To not understand the obsession with SUVs/4x4s?

[GinDaddy]

I'm genuinely curious to hear people's views below. Nearly every parent I know in my area has a 4x4 car of some sort. That's dozens of folk. The car parks at our local supermarket are covered in the things.

My AIBU is to ask, what is the obsession with these things? Why are they the "default" choice for parents now, considering so many folk can't park them properly, and our roads aren't set up for them?

I watched in amused horror yesterday as a lady with a Vauxhall Grandland X (yep...me neither) tried to park head-first in a bay in our local supermarket. The width of the thing was the issue, but once "parked", the rear of the car was practically touching the front of the neighbouring vehicle.

It was just absurd. Why is this car any better than an Astra estate, or in the same price category, a Skoda Octavia estate, both of which are narrower and better on fuel, and the Skoda which has extraordinary amounts of luggage capacity and legroom?

I think the answer is simple, it's an image thing. People feel their life is more exciting with DCs if they're in something that looks like it could climb a mountain at the weekend.

Only problem is, my DW and I find public car parks absurd at the moment as I find more and more of these hideous things parked terribly at every juncture.

The beauty of living in a capitalist economy is the prerogative of choice, helped by dollops of PCP finance handed out by every car dealer, meaning anyone can get into a boxy car on stilts.

But for goodness sake can people learn how to drive and park these things if they're going to be bought by everyone? Driving down streets with parked cars on either side is a game of "my car is bigger than yours, so move over", which is just embarrassing.

NOTE: I have no issues with envy here; we have a 6-year old estate car from a well known Bavarian marque with a three letter acronym. I don't ride 2mm off people's bumpers, and it serves our family's needs well.

A car recently crashed into the back of our car with my kids in the back. Thankfully we’re all fine. I don’t drive a SUV but it made me think maybe I should

My small car scored 5* in the NCAP tests, so no.

You day your not envious but then mention you have a BMW 🤔, you've got to be envious in comparison surely.

Say

What do you need 1192l of boot space for?
Do you fill the seats and the boot on a daily or even weekly basis?

Why people have them- I think part of the reason is they believe they will be 'safer' or less likely to feel intimidated by other road users if they have one. Another is that they feel more confident sitting higher up.

My answer would be that in order to use one, you have to pass your driving test in one, or re-take your test in one. Asking the average 30 something to re-take their test or have a normal sized car would I think mean many took the normal car option.

I'd also have higher parking charges as they take up more space, and ban them altogether as hire cars.

What do you need 1192l of boot space for?
Do you fill the seats and the boot on a daily or even weekly basis?

I cover several sites and have no desk. On week days my boot is full of work stuff I might need.

So you take your family of 5 to work with you?
You could just get a van like other working people who need to transport lots of work stuff.

Ido take and drop a couple of family members off on the way to work, yes.

I’m carrying papers. A domestic boot which is higher and has a split tail gate is perfect for crates of files. If I ever start a business requiring a van, I’ll buy one.

I have a sensible car and a fun car. DH has 2 motorbikes and a car. But you think I should get a van as well? Does your medication need reviewing?

You're not doing much to contradict the stereotype of people owning huge cars (and multiple vehicles too) being unpleasant

@ForalltheSaints
I actually think we should retest everybody say every 10yrs over their driving lives.
I don't understand how something that has such potential for harm everyday has so little actual oversight. I'm not saying that it should necessarily be the whole test maybe a slimmed down version but random so you didn't know what you were going to be asked.

*Shmithecat2
I wrote "and whether a car/pedestrian/bicyclist/horse is hit by three-quarters of a ton or a ton and a third of metal moving at the same speed and angle of impact, I suspect."
You suspect wrong. The Kia Ceed for example scored much lower in NCAP AEB pedestrian safety tests than the Landrover Discover.

And that is why you also write
My nephew, in a 206, had a collision with a Ford Kuga. The driver of the Kuga emerged unharmed. My nephew died at the scene.

I am sorry about your nephew's death. But a Kuga at 1,580kg and a 206 at 910kg would seem not quite to fit with the idea that the heavier vehicle doesn't do as much damage in a collision?

I hate the ugly things it's all about being Billy big bollocks isn't it 🙄
And now we have a kind of arms race going on, everyone wants to have the biggest lump and so it escalates 🙄

I had a car accident on holiday, another car slammed into my side. Had I not been in a 4x4, I probably would have lost a leg/had serious damage.

I have 3 dogs and a horse for whom I have to buy feed/bales of shavings. Which car would you like me to drive?

I have 3 dogs and a horse for whom I have to buy feed/bales of shavings. Which car would you like me to drive?

A pickup truck! I have some recommendations

You could just get a van like other working people who need to transport lots of work stuff

But surely vans are ugly, hard to park and nobody can see what's around them...

I hate the ugly things it's all about being Billy big bollocks isn't it

Ah, projection.

Do you fill the seats and the boot on a daily or even weekly basis?

Do you fill your boot and your back seat and front passenger seat on a daily basis? Do all other car drivers?

Boobiliboobiliboo Sun 15-Sep-19 10:55:57
Regardless no matter what car I get in the future I’m going to make sure it has a tow bar
Why? All it will do is shred the front of any car hitting you from behind

So maybe they will think twice before hitting the tow bar car from behind?

In case that remark of yours was actually a serious one, it's not the responsibility of the car in front to spare the car behind from any damage resulting from a collision.

Don't drive into the back of other cars, people.

Most of the 4x4/suv brigade are nowt but 10bobs - everyone knows that these days!

Zeal of the converted, eh, contentedsoul?

Reverse snobbery alive and kicking here.
It's not nicer because it's reverse.

What the fuck is a 10bob, and why would I care if it turns out I am one?

It's hardly reverse snobbery why most people on here are objecting to the rise of these huge vehicles. Most people, like me, are bothered about how safe our roads are. Anyone who owns an Suv knows they make everyone else on the roads less safe because they'd lose in a 2 car collision, and pedestrians and cyclists less safe because the reduce their visibility. In yet people still buy them because they want to be part of the crowd, they put their own image over the common good. Not eveyone before the horse owning brigade jump in, but those who live in urban environments who could easily find a shorter, lighter car to get from A to B.

@allthethings

I didn't buy one to 'fit in with the crowd' . I bought one because I LIKE THEM AND THEY HAVE A BIG BOOT. What someone else drives doesn't even enter my mind when I buy a car.

What are your kids going to drive when they're 17? What cars will their friends be driving that they'll be getting in to? Perhaps some of the 'I feel safer with my baby in a 2 ton box brigade might wish to project their thoughts into the future and think about that.

You might be more keen for that extra driving test to be introduced if people like my FIL are still driving their land rover when they're 82 and your 'baby' is then on the roads driving a small car.

My 'baby' will be driving a 4x4/SUV as well I imagine. Although he's not 4yo yet, so lots of time to think about it. When I see parents purely focusing on the smallest car that's the cheapest to insure for their children, it makes me shudder. You need the safest car you can afford for them , not the cheapest.

allthethings do you not own anything a bit frivolous then?