Old vrs New

[Woobie]

Just read the article about the standard high tech features of the 2019 Fusion posted above. As more and more of these accident avoidance and auto breaking features become common place, we really need to be careful driving our vintage Thunderbirds. They may accelerate well and cruze down the highway at XX mph, but they will not stop or change lanes as quick as even the most common mid priced car of today.

And to think, I don't even have seat belts or right hand mirrors!!!

I'd like to see one 60 years from now. Ain't gonna happen though. Just more electronic junk to fall apart as far as I'm concerned.

All the Best

[Dan Leavens]

Joe I had to chuckle when I read your comments. That was the first thing my Father taught me was getting out of a skid on ice snow and recovering in the Toronto, Ontario area. That was accomplished in a 59 Buick that must have weighed in at 5000 lbs


I grew up in rural northwest Ohio. The first winter after getting a license we were encouraged to slide and recover from a slide in open parking lots.

[Joe Johnston]

I grew up in rural northwest Ohio. The first winter after getting a license we were encouraged to slide and recover from a slide in open parking lots. Often there were several new drivers waiting to do this on snowy weekends. Those were some of the best driving lessons I ever had. (Also taught me how to change from clockwise to counter clockwise rotation during a burnout in the summer!)

The last AWD Yukon Denali I had would only shudder a bit and then move forward, even when floored on ice. What can that teach anyone? Miss the old days, the torque at 3000 rpm and rwd too!

Just have to be more aware in today's traffic and try to anticipate what might happen. Stay safe!

[Deanj]

Front wheel and 4 wheel drive vehicles alone have given drivers a false sense of security. You might go in the snow, but you have to turn and stop, too. That, and other obvious reasons, is why my 2016 Challenger RT and 2013 Charger RT Road&Track have Blizzaks on all four corners during the Winter. These cars can go almost anywhere.

I even made a tire rack for 8 out of three 8 foot 2x4s with only one saw cut at home.

Dean

[simplyconnected]

Interesting ideas, Joe. I remember when 'anti-skid brakes' came out. Yes, they were crude but the police departments didn't like them AT ALL.

Now, I'm thinking of police maneuvers that actually run into cars they are chasing, like the pit-maneuver. LOL, I can see the cop car's braking system locking up just before his car makes contact. Oh, boy. And, how about police cars that push disabled cars... Hope they don't need to drive through the brakes.

I'm all in favor of 'constant improvement' to make cars and driving more idiot proof BUT these 'improvements' tend to remove our need to be constantly aware of our surroundings.

I can pump my brakes in a skid. I can control a skid. I live in Michigan and I've been through many decades of severe winters without a collision. It's ok for the wife but 'anti-skid' restricts my control as it takes over so it's not for me. I drive a stick shift.

Want to make cars idiot proof? Have the neutral switch disable all surrounding cell phones, so messages automatically go to voice mail. Cell phones kill far more people than drunk drivers. What's next? We already have driverless cars in the test stages. I can foresee the lawyers cueing up to make serious cash. - Dave

[Joe Johnston]

Just read the article about the standard high tech features of the 2019 Fusion posted above. As more and more of these accident avoidance and auto breaking features become common place, we really need to be careful driving our vintage Thunderbirds. They may accelerate well and cruze down the highway at XX mph, but they will not stop or change lanes as quick as even the most common mid priced car of today.

And to think, I don't even have seat belts or right hand mirrors!!!