FORD ESCAPE HYBRID IN NEW YORK CITY

RECENTLY, THE EDITOR OF FEATHER NEWS CAME ACROSS SOME NEWS ITEMS ON THE FORD HYBRID ESCAPE SUV VEHICLES.

THE STORY IS ABOUT HOW NEW YORK CITY AND THE TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION WANT THE TAXI FLEET TO REACH 25 M.P.G. CITY DRIVING AND 30 M.P.G. (MILES PER GALLON) HIGHWAY. TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS THE TAXI FLEETS ARE SWITCHING OVER TO THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID WAS TO REPLACE THE AGING FORD CROWN VICTORIA VEHICLES, WHICH DO NOT GET THE MILEAGE MANDATED. HOWEVER, THEY ARE FULL SIZE CARS AND ARE MADE FOR FLEET USE. THE FORD HYBRID IS A PASSENGER VEHICLE BEING USED AS A FLEET VEHICLE.

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CASES OF THE FORD HYBRID ESCAPES ROLLING OVER. THE REASON GIVEN FOR THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS ROLLING OVER IS THEIR HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY AND THE UNEVEN SURFACES OF NEW YORK CITY STREETS. A REPORT BY C. BRUCE GAMBARDELLA, AN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER REPORTEDLY SAID, "IF A FORD CROWN VICTORIA HAD BEEN INVOLVED, THE ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SIMPLE FENDER BENDER."

PROBLEMS FOUND ON THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1) THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY NORMALLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT SPACE BETWEEN THE PARTITION AND THE TOP OF THE CAR.

2) THE L-SHAPED PARTITION INTERFERED WITH THE 3-POINT UNI BELT BECAUSE IT CHANGED THE ANCHORING POSITION OF THE BELT.

3) THE PARTITION DID NOT STAY IN PLACE DURING THE CRASH AND MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A VIOLENT HEAD STRIKE AGAINST THE HARD PARTITION IF THERE HAD BEEN A PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT.

THERE ARE ABOUT 14,000 TAXI DRIVERS IN NEW YORK CITY, AS WELL AS THE RIDING PUBLIC, WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY BE RIDING IN THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. MAYBE THE MOHEGAN TRIBE SHOULD LOOK FURTHER INTO THE SAFETY OF ITS FORD ESCAPE HYBRID CARS. THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID IS USED BY PUBLIC SAFETY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: PLEASE CHECK OUT PREVIOUS STORIES, "POLICE CAR BURNS AT TRADING COVE," "FORD ESCAPE HYBRID", AND "FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, C.O.O. AND INSURANCE."