Hi Mary Anne,

I was going to stay out of this firefight, because I represent the epitome of what you hate - a gas guzzling, big car lover extraordinaire who is doing his bit to destroy the environment.

Some points:

RVs are not able to be parked in a visible site in San Diego. If you own big older cars (even if they are fully restored classics) you are a pariah to some in the local government and some neighbor is bound to call the police, zoning department and city council member - to find some sort of ordnance to make sure it's not offending them.

Most neighbors couldn't care less - in fact expressed great interest and favor of the vehicles.

I have had one neighbor though, who told me to my face, "Just how many cars do you need!" and proceeded to call the police to see if there was some way a red zone could be painted in front of my house. (Two cars were parked in front of my house on the street!)

This neighbor seemed to have nothing better to do but worry about me and my vehicles. I received $120 tickets everytime my front tires were parked over 12" away from the curb - or whenever this neighbor got into a jealous rage and called the cops.

This neighbor petitioned other neighbors and printed up flyers to seek support for doing something. My other "sane" neighbors would have nothing to do with it and told me about it.

This neighbor made "Neighbor Jones" from the old Donald Duck comics appear sane and rational.

When you live next to someone who is a bit unstable - and tries to use the government to enforce their personal view of the world - one does not sleep very well at night.

There's one on every block - and they make life miserable for their neighbors - this neighbor hated my other neighbors little kids too and shouted at them everytime they would adorn their "big wheels" on the sidewalk in front of his house.

You need to move to a big city Mary Anne - and see how it is.

In the course of my travels and adventures...I have observed a family of eight living out of a single room, they drove a big old Lincoln town car - which the wife would drive all by herself to go to work. Even that Lincoln couldn't fit all their kids inside it though, and on family outings I saw that it was necessary for two of the kids to stay home.

I have encountered asian gangs, drug dealers, prostitutes and wife/girlfriend-beaters, husband/boyfriend-beaters (I can't believe it! You hit me with a pan! You dumb b----!) and worse, I have had guns pointed at me by people I do not know (and not during some military action)

I have seen wretched poverty, horrendous violence, and much more.

The type of car I drive is irrelevant - and should be to the folks who want to preserve a free USA.

In Arizona the politics are tilted right - and RVs are welcome and ordnances are not. The number of SUV's and BIG trucks as well as BIG old unrusted AZ cars here would make you and Phil go into some sort of shock.

One of the reasons big cars are almost a necessity here - is because small cars and engines can't handle the AC load on full blast for six months of the year.

When its 107+ AC is a "survival" necessity - and not a frivolous "luxury". Everyone here also knows that freon keeps things cooler and was MUCH more durable than its replacement.

So little Hondas, Toyotas etc - are almost eerily absent from the roads here. It's survival of the most fit - and they aren't fit enough to survive here, except during the winter season. (Snow-bird season)

In San Diego and Orange County CA - it's reversed. Small cars are the norm and big cars are rare (except for a sizable number of SUVs - which I don't technically consider cars)

When you live in the big city - it's live and let live. One can't humanly spend the time or effort to live like they do in Peyton Place. ;-)

I've choked on the worst smog in the nation, I've breathed some of the cleanest air, yet still realize that the personal motor car is one of the greatest tools and freedoms man has yet invented - and should not be regulated out of existence or into a shape which deprives millions of a quality of life they can achieve with one.

That's the way it should be. ;-)

Best wishes,

SDAI-Tech1

PS
When your 4,300 pound car is rear ended by someone who can't discern a red light from a green one - that weight disperses the energy of impact and saves one from whiplash.

Gas..yep paid 2.00 a gallon in San Diego for premium. Paid the state taxes which go with it for environmental cleanup, highways etc.

And I voluntarily equipped my 1957 with dual catalytic converters - even though pre-1965 vehicles are exempt from emissions testing and requirements.

In Hemming.s Motor News - (The old car guys bible) a back section is devoted to alerting car buffs of zoning laws and attempts to make owning a classic or vintage car illegal. Busybodies are everywhere in the US it seems - and they are religiously devoted to their domination of others lifestyles.