You are driving that uber-truck or SUV...

The BBQ Pit
61

Yes, people do have to drive on surface streets to get to off road sites. However, in my experience those people are few and far between. I know several people who own SUVs and they never come close to a dirt road. These drivers often use them for getting to work, most less than 10 miles, the grocery store or just general driving around town.

The people like this I know claim that they are safer (in reality they are not) and they like sitting higher up in traffic. To me SUVs are extremely inefficient and wasteful.

Also, most of the people I know who have them are single and rarely have more than one other passenger. And when they commute to work, they are the only occupant.

In my opinion they suffer from the American (primarily US) syndrome of if it is bigger it is better and it is my god given right yadda yadda yadda.

If you do live or drive off road, then fine, but if you live in the city and never use it for what it is designed for, it is like killing a fly with an uzi. It may get the job done, but it is definitely not the best way. That is why I sit back and smile when gas prices go up. If people have to have them, then let them pay for the privilidge. I will just use my bike more often.

62

:smiley:

Thank you very much, BayleDomon.

Wheeeeeeee!!! I just came back from my fishing trip (alas, I didn’t catch any fish, but my friend caught a 13 pounder). I used my Evil SUV from Hell to get past the rocky terrain and to load all of my fishing gear in it too! Wow! Nifty, huh?

I came back to this thread wondering how it went. I did a little thinking (not a whole lot, I was more intent on perfecting my casting techniques) about this, and I asked myself, why should I have gotten bent out of shape over what I bought 'cause I use it for what it’s supposed to be used for? Bah! I said.

I’m just guessing there are a lot of people who don’t do off-roading or fishing or hauling tools and such, so whatever. That’s their business.

…and Hastur, BayleDomon is correct, I see people always posting a subtle dig at other people, then when people react to it, they jump up and say, “See? I told you!”

I’m sure most people here understand how irritating generalizations are.

Anyway, just checking to say I actually used my Evil SUV From Hell this weekend, and I had a damn good time doing it!

Love,
The Sanctimonious She-Beast
:smiley:

63

-Ooh, trust me on this, they’re being enforced. By the time I’d been driving my beast a year, I could quote the Alaska statute by name and number, that dealt with headlight height and frame height.

In fact, one of the last times, the Trooper walked up, said “good morning”, and as he took my license, I said (more or less) “Okay, before you waste too much of our time, according to AAC-13~(etc.etc) my headlights need to be between 18 and 54 inches- they’re at 38” now- and I’m allowed a ground-to-frame height of no greater than 28 inches since I have a GVWR of under 7,500 pounds. I’m also allowed a body-to-frame height of no more than three inches, for which I’ve already gone to court, and which is now, at it maximum, one and three-quarters inches as specified midway between the axles. I’m also within tolerance on my front bumper, and the statute says nothing at all about a rear bumper, height or otherwise. Do you have any questions?"

(Yes, I said that last bit.) :smiley:

He handed back my license and said “Have a nice day, sir.” And turned around and left.

And Alaska is quite tolerant, too. Places like California have restrictions on body-over-frame height, frame-to-ground, headlight height, bumper height, bumper type, limits on suspension modifications, tire size, headlight wattage, taillight height, you name it.

Half the stuff you see in the magazines can’t be legally driven on the street (though that trend is heading downward, thankfully.) And just because you DO see it on the street, doesn’t mean it’s legal; I’m aware of a couple of situations where a fellow has piled lots of cash into a truck, only to find that he can’t use it legally on the street when he’s done.

64

You know, I just don’t understand this. The OP comes in talking about people who treat their SUVs gingerly (and who presumably don’t need an SUV). Then people come in who actually USE their SUVs and get all bent out of shape. And people come in saying SUVs are roughly comparable to Satan.

I don’t like SUVs. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. But for pete’s sake, it’s essentially a car. Four wheeled individual transportation. A thing. All this defensiveness (“I NEED an SUV 'cause (insert either a valid or a dubious reason here)”) and aggressiveness (“You’re just compensating because you’re circumcised and don’t think you’re man enough!” [/JDT]) just strikes me as. . .silly.

There are better things to do than personally attack people over cars.

To each his own–I’m personally moving to a city with public transportation ASAP, but that’s beside the point. That being said…I think SUVs are one of the silliest trends I have ever seen. Not only are the things not-great for the environment, they’re expensive and (to me) are ugly as hell. But anyone–and I mean anyone–who drives a reliable car like it’s made of glass strikes me as kind of an idiot. I mean, okay…if it’s a 10 year old rusted out Geo Metro or something, I can understand. But if you’re going to spend 20,000-odd dollars on something, you should use it.

Therefore, I am in agreement with the OP. But I don’t feel like bashing SUVs. So there.

65

I love how polarized these debates become… Either you own a gas-guzzling monstro SUV, or your only alternative is a Civic Hybrid.

I am sure everyone here bought the vehicle that suited their lifestyle and expectation for transportation. Why can’t you give the other people here the same benefit of the doubt?

My car? A 1994 Ford Probe. Hatchback. With the rear seats folded down, I can pack a lot of stuff in there. I’ve helped people move in that thing. And it’s fun to drive. It is a car that fills my needs. SUV? Don’t need one. But somebody does. Or wants one. Whatever, good for them.

I am annoyed by SUV drivers on the road who treat their vehicles like they are fragile paper mache creations. I am also annoyed by people who drive sports cars really slow. Or people with family cars and no families in them ad nuasiem…

66

Well, I don’t know about the people on this board, but it seems clear to me that many people buy SUV’s because such vehicles are fashionable. SUV’s also make life unpleasant for other drivers, by (1) blocking views (2) making it difficult to pull out of parking spaces (3) driving up gas prices (4) causing more damage to other vehicles in accidents.

Now, it’s true that there are many vehicles that people buy for vanity reasons, such as the “beetle.” It’s also true that there are many vehicles besides SUV’s that block views, consume gas, pose hazards etc., such as semi-trailers.

But what I can stand about SUV’s is that they combine these two things. In other words, SUV drivers are blocking my view, endangering my life and property, and making me pay more for gas mainly to satisfy somebody’s need to follow fashion, project the right image, satisfy their vanity etc.

I realize this is a bit of a hijack, but I think the root of the problem complained of in the OP is that many SUV drivers don’t really appreciate what it is that they’re driving.

67

You’re an idiot. Please explain how SUVs increase your gas prices. Sheesh.

You know, I think next winter I will just leave my tow straps in the garage. I mean, I wouldn’t want some SUV hater to have to sacrifice their principles when I pull them out of the ditch or median they’ve managed to slide into. Last winter I pulled 13 cars back on the road, because I have a vehicle that is capable of doing it and I’m a pretty nice guy. This winter they can spend the $50 a tow truck will charge them.

68

You’re an idiot. Please explain how SUVs increase your gas prices. Sheesh.

You know, I think next winter I will just leave my tow straps in the garage. I mean, I wouldn’t want some SUV hater to have to sacrifice their principles when I pull them out of the ditch or median they’ve managed to slide into. Last winter I pulled 13 cars back on the road, because I have a vehicle that is capable of doing it and I’m a pretty nice guy. This winter they can spend the $50 a tow truck will charge them.

69

Gas prices are a function of supply and demand. SUV’s consume more gas, on average, than other 4-wheel vehicles. So when people choose SUV’s, they increase the aggregate demand for gasoline. So the price of gas is higher than it otherwise would have been.

I’d be more than happy to pay $50 a year and take the chance of getting stuck in a ditch if it meant I wouldn’t have to deal with SUV’s anymore - endangering me and my family, blocking my view, making it difficult to pull out of parking spaces, etc.

70

Gahhhhh. That should have been “can’t”

71

I should point out that my Beetle gets the same gas mileage as a Focus, has good trunk capacity, does 110, makes people smile when they see it, and is the safest car of its size on the market. When I got it, (98) the competition was the Neon and the Civic. Not a big fan of the Neon, quality issues, and I’d just had a Civic, and I didn’t like the weight distribution or the way it handled in the wet.

Not that it matters, but my mother’s got a SUV. And my father has a sailboat. 33’ cat ketch. We’ve had a jeep around since '80, plus or minus, because, despite living in the middle of NY, our roads in the area have these lovely fifteen to twenty degree inclines. And no, the snowplow doesn’t come that often. Specially not on those sixteen inch days. Specially when we live on a cul de sac. Twenty degrees, going up.

Oh, and it hauls sails, school supplies (She’s a teacher), food, furniture, dogs, lawn supplies, plants (Oh, yes, she gardens) and so on, quite well. I understand a station wagon would do almost as well for these things, but it does have much better command of the road viewing… and, of course, in the northeast, in winter, it’ll get her to school before the busses and the plows get there.

Not that the defense is needed, but you see this woman, you think, “small woman driving a SUV.” It only goes off road down by the boatyard, but in the winter… there isn’t much road, now is there?

72

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by lucwarm *
**

Gas prices are a function of supply and demand. SUV’s consume more gas, on average, than other 4-wheel vehicles. So when people choose SUV’s, they increase the aggregate demand for gasoline. So the price of gas is higher than it otherwise would have been.

[QUOTE]

If gasoline were in limited supply that would be true, but it ain’t.
I think I’m lowering gas prices. Because I use so much gas (12MPG), the station sells more, so the owner can lower his per gallon price and make up the difference on volume.

73

Back the OP.

SUVs have stiffer suspension than a sedan. You get bumped around more when going over RR tracks and stuff. Going slower helps alleviate this.

74

That should be - Back TO the OP.

75

Someone had to distract you with division while I took care of the multiplication with your mother. Go to your room.

P.S. Your Bio-Dad’s sphincter sends its warmest regards.

76

For the record, I don’t have an SUV. Not at all. I do, however, have a really big pickup truck, which is often used for hauling large, heavy loads.

JFTR

77

Will you agree that, if what you are saying is true, then gas prices should go down, on average, at times when demand is higher?

78

What color is the sky on your world?

79

Sure does. It’s a trade off. Better ground clearance, over stability. Depends on what kind of 4-wheeling you want to do. Well built trucks have suspension that can be adjusted for conditions. And not just soft ride/Hard ride type of stuff. Seriously, any one wheel can be adjusted for the particular move. But I doubt you will see many of these on the road.

80

Thanks, enipla. I kind of thought that there wasn’t a need for better clearance on the highways.