Temerity? Interesting. I prefer practicality. In Harold Manger’s response to my original article, he laid out a succession of specious claims. I shall debunk them one by one and address the issues that he failed to in the course of his retort.
Let’s first compare apples to apples, not persimmons to cummquats. In deciding to part with our 12 year old Honda Accord that achieved in excess of 30 miles per gallon without the cumbersome battery technology that hybrids rely on so heavily, we were looking for a vehicle with four-wheel drive capability, something the Prius did not offer. This was strike one for those keeping score at home.
In the ensuing 3 years, the Prius line has expanded to include a wagon that provides the storage capacity that we desired with the vehicle we eventually choose. However, even this option, the Prius v, does not have 4-wheel drive. Strike two.
Our purchase of an electric car is not going to take place any time soon. We have a perfectly functioning car. If our Accord is any indicator, it will be 8 plus years. What Mr. Manger failed to acknowledge was that this is our only car, unlike his family for nearly 3 decades. With both my wife and me working full-time when we bought our car (and again now full time), we have made a conscientious effort to live near mass transportation so that we only need one car. My sister has offered her used Prius to us, but we are committed to one car, even if it isn’t a hybrid. Strike three sir.
Mr. Manger mentioned having 3 adults in the Prius with 2 large suitcases. We have 2 adults and 2 large car seats. We can still fit 2 large suitcases and a double stroller in our Toyota RAV4. This would not be an option in the Prius, as the stroller would take up the entire trunk. However, he then goes off the proverbial rails and mistakenly attacks electric vehicles, which misses the mark, as mentioned earlier. Strike four for good measure.
On Donner! On Blitzen! I’ll stay away from the snowmobiles if Mr. Manger agrees to leave the dog sleds to the Iditarod.
