FYI on the SUV ...
Yes, that's me you may have seen tooling around in a gleaming new SUV.
No, it isn't mine. It's a loaner. My car is being repaired.
No, nobody's run into me again, and no, I haven't run into anyone. My alternator died.
Yes, the SUV is sleek and roomy and has heated leather seats and headlights that swivel to follow the path of the road.
Yes, it rides as smoothly as a car.
But no, I haven't changed my mind about SUVs. I still see them as wasteful, gas-gulping indulgences with twice as much room as I typically need.
However, yes, I could change my mind if manufacturers make them more energy-efficient and take fuller advantage of hybrid technology.
And no, I won't change my mind until then, even if they make SUV's that wash themselves and take out the trash and walk the dog.