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[Rebecca Board <becca AT cyberlily.com>]

> >However, if I'm going to be in a crash, it's obvious to me that I'd
> >rather be in the Explorer than in the Miata!

When I first got my license (in NC, and I've never once driven a tractor)
my parents decided the thing to do was buy a big heavy boat of an old and
inexpensive 72 Buick on the theory that I'd be safer if I got into a wreck.
The theory was tested, several times, though in all but the more minor
incidents they were ruled as not my fault.  I drove that car into the
ground in college. (Gina, do you remember it?  We called it Beauregard.)
When it expired, I bought myself a much smaller Ford Probe which I picked 
for it's nice handling and lack of driver blind spots.  I never once had
a wreck, though I was able to avoid several that I'm sure would have
been serious if I'd still been driving Beauregard.  I know I'm not talking
about a size difference as great as a Miata versus an Avalanche, but I
still think there's a lot to be said for avoiding an accident over surviving
one.  Size is not everything when it comes to safety!

Unfortunately I no longer have the Probe, and I rarely get to drive
the Ranger I replaced it with.  With two kids, two carseats, and a stroller 
as the lightest load I carry in the car, I expect an SUV or Minivan is in
my near future.  Sniff.  I do recall that while truck shopping I sat in
a F150, which is about the same thing as these big SUV's, only with a
truck bed instead of a roof.  Folks, I found that it was so big I had to
lean over to reach the AC controls.  Who needs a cell phone to distract
the driver when the vehicle ergonomics are already sufficient???  So while
I did buy a truck, we picked the smaller, and to my thinking safer than 
the alternative, Ranger.  And, yes, we really use it to haul all sorts 
of stuff that I could never get into the Probe no matter how hard I
tried to treat it like a truck.  They're making vehicles that convert
from SUV to truck, but what I really want is one that also coverts to a
little sports car on those rare occasions when I can leave the kids behind!

--Rebecca