Why We're Not Just a Car Magazine.(Column)

Byline: Kevin A. Wilson

We're closing in on an election, and it's time to pay attention because it matters to car people. Let me preface this a little, because anytime AutoWeek addresses politics, we hear from you readers. For instance, if we suggest that it would be worthwhile for America to have a real energy policy or that we need to crack down on drunks or revise licensing requirements, we get swamped with mail. Some cheer us on, but politics being what it is, we more often hear from the angry.

Their messages are often rude, but that doesn't bother me-it comes with the territory. What does concern me are the persistent, often polite, few who insist that they don't want to read about such matters in AutoWeek. "If I want to read about that other stuff, I'll look elsewhere,'' they say. "Stick to cars.'' By this, they mean news about upcoming products, road tests, race reports and coverage of hobbyist events. We give you all that, too, but if what you want is a fantasy world unimpeded by reality, you're reading the wrong magazine. This is not new; AutoWeek has always been about cars in a real-world context.

So what's my political message? We can't just play with our cars and ignore what's going on, because cars ...