American Lifestyle- Harmful?

[20sGirl]

I ask this question out of curiosity. It seems that America is having alot of health problems. Americans are obese and depressed. Is this inherent in the American lifestyle? Why is it so hard for Americans to be healthy when we have the best medical technology and facilities and more access to healthy food than most other nations. Why are so many Americans on Prozac and other mood-altering drugs? Why are people so stressed out all the time?

Is this what the American dream has become? Or, is the American dream something entirely different but we, as a nation, are too lazy or disfunctional to make it work?

[dbigtex56]

Excellent question, 20sGirl.

How fortunate we are to live in America. Consider how much of the world's population lives with (or dies from) hunger, disease, lack of clean water to drink, and violence. And yet, are we as a people the happiest on Earth? I don't think so.

It's a question of values. Every person reading this sentence takes for granted luxuries which the wealthiest people in the world could not have even dreamed of a hundred years ago. At that time, indoor plumbing was rare in rural communities. Air conditioning simply did not exist. Automobiles were toys for the very rich. There was no government inspection of food or drugs. It was common for children to drop out of school by the eighth grade. Medicine and dentistry were barbaric. It was common for people to have large families, partially because it was expected that many of their children would die in childhood.

How soon we forget. Both of my parents grew up on farms; they both remembered when electricity first came to their homes. Most of what they ate, they grew themselves. A typical day for my father would begin by feeding the livestock, then walking three miles to school. After walking home, he would spend more time tending the livestock, splitting firewood, hauling water - after which he would do his homework, then go to bed. As he put it, it didn't leave a lot of time for juvenile delinquency. Yet, he graduated from high school at 15, probably with a better education than many college graduates have today - algebra, geometry, triganomitry, two years of Latin and impeccable English skills. He spoke of his childhood with affection. Here was a child for whom the concept of boredom was foreign. He was grateful to have enough to eat. Some of his classmates were not so lucky.

I suppose that's why I find children (or adults) who sulk over not having a $150 dollar pair of sneakers bemusing. When did Americans begin to believe that we're all entitled to live like movie stars? Even high school proms are treated like royal weddings. How come we require computer games, cable TV, DVDs and cell phones to keep us amused or status-worthy? We gourge ourselves on fast food and soda, then try to find magic pills that will melt away the flab. We squeeze our fat asses into SUVs to drive a quarter of a mile, then complain about all the traffic and lack of parking. We have more labor saving devices then any people in history, but complain that there's not enough hours in a day. Even our pets are obese and spoiled.

It's kind of sickening. The power of mass media and advertising has created a society of false values. Even people on welfare sport 'designer' clothing. We don't know our neighbors, so we watch "Friends" instead. We dismiss each other as 'types' rather than evaluating people as people. Every day we have to make what seems like a million meaningless choices. No wonder we're stressed. Too much stimulation, too much fat and sugar, too little exercise and tranquillity. Evolution did not prepare us for this life.

Simplify. Turn off the TV. Get out of your car and walk. Eschew fast food. Learn a musical instrument. Pick up a pencil and draw or write. Visit a shut-in. Start a garden. Define yourself by who you are, not by what you consume.

[snickers]

I voted "none of these" because your definition of the "american lifestyle" is one that doesn't incompass everyone...only one stereotype. It would seem your definition is only one representing perhaps the urban yuppi-ish (is that still a word?) lifestyle that many woudl characterize with the word 'overconsumption'...most of America is still rural...and they still eat what they grow - or what their neighbors grow...and life is a lot simplier...if you are defining simple as not being caught up in many of the high tech and high lifestyle trappings that seem to be more prevelant in the cities.

definately a though provoking question though!!!

dbigtex56 -

I married into an immigrant family....in your reply you ask if we are the happiest people on earth and then you promptly said no...I beg to differ. That may be your view from your experiences in life, but I have met A LOT of people who are very happy to be here in America. Happiness (and life in general) is what you make it. Happiness is in the simple things in life...be it a walk, your garden...or making it to the next level of your favorite computer game. I am from a very small town and I know many people there who do not have the "trappings" you describe in your reply...they live "simplified" as you describe...and they are not necessarily happy.

I like this thought from your post "Define yourself by who you are, not by what you consume" - I do think that would lead a lot more people to happiness! However, I do not think the shunning of technology or modern conveniences is part of that equation. I would change it to: Define yourself by who you are and stop trying to fit into "politically correct" definitions. If you find happiness in gardening and visiting shut ins...do it! If you find happiness writing ...do it! If you find happiness programming computer games...do it! If you find happiness driving a SUV for hours in traffic...do it (and imho seek therapy! hehe)......whatever it is in life that makes you happy...get out and do it. Don't get stuck in other peoples ruts.

America is a wonderful and diverse country...and I think that probably the "undercomsumption" of the rural areas counterbalance the "overconsumption" of the urban areas....it all evens out in the end ;-)

[20sGirl]

I voted "none of these" because your definition of the "american lifestyle" is one  that doesn't incompass everyone...only one stereotype.  It would seem your definition is only one representing perhaps the urban yuppi-ish (is that still a word?) lifestyle that many woudl characterize with the word 'overconsumption'...most of America is still rural...and they still eat what they grow - or what their neighbors grow...and life is a lot simplier...if you are defining simple as not being caught up in many of the high tech and high lifestyle trappings that seem to be more prevelant in the cities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, it is a stereotype. I am defining "American lifestyle" as what I see in mainstream America- namely television programs, news, advertising and other media and what I experience in my own life.

I worked downtown for a number of years and rarely saw people who looked content. Most looked very stressed and tired. I would hear conversations in the elevators about who got the least amount of sleep last night and who logged the most hours during the weekend and how busy they are all the time. People looked tired, not happy. I knew (and still know) so many people who are taking prescription medicine to control their depression. It's almost normal to have a psychotherapist.

Shopping is also a big part of the American lifestyle. Many things today are made to be disposable. Planned obsolescence is a reality meant to encourage more consumer activity. Even our president was urging the American population to go shopping to support the American way of life. Our whole economic system is based upon growth. Not maintenance, but growth. Houses are being built bigger these days, even though families are smaller. Big SUVs and trucks are popular. Food portions are out of control, which brings me to:

The majority of Americans do have some sort of weight problem. The last figures I heard were approx. 1/3 obese, 1/3 overweight and 1/3 normal. Those may have changed. Sugar infiltrates just about everything in the grocery stores. Our meats are loaded with antibiotics, hormones and pesticides. Come to think of it, so are our fruits and vegetables. If you can afford organic, you have an advantage. In Europe, for example, they have stringent rules about these things. Look at the average American's sugar consumption compared to just about any other nation on the planet. I'm willing to bet the American's will be much higher every time.

I, too, married into an immigrant family. While they are glad to have the ability to earn a living to meet their basic needs (which is why they are here), they also notice big differences in the quality of life on a human scale (not just economic scale). The people here are financially secure (even the poor have TVs, housing, etc.) but they are not necessarily happy.

I fear that you are the exception, not the rule. It is very easy to lose your way in this society, especially if you don't have the land, equipment or skill to grow/raise your own food (much less the stomach to actually slaughter your own food).

I also know many people who live in small towns and rural communities. They fall victim to advertising just as much as my city friends. I don't think obesity and mass consumption are just city problems. Some of the thinnest people I've seen live in New York. They are thin because they walk everywhere. People in small towns also care about image and status. Small towns have rich and poor sides of town. They have good schools and bad schools. They have teenagers carrying cell phones and wearing the latest fashions. Most folks in small towns get excited when they hear that Walmart or Target or Foley's, etc. is going to build a new store near them. People in small towns buy new cars, new houses, new clothes, new computers- just like city people do.

Most people do have to make a special effort to get enough exercise in their daily life. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but it takes special effort, whereas in other cultures it comes more easily. You can't just coast along in the mainstream, you have to consciously make your life what you want it to be.

Don't get me wrong- I love my country but I'm afraid for the health of our nation if we don't change some things soon. I enjoy hearing your feedback- most people don't like talking about this stuff.

[westguy]

I voted "none of these" because your definition of the "american lifestyle" is one that doesn't incompass everyone...only one stereotype. It would seem your definition is only one representing perhaps the urban yuppi-ish (is that still a word?) lifestyle that many woudl characterize with the word 'overconsumption'...most of America is still rural...and they still eat what they grow - or what their neighbors grow...and life is a lot simplier...if you are defining simple as not being caught up in many of the high tech and high lifestyle trappings that seem to be more prevelant in the cities.

The last time I saw statistics on this subject, the US population was 80 percent URBAN, which includes people who live in and commute from the suburbs.

[pineda]

Speaking of statistics, one that I keeping running into a lot lately is that between 50-60% of all Texas schoolchildren fit into the "economically disadvantaged" or "low income" category. This could explain why we're currently having such a hard time trying to deal with the "Robin Hood" plan of school finance.

[snickers]

20sgirl -

I love debating those issues ;-) All of what you say is true....but start doing this...when you are on your way to work...or whatever...instead of focusing on the unhappy people you see...focus on the happy ones. Starting out it may seem that they are few and far between...but they are there. And to those who seem unhappy...ask them why the do it then! Why commute like that? That is what happened to me...someone asked me why do it if I was unhappy....and I did not have an answer...but that question sat with me and festered for years...and now my husband and I try to make our decisions based on what will make us happy...what we enjoy and what we want (excluding material things) for our family. My husband has a great saying when it comes to making money....he does not have a college degree....he comes from a poor immigrant family....and yet although he is only 30, makes more money than much of his family combined...and he says "do what you love to do and the money to be stable will follow"....he laughs at me because i say i am going to move to Galveston and lay on the beach and see if money follows...LOL LOL

As for being happy...I think most people think that happiness is a destination...and it is not...everyone is looking for a certain thing or certain point where they can say "now I am happy".....and that isn't how it works. Happiness is in the journey....happiness is waking up this morning with my health and my family's health....happiness is that my son did not decide to take off his diaper and "paint" his walls during the night.....happiness is in the little daily things. I think the media plays on our needs to have a specific thing that makes us happy...and that is what everyone strives for (thus leading to a destructive lifestyle). I have some close family members who suffer from depression...not a chemical imbalance - those kind of depressions have to be treated with drugs...but just good ole depression...and as they worked thru it and started to live a "happy" life again...what I just told you is what they told me...to find happiness in mundane things... a short commute....hitting all green lights....a smile from someone you don't know on the street....if you have a long commute...be happy you have a nice car to do it in....stuff like that.

Honestly, I am a total victim of your definitions...I have a decent size house...but I want a bigger one. I drive a full size SUV (proudly)....and me-o-my do I have trouble with food portions and although it has taken me years to do it regularly....it is still a daily mental struggle to push myself to exercise. But you know...although I want a bigger house...I have learned to be happy with what I have...it is nice. And although I hate the traffic around chicago....I am happy to sit in it because I have the comfort of a nice truck. I am not saying I never get frustrated...but that doesn't mean I am not unhappy. Thus, my feeling that our lifestyle here in America doesn't have to be self destructive. I think that "mass behavior" is cyclical....when it goes to far to one extreme, events will force it back towards the other extreme.

To me, it just seems that most people focus on the negative that life has to offer...not the positive. And IMO - people need to just learn to take responsibility for their own lifes (financially, physically, and mentally) and learn that it is not out of their control. (I think you and I are in agreement about that!) .

Yes - our diets in this country can be bad...but that is a personal choice that people make...no one shoves the sugar down their throats! (how that may change health insurance i nthe future is a whole different issue). I am glad we have the freedom and ability in this country to make those personal choices.....perhaps starting from a young age we need to start educating our children that along with those freedoms come personal responsibility.

Ok - off my soapbox ;-)

I think having kids did it for me...once i had to take responsibility for two little lives, I started taking responsibility for my own.

[ricco67]

I think that overall, the way we live isn't bad, it's just that sometimes we have a tendency to go to excess.

By this I mean, do many of us REALLY need to own a HUGE SUV? (One person I knew purchased a Sequoa (sp) because she wanted each child to have their own bench so they don't have to sit next to eachother).

MULTIPLE TV's? okay, I can deal with that, but in a CAR??

We have a tendency to simply want much more than we're able to live on economically which is why so many of us seem in debt.

I don't look at the downside of matters, but considering what I do, I have to look at the logical standpoints of what is "RIGHT" for my clients.

Yes, the guy that goes on a 70 mile bikeride every weekend can justify an SUV to carry his equipment around, but he pays for it on his huge commute costs in gas.

It's a matter of balance we, as a society can't seem to understand.

Lately, I've been hearing griping that airport security is TOO tight! I mean, good heavens!

Ricco

[Subdude]

Very interesting topic, thanks 20sGirl. I could probably rattle on about it for hours, but basically I think that individuals can change, but overall our culture is the way it is because people like it for a number of reasons, and probably won't change much. When people have the money maybe it's only natural to consume more, but it is nice to see so many people here are pretty well-grounded.

LOL at Ricco's comment about bike riders with the SUVs. I can never figure it out. You see all these bikers with giant SUVs, but they still get bike racks and store the bikes outside! If you are going to drive the equivalent of a bus, why not just put the bike inside? It's not like the water bottles take up that much space.

[20sGirl]

One person I knew purchased a Sequoa (sp) because she wanted each child to have their own bench so they don't have to sit next to eachother

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That cracks me up! I guess she got tired of hearing them argue.

Snickers said

"I think that "mass behavior" is cyclical....when it goes to far to one extreme, events will force it back towards the other extreme."

That comment gives me hope because I think it is true. I also completely agree that you need to do what you love instead of what pays the most. (Think of all those lucky souls out there who love being brain surgeons and corporate lawyers...)

It is all too easy to get sucked up into "the American dream" of having it all. I had it all and realized that I didn't really want it all. So, I had a massive garage sale on eBay, donated what didn't sell, I'm working project-to-project (instead of being tied down to some corporation) and I really love it. It's so nice to have empty rooms in the house that I no longer need to clean. (I know it sounds wasteful but I really can't afford to move.)

As far as TVs go, one is more than enough to me- especially when you see what they show during the daytime.

[snickers]

ok - i have to chime in on the full size SUV...I drive an Avalanche...I have two year old twins...i have to haul a HUGE stoller just in case I decide to go into a store that does not have carts....and with a car full of kids...the back comes in handy for anything i buy. I TOTALLY understand buying a big car to separate kids...trust me on this...I understand. I once had a woman recommend (this was before I was even pregnant) that when I have kids, get a vehicle with two pilot seats in the back so that the kids would be separated...I just laughed and thought to myself that wasn't necessary...well, my views have changed!! LOL BUT - I will admit that I bought it before i ever had kids...I got it because I thought it was cool and I had the money not only for the truck but also for the gas money to drive it. It is an expensive thing to have...especially in city traffic...but if you have the means - I say drive a freaking 18 wheeler to work if you want. Just don't complain about the gas bill! In fact...if I drove and 18wheeler...I could just put the kids in the back..hmmm....I may be on to s omething there! hahahaha - i love my kids but they always seem to fight when in the car!!

I need to check ebay for and 18 wheeler.....

[Subdude]

ok - i have to chime in on the full size SUV...I drive an Avalanche...I have two year old twins...i have to haul a HUGE stoller just in case I decide to go into a store that does not have carts....and with a car full of kids...the back comes in handy for anything i buy.

[snickers]

It's your money of course, but parents the world over are able to raise children without mega-SUVs.  Did you consider something like a station wagon?  Some of them have as much room in the back as SUVs, plus they're safer and get better mileage.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well - we also have three big dogs and a decent piece of land...it is kinda hard to put a riding lawn mover in the back of a station wagon. If you are not familiar with an Avalanche...it is a full size pickup truck (uncovered) when you lay down the back seat. With the back seat up...it is a shortbed truck but we can still fit the kennel for the three dogs in the bed of the truck. I wanted a trans am (it was the last year they were making them) when I got the avalanche...and I did buy the truck because it was cool...but it is also practical in the long run. Have you ever tried to put two sheets of drywall in the back of a stationwagon?

How is a station wagon safer for my children than a SUV? Do you have kids? If so...explain to me how you can justify they would be safer in the backseat of a car as opposed to the backseat of a truck. I have seen wrecks between cars and trucks...and for the most part - the cars suffer the most damage. My family's safety was not an issue when I bought it as I did not have kids yet...but that is an added bonus in my mind. I already said that I know the gas mileage is bad (at least around the city..i do a lot of traveling and on the road it has really good mileage)....and I am not complaining about that.

As I said before..I like my vehicle....it makes me happy...and I don't mind any commuting I have to do in it. If you saw me on the elevator I would not be complaining about my two hour commute because I enjoy what I drive...and I would not be complaining about the gas mileage because that was my personal choice to accept that when I bought it. It makes me happy. Why would I choose to be unhappy just to fit into someone else's definition of what is appropriate? Not everyone who drives full size SUVs does it for excess... and if you think that it would be easier to get the twins double stroller in the back of a stationwagon and then lift it UP and out again...well, it was hard to get out of my friends minivan and that is higher up than a stationwagon. My truck suits me well and fits my needs...and most of all...I LIKE it and it makes me happy ;-) I could survive with a station wagon if I had to...but I don't have to so why should I?

If it makes someone else happy to drive a station wagon and do the things I do and carry around the things I carry around in my vehicle...so be it...I am happy for them.....that is their personal choice and that is what makes this country wonderful....freedom ;-)

[pineda]

Speaking of statistics, one that I keeping running into a lot lately is that between 50-60% of all Texas schoolchildren fit into the "economically disadvantaged" or "low income" category. This could explain why we're currently having such a hard time trying to deal with the "Robin Hood" plan of school finance.

Re-reading the posts on this topic, and seeing mine above again, I had a thought. Maybe ignorance is bliss. Maybe we are all so bombarded with too much information; what is right (today, but maybe not tomorrow), what is wrong (and why), who's doing what to whom and why we should care. Maybe we are being given too much to handle, to digest, and because it's so overwhelming, we feel powerless to do anything. Every choice we make is questioned endlessly (this car is safe, but the gas mileage is low, but I like it anyway), (this is a candy bar I probably shouldn't be eating, but it says it's low in carbs), (I should be talking more walks in my neighborhood, but the dogs bother me, and the possibility of crime and someone running me over with their car keeps me in), (Dan Rather of CBS says it's true, so it must be, but Fox News called him a liar), (I like Crest toothpaste, but the commercials say I should be using the new, improved one, and there's forty different kinds of toothpastes at Kroger's as it is), (I heard eating fish is heart-healthy, but only certain kinds that are mercury-free), etc. Maybe the problem with the American lifestyle is one of too much; too much information, too many choices, but it seems that almost every country on the globe is trying to be JUST LIKE US. They want what we have, and we seem to have everything! Making a conscious decision to turn it off, walk away, be quiet is very hard to do. And now having said that, I'll think I'll try to do just that. Bye!

[20sGirl]

Re-reading the posts on this topic, and seeing mine above again, I had a thought. Maybe ignorance is bliss. Maybe we are all so bombarded with too much information; what is right (today, but maybe not tomorrow), what is wrong (and why), who's doing what to whom and why we should care. Maybe we are being given too much to handle, to digest, and because it's so overwhelming, we feel powerless to do anything...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ooo, juicy stuff. Yeah, too many choices is definitely a problem. That's what we get for living in the information age, eh? I think certain types of people like alot of choices, but it confuses the hell out of me. Then, once I make a selection, I start the second-guessing.

Also, when you see or hear news from the world everyday, you'd swear the world was ending. (I always have to remind my mother-in-law that the world is not, in fact, ending. They had floods, wars and murderers since the beginning of time, you just didn't hear about them when they occurred on the other side of the world).

Anyway, you would think that the open market would take care of these problems by weeding out the inferior products... but somehow they survive, and sometimes even overtake the superior product. Which brings us to marketing. It's not really suvival of the fittest, it's survival of the best marketing strategy. It takes alot of energy to weed through all the crap to find the best item. They even have a whole magazine devoted to just that. (Consumer Reports) Perhaps that's why many of us are just so tired and stressed. Maybe we'll have an Arts and Crafts revival when people get sick of all the cheap, manufactured junk, just like they did 130 years ago. One can only hope.

[jmancuso]

my opinion on american lifestyle? it sucks; huge SUV's, britney, who JLO is married to this week, reality TV and rapent consumerism/ commercialization.

It's your money of course, but parents the world over are able to raise children without mega-SUVs.  Did you consider something like a station wagon?  Some of them have as much room in the back as SUVs, plus they're safer and get better mileage.

yep, we had smallish cars and station wagons when i was a kid. big ass SUV's are an ego trip, plain and simple. there is no need for a hummer h2 other than for status.

[snickers]

my opinion on american lifestyle? it sucks; huge SUV's, britney, who JLO is married to this week, reality TV and rapent consumerism/ commercialization.

yep, we had smallish cars and station wagons when i was a kid. big ass SUV's are an ego trip, plain and simple. there is no need for a hummer h2 other than for status.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well, we did not have a station wagon...I grew up in the country where we needed a truck to haul wood for the winter...haul the mower around and everything else. I would venture a guess that most people who have to haul stuff don't use station wagons. The h2 has no room to haul stuff...that car is totally for fun...what is wrong with having fun in the country anymore?

The original thought of this tread was if the american lifestyle is harmful based on the observation that so many people are unhappy. I agree with pineda that we are bombarded with messages on how we should act, how we should be, what we should do and everything else. I think so many people are unhappy because they are so busy trying to live their lives according to what they think others will approve of that they never take the time to look inside and figure out who they really are and what they really want.

I agree that the h2 is not practicle...but damn...they sure look fun!! You are supposed to enjoy life....not live a life that you hate just to make others happy or fit into their idea of what is politically correct. I would venture to say that those people who get upset with h2 owners are just jealous because they can not afford one! (I know I am!) tell me....isn't driving a mercedes an ego trip also? or is that different because it is a car?

Live your own life...judge what you do and how your live your own life....and be happy. sometimes the 'things of excess' are fun...so if you can...take advantage of them. They are not the end all and be all of life...but neither is driving a station wagon just because someone else thinks you should.

Happiness is a journey...not a destination....drive whatever makes you happy on that journey. Take whatever road you want to take...not the one that everyone says you should (wow - I just felt like Robert Frost for a second)....and most of all - live YOUR life....not everyone elses. Then and only then will more people be happy in life. Measuring up to everyone else's standards is too hard...I would probably be on antidepressants if I tried to do that too!!

[MidtownCoog]

We have a wagon and a SUV.

Trust me, there are times when one does need an SUV.

Can anyone say tropical storms? They sure come in handy then.

[jmancuso]

Happiness is a journey...not a destination....drive whatever makes you happy on that journey. Take whatever road you want to take...not the one that everyone says you should

ahh...good philosophy. *bows*

personally, i have nothing against SUV's. they don't burn anymore gas than a car with a V8. a ford mustang has the same size motor as an expedition. it's what they come to represent; ego and status symbols. and yes a mercedes is just as much an ego trip as an H2. although, i hate to admit it, i think H2's look pretty damn awesome but so unnecasary for the city or most people's lives. i have had my ford ranger going on 7 years now and have no intentions on getting a new vehicle anytime soon. i'm not envious at all of anyone with newer or more expensive cars.

i agree with you, if i lived in the country, i would have a big honkin' 4x4 with kc lights, roll bars and the whole nine yards. yeehaw!

[snickers]

i agree with you, if i lived in the country, i would have a big honkin' 4x4 with kc lights, roll bars and the whole nine yards. yeehaw!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i hear ya there!!! :-) brings back memories....LOL

[ricco67]

Subdude,

I totally agree, the issue was he always stops before or after his rides and didn't want to leave his bike out in the open. (it's obviously a VERY expensive bike)

The purchase of a vehicle is dependent on the type of lifestyle you lead.

If you

[snickers]

If you can justify it, then I

[20sGirl]

I'm going to make a guess and say that the issue here is not what you drive but how wastefully you live your life?... The one who burns up gallons of a natural resource solely to stroke his/her ego is the person who deserves critique.

On the other hand, people are people - there have been shows of wealth and status since the beginning of humanity. In the middle ages, the church actually had to step in and say enough is enough (regarding clothing and jewelry). However, some of the finest landmarks in the world were built out of vanity (NOT including Tillman's follies- Ha!).

So, it's just an age old display of human nature that will probably never change. Also, the car you drive is a reflection of the image you want to project to others. Thus, if you drive an SUV, you'll be seen as sporty or adventurous or a concerned mom... Same rings true if you drive a small, fuel-efficient car. You project an image of environmentalism or minimalism or, in my case, just plain old cheapness...

[dbigtex56]

isn't enjoying it justification enough?

a

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If that was true, I'd agree.

I don't think it's true, and this is why. SUVs have a reputation of causing damage, without showing protection for their occupants. In other words, if you hit someone with your SUV (or if someone hits you), you have an equal chance of coming out unscathed. However, you have a greater chance of causing harm to someone else. Do you see the difference? Just because someone else is injured doesn't mean you win. No one wants collisions - at least I sure hope they don't. Your SUV isn't protecting you or your family. It can hurt other people and their families. Your big butch SUV isn't protecting you, it merely has the potential to hurt others. You're just as vulnerable as anyone else.

I don't hate all SUV drivers. Just most of them. My sister and her husband own SUVs. They live on a steep dirt road in upstate NY. The county has posted signs saying that this road isn't guaranteed to be passible between November and April. In addition, they are members of the local volunteer ambulance and fire departments, and they regularly respond to local emergencies. I admire them. They don't have to make weak excuses for owning SUVs. It's not a sexy advertising campaign; it's reality.

Do you think your SUV gives you an advantage over automobiles when Houston floods? hehe! And is that why I see just as many SUVs flooded as automobile drivers when it DOES flood? Face it. If the road is covered with water, you don't know how deep it is, regardless of what you're driving. Everyone can misjudge.

I'm glad that you've shared your opinions with me. Maybe you do have a good reason to drive an SUV. If there's something I've missed, please point it out.

[pineda]

Have you SEEN the new urban assault vehicle being built by International?

It looks just like a tractor trailer cab, and the pickup bed back tilts and dumps!

One thing not mentioned here is another reason people drive SUV's. It's not so much protection against the other CARS on the road; it's the 18-wheelers we're supposedly sharing the road with. If 18-wheelers had to ride on restricted lanes or on restricted roadways, I think you'd see a lot less people feeling the need to buy an SUV for that perceived measure of protection and more people buying hybrid cars to help out the environment and save money on fuel.

In Gov. Perry's Trans-Texas Corridor plan, this is actually one of the main components; restricted lanes for cars and another for 18-wheelers. I'm not a huge fan of Perry's plan, but this part of it does have some merit, IMHO!

[MidtownCoog]

All you anti-SUV hippies need to stop taking yourselves so seriously!

In another time, y'all would have been griping about the Model-T, and the virtues of riding horses instead.

[UrbanLandscape]

Canyonero...

[MidtownCoog]

Can you name the truck with four wheel drive,

smells like a steak and seats thirty-five..

Canyonero! Canyonero!

Well, it goes real slow with the hammer down,

It's the country-fried truck endorsed by a clown!

Canyonero! (Yah!) Canyonero!

[Krusty:] Hey Hey

The Federal Highway comission has ruled the

Canyonero unsafe for highway or city driving.

Canyonero!

12 yards long, 2 lanes wide,

65 tons of American Pride!

Canyonero! Canyonero!

Top of the line in utility sports,

Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!

Canyonero! Canyonero! (Yah!)

She blinds everybody with her super high beams,

She's a squirrel crushing, deer smacking, driving machine!

Canyonero!-oh woah, Canyonero! (Yah!)

Drive Canyonero!

Woah Canyonero!

Woah!

[snickers]

If that was true, I'd agree.

I don't think it's true, and this is why. SUVs have a reputation of causing damage, without showing protection for their occupants. In other words, if you hit someone with your SUV (or if someone hits you), you have an equal chance of coming out unscathed. However, you have a greater chance of causing harm to someone else. Do you see the difference? Just because someone else is injured doesn't mean you win. No one wants collisions - at least I sure hope they don't. Your SUV isn't protecting you or your family. It can hurt other people and their families. Your big butch SUV isn't protecting you, it merely has the potential to hurt others. You're just as vulnerable as anyone else.

I don't hate all SUV drivers. Just most of them. My sister and her husband own SUVs.  They live on a steep dirt road in upstate NY. The county has posted signs saying that this road isn't guaranteed to be passible between November and April. In addition, they are members of the local volunteer ambulance and fire departments, and they regularly respond to local emergencies. I admire them. They don't have to make weak excuses for owning SUVs. It's not a sexy advertising campaign; it's reality.

Do you think your SUV gives you an advantage over automobiles when Houston floods? hehe! And is that why I see just as many SUVs flooded as automobile drivers when it DOES flood? Face it. If the road is covered with water, you don't know how deep it is, regardless of what you're driving. Everyone can misjudge.

I'm glad that you've shared your opinions with me. Maybe you do have a good reason to drive an SUV. If there's something I've missed, please point it out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what you missed is that I drive it because I ENJOY IT.

you're arguement about safety is false

no one brought up flooding...when your engine goes under the water you are screwed no matter what you are driving...unless you have a Hummer or some Land Rovers (anything made with the watersealed engine and high outtake)...hmmm...so maybe that is a GOOD arguement why everyone in Houston should drive a great big Land Rover...just in case it floods...

regardless...there are no issues to debate on why I drive one....I LIKE IT!!!

[dbigtex56]

what you missed is that I drive it because I ENJOY IT. 

you're arguement about safety is false

no one brought up flooding...when your engine goes under the water you are screwed no matter what you are driving...unless you have a Hummer or some Land Rovers (anything made with the watersealed engine and high outtake)...hmmm...so maybe that is a GOOD arguement why everyone in Houston should drive a great big Land Rover...just in case it floods...

regardless...there are no issues to debate on why I drive one....I LIKE IT!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Enjoying something doesn't make it right. Some people enjoy driving with a crack pipe in one hand and a 40oz. in the other. Call me old-fashioned, but I don't condone that, either.

"you're (your?) arguement (sic) about safety is false".

Gee. If you say so. No need to address questions such as misaligned bumpers, excessive weight, poor handling and a tendency to roll over during hard cornering, let alone a much greater chance of injury in auto-pedestrian accidents.

"no one brought up flooding..."

Scroll up. MidtownCoog made reference to tropical storms. Flooding is implied.

And just because you don't feel like debating issues doesn't mean that they're not worth discussing. If you want to drive your SUV in the privacy of your own home, have at it. If you're going to drive on public highways it affects other people, and we have a right to comment.