California sues car manufacturers? Is this some kind of joke? Easily the single most ridiculous thing I've read all day (and the day hasn't really begun for me). state attorney-general Bill Lockyer, has this little nugget to say (amongst other things):
The impacts are already costing millions of dollars and the price tag is increasing. It is time to hold these companies responsible for their contribution to this crisis.
It's not the car manufacturers that you've got to take to task. It's yourselves. The car manufacturers did not build the California infrastructure. The highways/freeways on top of freeways. It's the mentality of the people living there, what they've become used to and what you as the state the governs these things have failed to address. This is like the kid the spilt the milk pointing at anyone (and everyone else) to lay the blame.
This is bullshit. Government makes regulations as to what emissions levels cars must adhere to. Car manufacturers will make cars as efficiently as possible. Lower emissions increases cost. If a manufacturer decided to just be good to the environment and lower emissions then customers would buy the cheaper car with higher emissions. In places like India manufacturers sell cars that pollute like the ones in Europe 15 years ago. Why? Cos they're cheaper. And they're allowed to. People like to think they care about the environment on a personal level. Generally they don't. If it uses less petrol, great, it saves them money. But high emissions are not a customer concern.
Good on State of California to bring this action. These car makers most probably having substantial investment in oil industry are making vehicles with huge engine capacities that are not required for day to day life. Then there is US government contributing into the fuel consumption by heavily subidysing the fuel. This is a typical american thing that they have got used to and are not ready to change their way of life. It's not going to change much if the engine capacities are reduced to similar to that in Europe. You still go from a to b using these big cars and you will do the same with smaller engine capacity cars.
At least this should force the car manufacturers to make their cars efficient.
Lalit K said:
Rubbish. Having recently been to the state of California and actually seen how things are done over there, I think this action is the single most hypocritical thing in the planet. I'm sorry but if you cared about the actual environment, then rather than building more roads, they would sit and think about building better infrastructure, better public transportation for people to not have to use their cars for everything.
And don't be giving me the age old spiel about America being a big place and people have to travel long distances, so do Australians, Canadians, Chinese, people in India, Russians and the list goes on. It's a choice, supported by the state in it's policies, and now it's decided not to take responisbilities for these actions by filing a law suit against the manufacturers. Utter bollocks.
Usually California has the smartest laws and coolest lawsuits, but I agree, this one is a groaner. Just change the laws!
It woulld please me to no end if those car manufacturers told California they will no longer sell ANY vehicles in that state. Then have them pull all their inventory from the dealerships until the case is dropped. Imagine the uproar. But the case would be dropped and millions of dollars saved by taxpayers and consumers alike. But something so simple will never happen and lawyers will be the only winners.