If you had the power, how would you force/convince people to downsize their cars?

That could be changed if there was a will to force people into smaller cars. Make large cars artificially expensive, used large car prices go up. Make insurance for large cars artificially expensive, fewer people buy large cars. Make fuel artificially more expensive, fewer people buy large cars. Fewer people buy large cars, used large car prices go up even more. Use some of the money gained from fuel etc. to fix some roads, less reason to have a land yacht, fewer people buy large cars.

If, obviously.

The last time this was tried in the US, do you know what happened?

We dumped wagons and sedans and started buying SUVs instead.

Yeah, that's gone well. :rolleyes:

Also, your idea of economics is a bit odd. If fewer people buy used large cars, used large cars would become even cheaper, not more expensive. Huge supply, little demand = lower price. Another point is, as some places like Oregon have found out, if you encourage people to buy cars that use less fuel, you get less money in gasoline taxes. Then if you raise gasoline taxes, people drive less, thus offsetting your tax increase.... Oregon's starting to get desperate enough to look at taxing people by GPS-recorded mileage instead of just a road tax and fuel tax.
 
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The last time this was tried in the US, do you know what happened?

We dumped wagons and sedans and started buying SUVs instead.

Yeah, that's gone well. :rolleyes:

Also, your idea of economics is a bit odd. If fewer people buy used large cars, used large cars would become even cheaper, not more expensive. Huge supply, little demand = lower price. Another point is, as some places like Oregon have found out, if you encourage people to buy cars that use less fuel, you get less money in gasoline taxes. Then if you raise gasoline taxes, people drive less, thus offsetting your tax increase.... Oregon's starting to get desperate enough to look at taxing people by GPS-recorded mileage instead of just a road tax and fuel tax.

On that note I'd like to also point out, even since the gas prices went up a few years ago and even after the government tried to bribe people out of their SUVs with cash for clunkers I haven't seen a noticeable decrease in SUVs. Raising gas prices is shooting yourself in the foot, oh boy I can see better! Shame my car is 8 years old and is underpowered so I get less mpg than a 2010 Outback with 8 inches of ground clearance so I can't afford to drive anywhere!

I have a good plan, lets tax people on children! Then no one will need a SUV or minivan to carry them.
 
The last time this was tried in the US, do you know what happened?

We dumped wagons and sedans and started buying SUVs instead.

Yeah, that's gone well. :rolleyes:

Remember, I said "if". I'm not suggesting anything, nor saying it's a good or bad idea.

Also, your idea of economics is a bit odd. If fewer people buy used large cars, used large cars would become even cheaper, not more expensive. Huge supply, little demand = lower price.

Short term, the non-tax part would drop. Long-term production of larger cars would go down, and supply would decrease keeping the prices stable (=high). If manufacturers have to sell their stock at low prices due to low demand they won't continue to produce like mad.

Another point is, as some places like Oregon have found out, if you encourage people to buy cars that use less fuel, you get less money in gasoline taxes. Then if you raise gasoline taxes, people drive less, thus offsetting your tax increase....

Our fuel taxes have gone up more than petrol consumption has gone down. Less fuel used, more money collected. Not my fault Oregonians fail :tease:
 
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