When I looked at the Civic Hybrid in 2004 (I think, maybe 2005) I found that the passenger's seat was very uncomfortable. The driver's seat was excellent but we were told there was no upgrad for the passenger's seat. Has that changed?

JJ B (3/31/2009)

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Example: I have a co-worker who a couple years ago bought an expensive, big gas guzzling SUV because she "likes the feel of it" and "feels safer in a bigger car". That decision was about feelings. Not about making smart choices for herself, let alone our society.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

And the fact she "likes the feel of it" and "feels safer in a bigger car" is a valid reason for a person making a decision in purchasing a vehicle.

jfox (3/31/2009)

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My motorcycle gets 45...

I'm not sure most people made bad choices. there are always some that made poor financial choices, but buying a larger car, or a less efficient car because you liked it/wanted it, isn't a bad choice.

JJ B (3/31/2009)

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I'll say again that I would buy this argument only in a vacuum, where no other factors come into play. Sure we can buy things just because we want them without thought to any other factors. But if we do it too often without regard to other issues (for example whether or not we can afford the purchase), we run into individual and societal problems (think housing crises). The bigger picture is that we really had made a bad choice.

To explain my point: Say I love the feel of driving a luxury car. Say I want it so badly because (some sob story about never having luxury growing up and needing the space for bla bla, etc. etc so that everyone can understand why I made the decision I made). But if that luxury car:
...puts my family out of a home because it is so expensive (I'm just making a point) and
...kills all the baby fish and
...gives 30% of the kids in my town asthma and
...puts thousands of people out of work as major factories shut down, because I'm not the only one who decided to purchase a car type that has no future in the world,
...then I'm thinking it's a bad choice.

If I buy that luxury car, I didn't think about the context in which my decision was being made. The cons outweigh pros in the long run. I'm not saying there are no benefits/pros to making selfish, feel-good-in-the-moment decisions. I'm saying that the cons can be bigger than the pros and people can miss the bigger picture by only focusing on the pros and thus make bad decisions. I happen to feel that Americans in general (not naming anyone specifically) have made just these types of bad decisions - including say supporting a government who created tax breaks for giant trucks. Government of the people, by the people...

By the way. I'm including myself in this generic set of humans I'm condemning. I'm sure I have made plenty of bad decisions about many things. Just not my choice of car. (BIG GRIN!)