>| Pat - Uh, tractor-trailers are something to be feared, BUT, the
>| SCREWBALLS who apparently have gained the ears of the NUTS within our
>| governmental institutionalized highways fellow SCREWBALLS have decided
>| that the, uh, "solution" to the "problem" of SUV's apparently inherent
>| advantage of surviving a crash involving the SCREWBALLS' idea of the
>| "ideal" vehicle for Americans IS to make all Americans have an, uh,
>| "EQUAL" chance to die in an automobile accident!!!

        I think this may actually be a tax to pay for the extra medical services
that need to be rendered to those who have cars with bumpers at the usual
level when they are in an accident with a vechile with a raised bumper. Most
SUVs of recent times have elevated their bumpers so that the urban warriors
can ummm, look stylish (they sure don't have to worry about approach angles)?
Although the Vanagon may ride up and over, the bumper is at "normal" level
and thus will not slice into a car at head level like SUVs tend to do.
        Now, I actually doubt that the extra tax is a safety tax, but instead
an air tax. 12 mpg is far worse than my Syncro ever gets and I live in an
area where smog is a problem (and SUVs ar the fastest selling "cars"). I
don't think such taxes should be applied state or nation wide, but I would
support a local Bay Area tax (even on my sub 20mpg Syncro) on less fuel
efficient cars.

dave in the SF Bay Area