Japanese Kei cars, which are tiny subcompacts, can once again be legally registered to drive in the state of Massachusetts. Owners and enthusiasts are rejoicing over the decision as they enjoy the funky, affordable vehicles for a whole range of reasons.
Woman hits a state trooper inside a car wash.
After state officials reversed a previous decision to allow Kei cars to be registered, public outrage apparently caused them to reverse the reversal. Things have gone back and forth in the state over the last several years, but hopefully this means the subcompacts from Japan will enjoy a permanent legal status.
Unsurprisingly, at the heart of the registration ban was a report about how Kei cars might constitute a danger to anyone riding in them. A nonprofit organization, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, recommended the move to protect the public.
Whether you’re a fan of Kei cars or not, you should be cheering this move. After all, the same logic behind trying to ban the subcompact Japanese vehicles could easily be applied to motorcycles or other smaller vehicles.
It seems officials in Massachusetts have left the door open for a future ban. We know Kei cars can be registered in some states but aren’t accepted in others. But our attitude is if someone is comfortable riding around in one, it’s their business whether or not its “safe.”
People these days complain about how modern cars, especially trucks and SUVs, have become and this is in part why. The constant pearl clutching over safety, pretending we can just demand ever-increasing standards through government entities to regulate away road deaths, has created the situation. After all, the additional safety equipment and designs take up more room, making larger rides necessary.
We view the Kei car movement as a small pushback on modern vehicle bloat. If people want to tool around in a subcompact truck or van imported from Japan, we say more power to them. And hopefully Massachusetts doesn’t go back to a ban, increasing freedom for residents.
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