the abbreviated reign of “neon” leon spinks

PANDERING WILL GET YOU NOWHERE 93
or knapsacks, and indented headrests to accommodate occupants with
ponytails. But like its unsuccessful pastel progenitor, even the YCC is not
without its froufrou flourishes—swappable seat pads and carpeting that
allow an owner to redecorate the interior from an embroidered fl ower pattern
to funky-retro shag, as suits her mood.
WHY CAN’T A WOMAN BE MORE LIKE
A MAN?
Starting in the 1970s, cars were subjected to federally mandated
crash tests, which employed dummies carefully designed to simulate the
effects of collisions on passengers. Or at least male passengers, anyway.
The requirements could originally be met with a dummy that was
five foot eight and 170 pounds—about the size of the average man. But
research showed that passengers who were even slightly smaller were
more likely to suffer injuries, because air bags and other safety equipment
weren’t designed with them in mind. As a result, the crash-dummy family
was enlarged to include a five-foot-tall, 100-pound replica of a female
adult, complete with vinyl breasts.