Anti-SUV HaikusOn April 3, 2001, we attended an evening of anti-SUV spoken word at Club Passim. They had an impromptu contest of anti-SUV haiku poetry, and we tied for first place (Yes, there were more than 2 contestants). Both are titled "SUV" Debbie's Haiku: In the winter snow, Kevin's Haiku: Guzzle! Gulp! Guzzle! [Kevin's brief anti-SUV rant follows.] Hopefully it is obvious why the Sport Utility vehicle is an object deserving utter contempt. Not only do they get lousy gas mileage, contributing to both Global Climate Change and brining nearer the day when oil is scarce enough to no longer be an economically viable fuel (probably 10-20 years from now), but they are dangerous (even relative to other cars) to pedestrians and those in smaller cars. They are also hard to see around, which studies have shown contibutes to gridlock (as drivers behind a SUV give it more space, meaning fewer cars get through an intersection during a cycle of a traffic light) and often hog up more than their fair share of parking in the city. To cap it off, these ultimate symbols of overconsumption and selfishness are marketed as a way to commune with nature. In the history of marketing, this level of hypocricy is only matched by those smiling animals on packages of meat. |