Giving choice of higher mileage may be better

I recently spent several days in a community in California. Many people there were driving golf cart-like vehicles on the streets. Each of those drivers was probably experiencing the equivalent of more than 60 miles per gallon.

The cars I saw had lights, turn signals and license plates, but otherwise looked like the standard golf course variety. Such vehicles could be designed to be much more comfortable, convenient and weather sturdy. Wouldn't they work well on any streets that were, say, 30 miles per hour or less? (Safety would be far less of a concern at such low speeds.)

If all communities allowed such small cars (and trucks), that would give residents another choice. If those vehicles were comfortable, convenient and inexpensive, I suspect many people would drive them. The result could be significantly higher gas mileage and lower air pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions.

Wouldn't giving people that choice work better than more government laws, expenses, buyouts and clunker programs?

We can't know that without trying it.

Sam Dronebarger

Cedar Rapids