Why Do People Drive SUV's?

[DCJ311]

They get terrible gas mileage, are harder to drive, and are more likely to get into accidents.

People decades from now are going to look at us like we're huge idiots for driving these things. Personally I feel like everyone should be forced to drive motorcycles, except for mass transit vehicles and those with special needs.

[GeniusToad]

most of them would tell you, "Because I can."

i'd say because they're idiots.

[JohnFR]

They are safer, I was in a wreck that some stupid bitch caused and me and my GF would have been dead if we had been in a car(cop says we would have had like a 5% chance of surviving the accident), me and my GF walked away from the scene, I had a bit of a back problem afterwards, and she still has lingering knee problems, at least we aren't dead.
They are roomier for passengers.
They fit more luggage.
They can haul a trailer.
They have more amenities if you want them(DVD players etc.)
They look much better.

[JohnFR]

Haul a big ass boat in a car, I dare you.
Try to haul 8 people with all their luggage in a car, I dare you.

[DCJ311]

[ QUOTE ]
Haul a big ass boat in a car, I dare you.
Try to haul 8 people with all their luggage in a car, I dare you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well this is what I mean by 'special needs', because things like this happen from time to time. If you need the vehicle solely for towing, then that would be acceptable, but as an everyday, single passenger vehicle it really should be illegal.

If you have an SUV that carries 8 people, then that should be acceptable to drive it as long as you drive it only when it is filled to 3/4-max capacity.

As for people who say it is 'safer', it's kind of an absurd argument. Yes of course it's safer to be in an SUV than a sedan when another SUV hits you. But if no one drove SUVs to begin with, we wouldn't need to be protected.

I hear people say, "Well I need an SUV for safety." What they don't realize is that by driving the thing they're way more likely to be involved in an accident, because the vehicles are really top heavy and are bigger and way harder to drive. I drive a little stickshift sedan and have never had any accidents, and I can honestly say every time I have driven a friend's SUV I really feel like I have to concentrate to avoid getting into accidents, just because they're such sh*tty cars.

The American world has really become a lazy place. Instead of learning how to use a stickshift, learning good driving habits and spending a few more dozen hours learning on the road with smaller, more nimble, safer, efficient vehicles, we sacrifice that for luxurious, dangerous, inefficient vehicles that pollute the environment at a faster rate.

[kidcolin]

[ QUOTE ]
If you need the vehicle solely for towing, then that would be acceptable, but as an everyday, single passenger vehicle it really should be illegal.


[/ QUOTE ]

Despite my dislike for SUVs, this is stupid.

JohnFR,

Sounds like you made an informed decision. Nice work.

[onthebutton]

[ QUOTE ]
The American world has really become a lazy place. Instead of learning how to use a stickshift, learning good driving habits and spending a few more dozen hours learning on the road with smaller, more nimble, safer, efficient vehicles, we sacrifice that for luxurious, dangerous, inefficient vehicles that pollute the environment at a faster rate.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think it has anything to do with "laziness". It's about what people want, it isn't that they don't want to put the time in learing how to drive a smaller car. I have no idea where you would get argument like that.

As for the pollution issues, what do you think pollutes more-a SUV less than 3 years old or an older car built in the 1980s or 1990s with 100k+ miles on it? Do you want to ban those too?

[DCJ311]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The American world has really become a lazy place. Instead of learning how to use a stickshift, learning good driving habits and spending a few more dozen hours learning on the road with smaller, more nimble, safer, efficient vehicles, we sacrifice that for luxurious, dangerous, inefficient vehicles that pollute the environment at a faster rate.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think it has anything to do with "laziness". It's about what people want, it isn't that they don't want to put the time in learning how to drive a smaller car. I have no idea where you would get argument like that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh man, is this serious? C'mon, there's no reason not to drive a small car unless you have a big family. America really feels like it's 'entitled' to drive whatever they want, and that it's no big deal that people decades from now
will suffer miserably because of our laziness and greed.




[ QUOTE ]
As for the pollution issues, what do you think pollutes more-a SUV less than 3 years old or an older car built in the 1980s or 1990s with 100k+ miles on it? Do you want to ban those too?

[/ QUOTE ]

Um, most 4 door sedans built in the 90s get way better gas mileage than SUVs made nowadays, provided they've been properly maintained. I know for a fact that in some states, they'll give you a big tax rebate if you turn in your old gas-guzzling vehicle, so this is a terrible argument.

[man]

[ QUOTE ]
They are safer, I was in a wreck that some stupid bitch caused and me and my GF would have been dead if we had been in a car(cop says we would have had like a 5% chance of surviving the accident), me and my GF walked away from the scene, I had a bit of a back problem afterwards, and she still has lingering knee problems, at least we aren't dead.
They are roomier for passengers.
They fit more luggage.
They can haul a trailer.
They have more amenities if you want them(DVD players etc.)
They look much better.

[/ QUOTE ]
yes, they are much safer.

good anecdotal evidence, though.

[shaniac]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They are safer, I was in a wreck that some stupid bitch caused and me and my GF would have been dead if we had been in a car(cop says we would have had like a 5% chance of surviving the accident), me and my GF walked away from the scene, I had a bit of a back problem afterwards, and she still has lingering knee problems, at least we aren't dead.
They are roomier for passengers.
They fit more luggage.
They can haul a trailer.
They have more amenities if you want them(DVD players etc.)
They look much better.

[/ QUOTE ]
yes, they are much safer.

good anecdotal evidence, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

That link leads me to believe that most SUVs are, in fact, safer than they are made out to be. Seems like there might be a little bit of hysteria attached to the anti-SUV movement.