Ha, props or down votes for honesty? In all seriousness, I think my statement is only surprising for people not in the automotive industry. Most people I know that rent cars absolutely beat the shit out of them.
> Most people I know that rent cars absolutely beat the shit out of them.
Most people that I know don't. And when I rent a car I take good care of it, as good or better as if it were my own. I'll use it for what it is made for, not to see if I can contribute to the negative portion of the tragedy of the commons.
Think about it this way: your behavior with a rental car affects everybody renting cars, not just you. So you're not abusing the car, you're abusing the people around you and your net-negative contribution translates into higher rates and a negative expectancy about customer behavior on the part of the rental company. That you and those that you know that do this too can get away with it is no excuse.
That's how rational adults act. The US is very short on rational adults under 40 nowadays.
I'm going to go with some people are like you, and some people are like me. And the rates reflect the middle and won't change too much. Accidents are random and happen to people that take good care of their cars and people that don't.