Irresponsible Car Ads KILL

Promoting Horsepower Wastes Precious Lives and Energy

In a world where we love to rant about energy crises, climate change, violence, and guns to name a few fav's., car company ads are completely vile.

For decades there have been debates about violent video games and programming causing kids to turn to violence in later years. We also have debated the role of fossil fuels in ruining our environment and dooming the future of the planet for our kids. Both are legitimate concerns and the campaigns should continue.

To expand upon this car companies and their advertising should occupy a special place in hell. What do you see on virtually all of them? Typically it is the promotion of overpowered speed machines with enough horsepower to pull a freight train! They are all guilty. It is one thing to argue which pickup truck can pull the heaviest load with its super horsepower and torque. It is quite another to show their cars roaring down the highway with both men and women playing the role of professional race and stunt drivers.

Examples:
BMW: Supercharged BMW M3 7:25 Nürburgring Sport Auto lap - YouTube
Ford: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Commercial/Advertisement - YouTube
Dodge: DODGE UNCAGE / 2021 Commercial - YouTube
GM: Corvette C8 Commercial || 2022 - YouTube
Mercedes: Mercedes-EQ 2022 Mercedes-AMG EQS Commercial "Advisory" - YouTube

Mercedes is already coupling electric vehicles with speed.

Most adults respond to this just like the kids do with the video games. Muscle cars are apparently still king with car companies. Almost none of these influenced adults know how to drive fast - they have never been trained.  Despite all the lame duck arguments to the contrary, speed kills.

When are they likely to demonstrate their newly acquired rocket's power over others on the road? Unfortunately it is when they are also under the influence of two other things - substances like alcohol, and road rage both of which reduce their abilities ever further.

Apparently car companies don't care. They wimp out by saying that they are only producing what people want. That's the same argument cigarette companies used in addition to outright lying. The same can be said for gun manufacturers and drug labs. Car makers should be promoting responsible driving, not depicting public roads as drag strips, rally circuits or Daytona 500 speedways.

As to the second point in the title the claim about energy waste shouldn't even require justification. Nobody needs a high revving engine with several hundred horsepower to commute to work or go shopping. Car companies should be promoting low capacity and more efficient engines.

There is a role for governments here as well. They already tax the hell out of fuel. What about giving rebates and tax refunds for low capacity engines or higher mile per gallon vehicles AND taxing further the cars with lousy mileage? They could also limit the capacity of passenger vehicle engines and put heavy duties on cars that people try to import to skirt the limitations.

This is no longer about wealthy people arguing that they worked hard to create their lavish lifestyles, can afford big cars, and therefore should be able to drive them. That is like saying that with their wealth they should be able to hoard drinking water when thousands are dying of thirst. It is about limited, extremely necessary global resources that belong to all of the people.

Some car makers are indeed starting to advertise or promise future electric vehicles. Many engines are now available that are smaller and more efficient but that is not good enough. Pulling from the same analogy, tobacco companies offered small cigarettes and packages, and smaller and larger cigars, but took no initiatives until forced, to encourage smokers to quit.

One car company won't break from the pack and lose sales as a result. If governments force their hands, they will all have to conform.


Smaller engines alone won't stop the carnage due to speed. Stiffer penalties are also needed. Such engines will certainly help to lessen the energy crisis.

Instead of competing for fastest, they should push most efficient. With government incentives, it could make a big difference.

#thebrewsterblock