LTAWACS Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I agree that people need to purchase vehicles that suit them, such as you have described; I just have problems with people that buy an SUV or a giant pickup because they just WANT it. Didn't Texas, at one point, require a special permit to drive vehicles above a certain size? If so, I think they need to look into it again.There has been an increase of people buying smaller cars that live within the city for years, and I'm looking to purchase a small or mid-sized car because I don't NEED anything that big. If I need a truck or van for some reason, I could simply just rent one for a weekend or whatever.LOL!!!!I used to own several midsized cars... Taurus, Camry, Accord, Galant. Until one day I was nearly killed by some moron in a chevy truck. The first thing I did after leaving the hospital was sell our remaining vehicles. Today my wife and I each have our own F-250's. Raised and fully loaded. It's true we average 8 miles a gallon city but we don't live in katy, woodlands, sugarland, pearland, or clearlake (thank goodness) so everything is near us.I like the feeling of having 8190+ pounds of steel, iron, and rubber between me and the rest of the morons on the freeways.I didnt get it because I needed it. I got it because I WANTED it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmancuso Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 that 8190+ pounds of steel, iron, and rubber is what puts other drivers in smaller cars in danger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 that 8190+ pounds of steel, iron, and rubber is what puts other drivers in smaller cars in danger. Perhaps if I were to talk on the cell phone, text on my cellphone, watch TV on the truck's television screen, watch TV on my cellphone, run red lights, drink coffee, drink beer, drink water, clean my gun, read the newspaper, read Maxim, run stop signs, speed in a school zone, back up without seeing what's behind me, use my cellphone to post here, change lanes without looking first, change lanes without signaling, or generally be a jackass, yes. I've NEVER received a traffic ticket in my entire life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Perhaps if I were to talk on the cell phone, text on my cellphone, watch TV on the truck's television screen, watch TV on my cellphone, run red lights, drink coffee, drink beer, drink water, clean my gun, read the newspaper, read Maxim, run stop signs, speed in a school zone, back up without seeing what's behind me, use my cellphone to post here, change lanes without looking first, change lanes without signaling, or generally be a jackass, yes. I've NEVER received a traffic ticket in my entire life. Interesting. I wasn't aware anyone ever actually read Maxim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Interesting. I wasn't aware anyone ever actually read Maxim. Ahem... I read the articles... cough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 LOL!!!!I used to own several midsized cars... Taurus, Camry, Accord, Galant. Until one day I was nearly killed by some moron in a chevy truck. The first thing I did after leaving the hospital was sell our remaining vehicles. Today my wife and I each have our own F-250's. Raised and fully loaded. It's true we average 8 miles a gallon city but we don't live in katy, woodlands, sugarland, pearland, or clearlake (thank goodness) so everything is near us.I like the feeling of having 8190+ pounds of steel, iron, and rubber between me and the rest of the morons on the freeways.I didnt get it because I needed it. I got it because I WANTED it.Good for you. I don't begrudge anyone the right to drive whatever makes them happy. But I'm reminded of a comment in Cory Farley's column in the latest issue of AutoWeek. Farley was asked for his professional opinion on what to buy by a friend whose daughter was about to graduate from college and was in the market for a new car. The friend mentioned "safe" as one of the main criteria, and Farley noted "By 'safe', he means 'crashworthy', and that puts us at odds. I can't recommend a car based on its ability to do something a driver should avoid."I have to agree, and I say that as someone who was once sideswiped on I-10 near the 610 interchange in my barely-2000-pound Honda CRX by a drunk driving an 18-wheeler. But I grew up riding motorcycles all over Houston as my sole means of transportation, so my perception of what's safe is probably somewhat different from most other people's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Good for you. I don't begrudge anyone the right to drive whatever makes them happy. But I'm reminded of a comment in Cory Farley's column in the latest issue of AutoWeek. Farley was asked for his professional opinion on what to buy by a friend whose daughter was about to graduate from college and was in the market for a new car. The friend mentioned "safe" as one of the main criteria, and Farley noted "By 'safe', he means 'crashworthy', and that puts us at odds. I can't recommend a car based on its ability to do something a driver should avoid."I have to agree, and I say that as someone who was once sideswiped on I-10 near the 610 interchange in my barely-2000-pound Honda CRX by a drunk driving an 18-wheeler. But I grew up riding motorcycles all over Houston as my sole means of transportation, so my perception of what's safe is probably somewhat different from most other people's.If we read the same article, I believe he mentions that when you drive a smaller car, you're more prone to be more defensive and aware of things going on around you because you're more "vulnerable". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Maybe it's just me but the perception today of people driving big behemoths is kind of like smokers. And that's not good. But of course many people could care less what others think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Maybe it's just me but the perception today of people driving big behemoths is kind of like smokers. And that's not good. But of course many people could care less what others think. I saw an International CXT on the road for the first time last week...in Bellaire, not anywhere near "offroad" and not hauling anything but its driver. Not that he cared what I thought, but my first thought was, "jackass." At 8 mpg, I wonder how long it took for the buyer's remorse to set in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I don't think vehicle size should be the main factor in determining vehicle safety. No vehicle is going to protect you from every possible accident. Larger SUVs and some trucks have higher chances of rolling over during accident avoidance, for example. You also have to look at things like front and side airbags, electronic stability control, always using a seatbelt, and keeping the vehicle well maintained. But you are right that, accurate or not, larger vehicles do give many the perception of better safety, and apparently that concern causes others to also buy big vehicles in response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 At 8 mpg, I wonder how long it took for the buyer's remorse to set in?Maybe when gas creeps back into the $4/Gal range ;-). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Until one day I was nearly killed by some moron in a chevy truck. The first thing I did after leaving the hospital was sell our remaining vehicles. Today my wife and I each have our own F-250's. Raised and fully loaded. Increasing your chances of dying in a rollover exponentially. Good job. I bet you feel SOOO smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I LOVE VW's new diesel Jetta commercial. It's a hoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 My Tahoe didn't flip over because it was an SUV, but I came away without a scratch because it was a very safe one. I doubt the same would have happened in the Altima. Bigger doesn't equal safer, there are many features and behaviors that safety is built on. But having the momentum advantage in a crash is not a bad thing, most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Increasing your chances of dying in a rollover exponentially. Good job. I bet you feel SOOO smart. LOL!. It's the off road package. It's not THAT much higher... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I don't think vehicle size should be the main factor in determining vehicle safety. No vehicle is going to protect you from every possible accident. Larger SUVs and some trucks have higher chances of rolling over during accident avoidance, for example. You also have to look at things like front and side airbags, electronic stability control, always using a seatbelt, and keeping the vehicle well maintained. But you are right that, accurate or not, larger vehicles do give many the perception of better safety, and apparently that concern causes others to also buy big vehicles in response.You are right about that. No vehicle will protect you from every accident. You are correct about seat belts, and various airbags, electronic stability control. But generally, more massive vehicles are safer than smaller, less massive ones. We must also consider center of gravity too.There are hundreds of models of vehicles on the road today. In a random crash scenario with any one of them, I think I'd be ok +90% of the time.I don't think one could say the same in anything less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 LOL!. It's the off road package. It's not THAT much higher... ^ Yeah, but I'll bet it bounces like a ball. Don't know how you put up with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I LOVE VW's new diesel Jetta commercial. It's a hoot.What's it about? Do they tout that it's safer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 ^ Yeah, but I'll bet it bounces like a ball. Don't know how you put up with that.Surprisingly no. The suspension is a little stiffer because of the extra weight/equipment but it's not much bouncier/jarring/harsher than my neighbor's dodge ram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Surprisingly no. The suspension is a little stiffer because of the extra weight/equipment but it's not much bouncier/jarring/harsher than my neighbor's dodge ram. No doubt, but that's like saying waffles are a little sweeter than pancakes! And don't get me started on tire noise and "squirminess." I'm just playing witcha, it's a handsome truck and it's probably the best choice for rough roads and heavy loads. But I wouldn't put up with any truck's ride on my primarily highway commute. I even think my boss's BMW X5 is bouncy compared to my Audi A4 wagon. And my mom's '93 Explorer? Even with two-wheel-drive, it's worse than a bucket of Superballs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 As a former RV owner I understand that some people need a big vehicle. I drove an Expedition for many years because it would not have been safe to pull the RV with anything smaller. When I got rid of the RV, I traded the Exp in for a RAV4 and never looked back. Large vehicles handle like a boat and are a delicate flower to park. I'm so glad to have gotten rid of it before gas prices spiked.edit: Delicate flower? Can't believe we can't say the B word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 As a former RV owner I understand that some people need a big vehicle. I drove an Expedition for many years because it would not have been safe to pull the RV with anything smaller. When I got rid of the RV, I traded the Exp in for a RAV4 and never looked back. Large vehicles handle like a boat and are a delicate flower to park. I'm so glad to have gotten rid of it before gas prices spiked.edit: Delicate flower? Can't believe we can't say the B word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihop Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I don't think vehicle size should be the main factor in determining vehicle safety. No vehicle is going to protect you from every possible accident. Larger SUVs and some trucks have higher chances of rolling over during accident avoidance, for example. You also have to look at things like front and side airbags, electronic stability control, always using a seatbelt, and keeping the vehicle well maintained. But you are right that, accurate or not, larger vehicles do give many the perception of better safety, and apparently that concern causes others to also buy big vehicles in response.On top of that, when everyone on the road is in SUVs, your size advantage disappears and you're stuck with the increased rollover risk. The big problem (and reason trucks & SUVs exploded in popularity) is that they're exempt from the gas guzzler tax because Congress wanted to avoid farmers taking a hit from it. They should have designed that legislation a bit better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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