Ursa_Eagle

Flywheels are the answer. I'm still trying to get a job doing the research and development of them. Quick version: take a 25 or 50 lb carbon fiber/epoxy flywheel, suspend it on magnets in a vacuum, wrap wires around the outside to get energy in and out of the system. Spin it up to around 100,000 RPM (doesn't take too long, I think well under an hour, maybe only 10 minutes.) That's your energy storage device. Use that energy to power electric motors. Not only does it get the range of a normal car, but it provides an insane amount of horsepower. Oh wait, I wasn't supposed to be talking about alternative fuels, huh?

I thought I'd made it clear in my previous posts that I don't have a problem with the people who actually use SUVs. Also 4Runners are much smaller than suburbans and excursions. My biggest gripes are with the large (at least expedition size) SUKs that have big rims and is blatently obvious that they're not being used off-road at all. I get really pissed off at the people who buy them because they're idiots (to commute, to keep up with the Jones, to try and impress people.) It's obvious that you do *NOT* fall under one of these catagories. As for bike commuting, I haven't been here that long, but the very few times that I've almost gotten hit have all been with large vehicles. It may sound like a generalization thing based on not enough evidence, but I also see it as a visibility thing. When you're too high off the road, you can look over bikers, whereas it's harder to do that in a car. (Also, visibility in the mirrors.)

You know, I'm not the one making the gay jokes. I'm just saying that you drive an SUK, therefore your penis is small. It's a known fact. I think the one who makes all the gay jokes is the one who's insecure with his own sexuality. I have friends who are gay, and I have no problem with them so long as they don't hit on me. Gay bashing shows how little you really are (and I'm not talking about certain body parts.) We were having a nice discussion about SUKs, and you had to bring gays into this. You are not worth my time anymore, and your opinions have now all been debunked. Grow up.

I rest my case. Also, it's kinda hard for a guy to be a man-hating dyke. Go back to pleasuring your 2 incher in your SUK.

Look ma, no hands!

Yeah, he was going to haul a bunch of crap up to his cabin in his suit. I'm going on numbers, the chance is pretty fucking high that he was a wanker who just uses his suburban for community. I'll assume this until proven wrong. Free country, right? Given the numbers, I generally assume the same thing. Who wears a suit to do something where an SUK would be *required*? (well, in all reality, I go caving a full suit, but then again, that's just me, and I think that 99.99% of the people out there would do such a thing.) The point being HE WASN'T USING A SUBURBAN FOR WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED FOR. I can say that with relative confidence. Why can I say that? Give me one reasonable *and likely* explanation for driving by yourself in a suburban on the 520 bridge in rush hour wearing a suit.

And as I've stated (and shown evidence of) it is my business, and everyone else who has a penis larger than 2" and doesn't drive an environment wrecking, "fuck everyone else around me", yuppie death-mobile.

I too commute on a bike when I can. I can say that I've seen the exact same thing. You're a lot more visible on a bike to a car than an SUV who's hood is above your head. I'm not saying that you'll be less dead if a Metro hits you than an Excursion, but the metro will be more likely to see you and *not* hit you in the first place.

I'll tag it... many times

No one should use a suburban for commuting. If they have all this money that they can spend on a suburban (which seems to be what a lot of you SUK enthusiasts on this thread seem to be saying... you have money so you can spend it), they should get a smaller car for commuting. One of my friends has a suburban. It works great for getting a lot of people and gear up to the mountains. He has a Honda Accord that he commutes in. That's a good combo.

If you ever rear-end me, I'll sue you for all your worth and get you thrown in jail for life for attempted murder. Then you'll find out all about rear-ending...

Lummox, either show the goods or STFU. I could say that I got on the cover back in the late '80s too, but then I'd be a lying asshole just like you. To the climbers who made it in the magazine, congrats!

It becomes my business when I get killed because you rear-ended me and your bumper completely misses mine. SUKs are a hazard not only to themselves (rollovers, bad emergency handling, etc.), but also to every other smaller car on the road. By buying an SUK, you're telling everyone else to fuck off because you're forcing everyone else to get larger cars in order to be "safe". It *IS* our business.

I'll be taking a sled this weekend... I could take a full keg!

sobering and frightening

I don't know, it makes perfect sense to me. <j/k> Drive up the deficit, build up a huge war cost, and lower taxes. More money spent and less money coming in works itself out, right? Welcome to balancing the budget according to shrub.

Well said! I think I've mentioned more than once that if you actually need a SUK for work, or you actually do use it to get down nasty roads, then most of my comments don't apply to you. I just see so many SUKs that have big rims on the road that have obviously never seen dirt or a possible scratch, and see them parked in white-collar office building parking lots (commuting). That's where I have the problem.

I'd go, but I'm totally strapped this week. I've got way too much to cover before a 4-day trip into the Three Sisters Wilderness this weekend. (Leaving early Friday morning, so Thursday evening will be spent packing rather than ) Why can't taxes be due next week??

The real voice of reason

If I made any real dough, I'd save most of it so I could retire at 30 and climb the rest of my life.

I haven't seen one fail myself, but I understand they found a broken carabiner at the bottom of the climb after Goran Kropp fell and died. It also depends on what you're using the ovals for. A fall on lead will obviously produce a larger force than a fall on TR or a fixed line, and a much larger force than any normal static loading. 18 KN is still a LOT of force. Don't forget to look at everything else in your system as well, the carabiner may not be the limiting factor.

If you don't, you're doing something wrong...

70 days during the summer would be a trip to the Karakoram

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