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whowasthatmaskedman @
zonavar68 Aside from the racial issue, it is an interesting conflict of cultures to wade through. While there are legitimate environmental/recycling issues and some aesthetic NIMBY issues, imho, being able to work on, repair, restore vehicles is a strong cultural value to large segments of the population, not limited to race, gender, or even economic status. A big question is how many are truly equipped--both in tools and skills--to do more than minimal tasks on current vehicles with their reliance on built-in computer systems, or requiring special tools? I remember losing a fan-belt on the air-conditioning, and while I could get along without the air conditioning, the broken belt had knocked off all the other fan belts when it snapped and the engine was overheating. I figured I could just re-connect the fan belts, but it required a special tool and I had to limp several miles into the nearest garage to have it done. And that was in the early 1970s.
Here in the U.S. a woman in Washington State successfully ran for a seat in Congress on the single issue of the right to BE ABLE to repair your own vehicles and appliances. Was not only elected, but re-elected. Her profession? She and her husband ran an auto-repair shop so it actually was detrimental to them economically, but a cultural issue for many.
EV vehicles are another interesting cultural conflict. Having grown up on a remote cattle ranch, I understand they are not practical for large swaths of rural geography. Living in a dense urban setting, I see where they are both an environmental necessity (depending upon how the electricity is generated) and economic advantage. But it seems to come down to a cultural war between MAGA and progressives, accentuated where I live in Silicon Valley by the fact that the Tesla has become a major status symbol of the rich, Asian tech elitists.
Can't we move past the ideological wars and accept there needs to be some pragmatic compromises? Can't we all get along, as Rodney King so aptly put it.
