home.
Although on coming down another hill, much smaller, and closer to my home
'drome, I passed my father going the other way. For some reason, he turned
around and followed me home. He started to lecture me..."You were going too
fast coming down that hill." I agreed, and told him I was coming home with
no brakes, so gravity was winning. He quieted down very quickly when he
noted dripping hydraulic fluid on the rear bumper. And he was quite proud
of me for not pranging the car.
Now, the reality of a Suzuki Samari versus Mutt is nice point. But off the
mark. The Suzuki met the Civilian safety regs. Somehow it did. It was, or
is, dangerous in the hands of the unskilled, like teenage girls who get them
for their first vehicle cause its cute. I know of one fatality in them in
my town, and a few other roll overs. All young girls. There may be a fault
in the regulations therefore that would allow such a vehicle to be sold.
But still, it met the applicable civilian regulations.
The Mutt was not built to highway safety regs because it gets a military
exemption. That military exemption is the key to the eventual destruction
of them. We can not release them cause they do not meet NHTSA regs.
You could say, "Hey, I want to make it NHTSA compliant. I can do that.
Here are the parts I will use. You can even inspect it prior to granting me
a clear title for licensing on the highway." And the Government could say,
"Oh that is nice. You plan on doing much work. But some other guys might
not be as careful and cautious as you. So to the smasher it goes."
Why you say....
Cause I said so. I am the Government. I make the rules around here, in
case you did not notice.
And maybe you can import a vehicle that is less compliant than a Mutt. But
you are importing a vehicle that had primarily operated on highways in the
country where it was designed and built. Regulations are in place to allow
that procedure.
Regulations are in place to keep ex military vehicles that are not
compliant, or are judged unsafe off the highways.
The military Chevy trucks and Blazers are civilian use vehicles converted to
military use. There was not a military version that spawned the Blazer and
C2500 trucks. The Mutt is purely a military item (hey, thats why we want
one for ourselves!).
My selecting the DUKW was purely as an example of how these guys are
thinking. They think, hey its a good idea we do not let these out onto the
streets driven by Joe Six Pack. Look what happened to these other military
thingies. I did not use it to say DUKW are the military vehicle equivalent
of the Plague.
Much of the time, the government does things that do not make sense. That
is a government specialty. That is also because the government is made up
of human beings who sometimes do not make sense. And when you pack a lot of
human beings in a place, you are going to see a lot of stuff that does not
make sense happen. That is why people who do make sense, at least on one
issue, often fight an uphill battle.
"Nope, sorry, we decided this way, and that is the way it stays. Write your
congressman!"
Doc Bryant
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