But the bumper is as high as it is for a reason; that being ground clearance. Take a look at the military "Hummer" and you = will see the same thing. While it is true that most of the folks who buy = these things never take them into the bush that fact does not negate the = design.

   The government seems to be tempted to institute some kind of "Affirmative Action" program that would mandate an equal percentage of deaths, injuries, etc.  from all types of = vehicles. They seem to want to do this by mandating the removal of anything that = would make one vehicle inherently safer than another. This is somewhat akin to transporting robbers, rapists, murders, etc to Beverly Hills in = order to equalize the risks of crime present in Watts. It is, after all, only = "fair" that no one individual have any advantage over = another in any aspect of life. All MUST be totally and compleatly EQUAL. Only = then will we be truely free.

      The makers of such programs will, of course, exempt themselves from = these mandates; their well-being and comfort being vital to the survival = of the nation.

<My only problem is with SUV's (and I've owned a = few) is that <the newer ones have their bumper height right where the = <window is in my Audi 200. I'm afraid I'd be killed if one of <your = daughters decided to "drink and drive" (into me).
<
<I = for one would like to see the manufacturers be required to <keep ALL = bumpers (except of course for industrial vehicles) <at the same height. = This is a VERY simple requirement that <wouldn't impose upon anybody = (except the Ugandan Ministry <of Immigration). Note: our Vanagons' bumpers = are at the <"standard" height -- it CAN be done!

Cheers,


Michael J. = Sullivan
Director of Catalog Design
Open Market, = Inc.

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