Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - SUVs: A Rugged Right or Real Life Carmageddon?

Peryn · 05-07-2004, 08:23 AM

They are indeed an interesting vehicle, and i have opinions about various aspects of them on both sides of the love/hate issue.

As for the car itself, as long as they continue to pass emissions, im ok with them. Get as many of em, and as big as you want, but your car should still pass emissions laws.

The drivers : well, thats a whole different story. The drivers of the behemoths are often the worst aspect. Personally, i think you should need a separate lisence class for vehicles with a GVWR above 5500 lbs or so. People dont understand the differences in a huge beast ovver a nimble little econobox. They dont drive like they recognize they are significantly larger, and thus inconvenience everyone else. Like when they take 10 minutes to park because they have no idea how their car handles. I think if the drivers would get a clue, then there would be a lot less hating of the vehicle itself.

Multi-Terrain vehicles : I enjoy a good bit of off-roading here and there, but nothing spectacular. Mainly cause i cant afford to upgrade the Jeep, but not due to lack of desire. Dont knock it till ya try it. A Lot of people go on and on about how you dont need a big car, or to lift it, or whatever. Yer right, you dont need it, but its damned fun. If, as the driver, when on the street, you know how to drive, it doesn't hurt the people on the road, and you have a great weekend hobby. If you want to carry more than a person, maybe a person and a half, with you, the SUV is the only real option. It lets you still go out and adventure with the family, maybe some kids, take your dogs out, who knows.

Hybrid vehicles : As a combination of aspects of many cars and trucks, SUV's provide a very popular niche category of abilities that, at the moment, only they can provide. As someone said, they are a jack of all trades, master of none. Why? Because they dont need to be. They can give you the durability, ruggedness, and off-road capabilities of a truck. The seating capacity for freinds and family of a minivan ( or more ). Many now even give you the ride quality of a Caddy or other sedan. The towing capacity of a semi, and the high seating capacity of...well...umm... and air traffic control tower. If you knew someone that was in the market for a new car, and wanted to be comfy on the road, haul tons of people, tow their toys, and take them off the trail into the mountains, what would you recommend? Even if you dont like them, yous still hafta recomend an SUV of some sort for one reason - they are the only vehicle to fulfill all of their needs. Many people want to be able to handle anything that comes their way, but they dont want to necessarily be able to dominate it. Hence it works to their benefit to be able to have a jack of all trades.

Size : While i like their ability to almost be their own form of Mass Transit with their seating capabilities, Personally, I am getting annoyed with the size, and in some cases, shape. When you are in one, it is indeed nice to be able to see what is going on around you. The problem is when you do it at the cost of everyone else. Suddenly nobody can see around you, and a minor accident situation can become a big problem. In the case of the H2, the side of the car dont slant in toward the middle at all. Which means it is so tall you cant see over/thru it, and so wide you have no chance of seing around it. To me, that is a problem. What makes them so sure their safety/visibility is so much more important than mine.

Crash Safety : This one is gets me on both sides of the issue. Naturally, in a bigger car you are going to be hurt less than the other, smaller vehicle. As much as i might not like, such is life (unless you get hit too hard). I can accept this. Even on the large cars, there seems to be a reasonable amount of bumper compatability. So in a crash, most of the bumper of the very large car will still hit the bumper/trunk/crash area of a smaller car. Granted, its still more dangerous, but at least you still have those areas designed to take an impact their to protect you. Its when people raise their SUVs to a point where there is no bumper compatability that i get pissed. If i get hit by an suv and die, so be it. But ill be damned if i sit by and someone i know gets killed by an SUV because they lifted it and their bumper totally missed the crash zone in my car. You can bet your ass they'd get a lawsuit or two thrown at em in a heartbeat if their lift kit allowed them to go through a window.

Bah, gotta go to class...but thats my take on the whole SUV issue.

05-07-2004, 08:23 AM	#9 (permalink)
Peryn Junkie Location: San Diego, CA.	They are indeed an interesting vehicle, and i have opinions about various aspects of them on both sides of the love/hate issue. As for the car itself, as long as they continue to pass emissions, im ok with them. Get as many of em, and as big as you want, but your car should still pass emissions laws. The drivers : well, thats a whole different story. The drivers of the behemoths are often the worst aspect. Personally, i think you should need a separate lisence class for vehicles with a GVWR above 5500 lbs or so. People dont understand the differences in a huge beast ovver a nimble little econobox. They dont drive like they recognize they are significantly larger, and thus inconvenience everyone else. Like when they take 10 minutes to park because they have no idea how their car handles. I think if the drivers would get a clue, then there would be a lot less hating of the vehicle itself. Multi-Terrain vehicles : I enjoy a good bit of off-roading here and there, but nothing spectacular. Mainly cause i cant afford to upgrade the Jeep, but not due to lack of desire. Dont knock it till ya try it. A Lot of people go on and on about how you dont need a big car, or to lift it, or whatever. Yer right, you dont need it, but its damned fun. If, as the driver, when on the street, you know how to drive, it doesn't hurt the people on the road, and you have a great weekend hobby. If you want to carry more than a person, maybe a person and a half, with you, the SUV is the only real option. It lets you still go out and adventure with the family, maybe some kids, take your dogs out, who knows. Hybrid vehicles : As a combination of aspects of many cars and trucks, SUV's provide a very popular niche category of abilities that, at the moment, only they can provide. As someone said, they are a jack of all trades, master of none. Why? Because they dont need to be. They can give you the durability, ruggedness, and off-road capabilities of a truck. The seating capacity for freinds and family of a minivan ( or more ). Many now even give you the ride quality of a Caddy or other sedan. The towing capacity of a semi, and the high seating capacity of...well...umm... and air traffic control tower. If you knew someone that was in the market for a new car, and wanted to be comfy on the road, haul tons of people, tow their toys, and take them off the trail into the mountains, what would you recommend? Even if you dont like them, yous still hafta recomend an SUV of some sort for one reason - they are the only vehicle to fulfill all of their needs. Many people want to be able to handle anything that comes their way, but they dont want to necessarily be able to dominate it. Hence it works to their benefit to be able to have a jack of all trades. Size : While i like their ability to almost be their own form of Mass Transit with their seating capabilities, Personally, I am getting annoyed with the size, and in some cases, shape. When you are in one, it is indeed nice to be able to see what is going on around you. The problem is when you do it at the cost of everyone else. Suddenly nobody can see around you, and a minor accident situation can become a big problem. In the case of the H2, the side of the car dont slant in toward the middle at all. Which means it is so tall you cant see over/thru it, and so wide you have no chance of seing around it. To me, that is a problem. What makes them so sure their safety/visibility is so much more important than mine. Crash Safety : This one is gets me on both sides of the issue. Naturally, in a bigger car you are going to be hurt less than the other, smaller vehicle. As much as i might not like, such is life (unless you get hit too hard). I can accept this. Even on the large cars, there seems to be a reasonable amount of bumper compatability. So in a crash, most of the bumper of the very large car will still hit the bumper/trunk/crash area of a smaller car. Granted, its still more dangerous, but at least you still have those areas designed to take an impact their to protect you. Its when people raise their SUVs to a point where there is no bumper compatability that i get pissed. If i get hit by an suv and die, so be it. But ill be damned if i sit by and someone i know gets killed by an SUV because they lifted it and their bumper totally missed the crash zone in my car. You can bet your ass they'd get a lawsuit or two thrown at em in a heartbeat if their lift kit allowed them to go through a window. Bah, gotta go to class...but thats my take on the whole SUV issue. __________________ Dont cry kid, It's not your fault you suck.