Whats the story with Hot Hatch's...

[HeadRusch]

You obviously know nothing about engineering.

.....and neither do you, as you'd no doubt explain to me in great detail how "wrong" I am...so I guess you're just talking out of your ass.

Then you see very little. Many SUVs suffer single car accidents because the drivers think they are invulnerable by being in a big vehicle. Not reality.

I suppose now would be a good time to ask what the hell you are talking about. Single car accidents? You mean like drivers running into trees?

Whats that got to do with anything? If I have to be in a car accident, I sure hope I'm in my SUV and not my 2 door sports coupe...

[ishigakisensei]

You exhibit a perfect example of Militant stupidity. Online with the knowledge of humanity at your fingertips and refuse to use it. It's not my job to rectify your deficiency.

www.google.com

[Sirocco]

Originally Posted by HeadRusch

Now seriously, just think about this for a second.....if you are in a large, heavy vehicle, you reduce your risk of being injured in a crash regardless of whatever it is you hit, or hits you. This arguement is as old as the hills...if the vehicle is well-designed with reinforcements and crumple zones, airbags and the like, having all that mass between you and potential death is a blessing...not a curse. Safer for You.

At the same time, you're in a large, heavy vehicle that rides like a car (at least mine does) but also handles like a truck (at least mine does), you are highly unlikely to go barreling down the highway, weaving in and out of traffic, and if you know the limitations of your brakes (I do) you're also a LOT less likely to think you can "stop on a dime" and tailgate, the #1 cause of Rear-Ender accidents on the highway. So it forces you to be a smarter driver because you ARENT driving some nimble, spritely vehicle that you can weave around with impunity. Hence, safer for everyone else.

I dont see SUV's causing a whole lot of accidents...but I DO see tons of small, nimble cars causing massive pileups because some jackhole forgot his Neon wasn't wearing Z-rated tires as he tried to play Fast-And-The-Furious during the highway rushhour commute.


How is that logic flawed.

Ok, I am a small car driver, mainly because I don't have a need for anything larger and really like getting 36mpg in a rather quick, light and nimble car. I do however understand the need some people have for them.

Now there would probably be no complaints about SUV's (Except the Enviro's) if your line of reasoning held true...but it simply doesn't, at least not in coastal California. I live in the SF Bay area (San Jose) and can attest to the fact that I have found very little correlation between the size of the vehicle and the caution with which people drive. I've seen just as many large SUV's tailgating as I've seen Honda Civic's.

I see a lot fewer work trucks and large pickups driving dangerously but it appears most people that own SUV's simply drive them like they would a car. Without any understanding or instruction on the dynamics of such a heavy and unstable (due to center of gravity) vehicle, a lot of people ignorantly flock to the dealerships for this "safer" form of mobility. If your wife or newly liscenced teenager isn't a good driver in a car, they aren't going to magically be a better driver in a large SUV...quite the opposite. It IS the driver and not the form of transportation causing the danger.

Because of this lack of knowledge and lack of ability of a lot of SUV owners (maybe not you but surely others) the rest of us small car drivers driving OUR choice of car are at a much greater risk of death during our commute to work and such. Seems my freedom of choice is being narrowed in favor of survival.

Ok, so my point. Fine, if people want to buy/drive these land yachts, more power to 'em but I believe there should be an additional liscence designation (like motorcycles and commercial trucks) required for vehicles over a certain weight and height (yes including a Bentley GT). This way people learn to understand and respect the cornering/braking differences between a Mini Cooper and a Ford Excursion.

My $.02