http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=1184641

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

In article ,
Rocky wrote:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=1184641

A month or so ago, the NY Times (I think) did an article on
how the various manufacturers were designing vehicles with
appeal to specific markets (the Honda Element and Scion xB
for hip 20-somethings, in particular) and found that they
were actually being scooped up by older, less hip (ahem)
people who needed to do things like haul stuff home from
Home Depot and take their dogs to dog events.

Sort-of related: Jeff King is a particularly inventive
long-distance musher, and he designed a sled with a dog
crate on the back, and the crate doubles as a seat. He also
designed a dog caboose for a sled.

[I saw yesterday that Calgary made the Economist Magazine
Intelligence Unit's top-10 in their annual list of least
sucky cities, which I thought was cool but as a Torontonian-
by-proxy I was kind of baffled that the two cities tied.
But I still think it's cool.]
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

The total national debt is now $7,932,709,661,723.50.

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message
...
A month or so ago, the NY Times (I think) did an article on
how the various manufacturers were designing vehicles with
appeal to specific markets (the Honda Element and Scion xB
for hip 20-somethings, in particular) and found that they
were actually being scooped up by older, less hip (ahem)
people who needed to do things like haul stuff home from
Home Depot and take their dogs to dog events.

Friends of ours looked seriously at the Element when it first came out. At
that point, Honda was still promoting it heavily for the 20 somethings.
Even then, the salesman told them that their customers and shoppers were all
50 plus. All.

I suppose you could argue that there was a factor of aging baby boomers who
were still thinking they were hip. The friends who looked at it are people
who have owned motorcycles (quiet Gold Wings) and VW Beetles and Suzuki
Samurais, not mini-vans. But mostly I think it was a case of the vehicle
suiting their needs and budget. I'm still amazed that Honda missed that
idea.

~~Judy

On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 10:03:05 -0400 Handsome Jack Morrison whittled these words:
On 5 Oct 2005 13:22:52 GMT, Rocky wrote:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=1184641

"A special crate for dogs in the glove apartment allows owners to
interact with their pets while driving."

I couldn't believe it actually said that. But it does, and means it (more
or less). Does Japan not bother with airbags?

Just what American drivers need.

More distractions!

Probably fewer distractions, or at least more saftey, since a very tiny
fraction of people confine or restrain the dog while in the car. Maybe if
it were easier people would do it more often. I'd rather someone reach
over to give the dog a scritch from time to time than drive with their dog
in their lap.
--
Diane Blackman
There is no moral victory in proclaiming to abhor violence
while preaching with violent words.
http://dog-play.com/ http://dogplayshops.com/

"Handsome Jack Morrison"
wrote

"A special crate for dogs in the glove apartment allows
owners to
interact with their pets while driving."

Just what American drivers need.
More distractions!

Scenario: Car gets pulled over by the Highway Patrol.
"License and registration" please. Driver reaches towards
the glove compartment...

I can't imagine putting Urger in a glove compartment. He
barely fits in the car.

--
Bob

Kanyak's Doghouse
http://www.kanyak.com

Handsome Jack Morrison
said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

"A special crate for dogs in the glove apartment allows
owners to interact with their pets while driving."

That one struck me as odd, what with not knowing many dogs the
size of a glove. The pop-up crate sounds cool but impractical.

If it wasn't for the reasonable ideas like the removable
flooring, I'd say the story was destined for Snopes.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

(Melinda Shore) said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

[I saw yesterday that Calgary made the Economist Magazine
Intelligence Unit's top-10 in their annual list of least
sucky cities, which I thought was cool but as a Torontonian-
by-proxy I was kind of baffled that the two cities tied.
But I still think it's cool.]

Calgary *is* fairly non-sucky. Considering that I Did Not Want
to Move Here, after the fact, I really like it. It has many of
the disadvantages any city of a million will have, but it
*seems* smaller and is dog-friendly.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

In article ,
Rocky wrote:
Calgary *is* fairly non-sucky. Considering that I Did Not Want
to Move Here, after the fact, I really like it. It has many of
the disadvantages any city of a million will have, but it
*seems* smaller and is dog-friendly.

The EIU puts together its list by looking at negative stuff
(crime rates, unemployment, etc.), rather than by looking at
positive stuff (which is harder to quantify objectively).
But I tend to think of Toronto as a really great world city
and Calgary as a really great Canadian city. I check out
Canadian job listings from time to time and one of the
biggest surprises over the past couple of years is the
growth of "creative" tech jobs in the Calgary area - it's
turning into a technology development hub.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

The total national debt is now $7,932,709,661,723.50.