Old cars vs. new cars

Ford Galazy 500I snapped this old beauty on the way to work a week or so ago. I love the blocky style of the mid-1960s Ford Galaxy 500. It weighs enough to stop a tank, should the driver encounter one on his way to work. It has no airbags or shoulder belts, so his safety was in his own hands.

I do love the style of old cars. But they pollute. The gas coming out of the tailpipe is significantly more polluting than what a modern car produces. Paris, Santa Barbara, California and Texas all have programs to take old cars off the road.

But it’s not necessarily an easy equation. Sometimes keeping your not-very-new car may be more environmental than buying a new one, because of the environmental impact of manufacturing a car (details).

I would totally support a ban on really old cars being daily drivers, or maybe a tax on using them as commuter cars. That would keep the environment cleaner. And the drivers would have less chance of getting in an accident and ruining that piece of history. Additionally, fewer drivers are out on the weekends, so each drive would be more pleasurable. Why not create an old car sharing club and split which weekends you get the old beauties? Then you will have some variety in which ancient iron you take to the highway.

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3 Replies to “Old cars vs. new cars”

    1. I knew everyone wouldn’t agree with me about taxing their use, Gary.

      I’m not a big government person. I do think that government heavy-handedness is good in some areas of life, like motivating people to make choices that will help save energy. One example – I’m a fan of the reduction in sales of incandescent bulbs that has resulted because of laws restricting their sale and manufacture. That alone has already prevented many tons of coal from being burned and entering our atmosphere – and my lungs.

  1. My grandparents had the 1965 Galaxy. It had looks that aged really well. My sister was driving it when it got hit by a kid who ran a red light. I was sorry to see it go.

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