If You Drive It Just a Bit, It’s Not a Gas Guzzler

It seems like everybody has been taking their turns bashing the gas-guzzling SUVs -- saying that SUVs aid terrorists, are against God and should pay extra taxes, just to mention some of the suggestions (“Are We What We Drive?” letters, Jan. 11). Unfortunately, these people (and organizations) are shortsighted. I live in Irvine, where I do most of my SUV driving. Now retired, I used to drive about five miles to work. Two of my colleagues at work lived in Riverside and Norco and had to drive the dreaded and congested Riverside Freeway every day. On average, they had to fill their nonguzzlers about twice a week, whereas I filled mine about every other week. I have other reasons for driving my SUV, but that’s not the point. And I consider myself to be a conservationist. It is not just what mpg one gets, but how far one drives.

S. Lloyd Johnson

Irvine