Aibu to hope that this is the start of a major backlash against SUVs?

[gingganggooleywotsit]

Just seen this on the BBC news website.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56647128
It’s the first time I’ve ever seen anyone in motoring speak out publicly against suvs. I pray this is the start of a major backlash and rightly so! Before anyone says..”you’re jealous” as I usually see on these threads, I would just like to say-I could afford one myself but I wouldn’t be seen dead in one!
Also I am only talking about city suvs. In the countryside/farming it’s of course a different matter.

@Dongdingdong

I wonder how many people on this thread who hate SUVs take long haul flights, eat meat or have multiple children. Probably most of them. Some people’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.

My eating meat has negligible effect upon your life.

If I get hit by an SUV on the other hand, I'm far more likely to die than if hit by a smaller car. That does affect my life.

And no, I don't fly or have multiple children. I don't even own a car of any size.

@bluetongue

I currently drive an older, small car. For my next car I’m considering a small to medium SUV. For context I live in Australia and cars in general are larger here.

As part of my job I hear about death and serious injury by dangerous driving cases. A scary number of these involve a small car versus SUV or work/trade type vehicle. The poor little cars don’t stand a chance I just don’t feel safe in my small car now.

So how safe do you think I feel on my bike.

@Macncheeseballs

Osber, they banned smoking, changes do happen in society

Banned smoking in public places here, Mac. It's still legal to smoke . But keep banging on in an echo chamber because 90% or more in the entire world aren't bloody listening to clappers about cars and food and flying.

No one forces you to ride your bike.

So other people should all be just like you or do what you want because you want to ride your bike?

@osbertthesyrianhamster

No one forces you to ride your bike.

I'm not bloody walking to work!

@osbertthesyrianhamster

So other people should all be just like you or do what you want because you want to ride your bike?

I'd rather like it if people learned to drive their tanks cars safely so that I can get about my business (work, food shopping etc.) without ending up on top of their bonnet because they weren't looking when pulling out of a side road. Is that too much to ask?

I recently changed my small car for an SUV, it is the grand total of 8cm wider 🙄 Plus no tax due to lower emissions and more economical on fuel, and now actually have enough room for what we need. Assuming all SUVs are trashing the environment and the space is not being used whilst small cars are saving the planet is a bit ignorant.

I'm not bloody walking to work!

So go lease an SUV

@osbertthesyrianhamster

I'm not bloody walking to work!

So go lease an SUV

Why should I? My bike is perfectly adequate for the 3.5 miles to/from work. It should not be incumbent upon would-be victims to protect themselves from the driving of others.

Why should I? My bike is perfectly adequate for the 3.5 miles to/from work. It should not be incumbent upon would-be victims to protect themselves from the driving of others.

Right. Just ban it all. That's so going to happen. Won't be getting rid of our SUV, either, well, until next time, it's a mobility car.

@osbertthesyrianhamster

Why should I? My bike is perfectly adequate for the 3.5 miles to/from work. It should not be incumbent upon would-be victims to protect themselves from the driving of others.

Right. Just ban it all. That's so going to happen. Won't be getting rid of our SUV, either, well, until next time, it's a mobility car.

Where did I say "ban it all"? I just want people to recognise that they are driving a lethal weapon and that they need to learn to use it safely.

@Toflyornottofly

Why can’t cyclist ride in the pavement. Makes no sense. Anyway. Won’t be getting rid of our SUV. Family of five: 6’ teen girls and over 6’5 teen boys. Only thing we can fit in. Tried a people carrier - now that felt like a bus

why can't cars drive on the pavement? Makes no sense.

That statement sounds daft, doesn't it? Just as daft as yours.

@Toflyornottofly

Why can’t cyclist ride in the pavement. Makes no sense. Anyway. Won’t be getting rid of our SUV. Family of five: 6’ teen girls and over 6’5 teen boys. Only thing we can fit in. Tried a people carrier - now that felt like a bus

This post is hilarious for so many reasons that I can't really begin.

However I would challenge the "I can't fit in a people carrier" schtick. Ford Galaxy, Seat Alhambra, Sharan... you're telling me you couldn't fit people in those?

I think the "it felt like a bus" says more - it's about image for two thirds of buyers

I love SUV’s for many reasons. I am considerate to other road users, including cyclists and runners as I partake in both and know how scary it can be when cars fly past. Dh is into cars so it isn’t all that I drive but it is handy in winter and for long family journeys so giant ds can be comfy in the back. I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would care what I choose to drive.

Actual 4 WD/off raiders I don’t mind but the ones that are just basically normal cars in that style I hate. So ugly and over priced. They’ll be a flash in the pan like people carriers were, you hardly ever see those now.

@osbertthesyrianhamster

Have SUV, eat meat, fly long haul, have more than 2 kids here. Why do people feel the need to apologise or justify to strangers about their life choices?

Because your life choices are impacting the planet which belongs to us all.

YANBU.

Around here - leafy outer SW London - they are ten a penny, bloody great things like tanks. I pass two independent primary schools on my usual walk, and if I happen to pass at pick-up time, 2 out of 3 of the vehicles are monsters.
Some owner on R4 the other day said he needed it for frequent weekends in the country - well, possibly, but from a lot of experience of visiting rural-dwelling friends, people who genuinely need ‘country’ vehicles will have a muddy old Land Rover or similar. The ‘tanks’ are a PITA on narrow country lanes, too.

IMO they’re mostly just a status symbol. Around here, anyway.

And before anyone says I’m just jealous, I will add that we could very easily afford one if we wanted it. Nor do I have a ‘thing’ about independent schools - we sent dds to independents.

Since besides any other considerations, they take up more road space than ordinary cars I’d have thought higher road tax for larger vehicles would be good, not that I suppose that would put off anyone determined to have one.

Toflyornot - you do realise there are families of tall people who don't even own cars

Loathe them. And I absolutely do judge people who live and work in towns and who drive them.

Where did I say "ban it all"? I just want people to recognise that they are driving a lethal weapon and that they need to learn to use it safely

Totally agree with you here, @DdraigGoch

The number of people on this thread justifying why they "must" have a large car which damages people disproportionately ... Such as "Well, we're all sooooooo tall" but we can't have a people carrier because

Tried a people carrier - now that felt like a bus What is wrong with a car "feeling" like a bus. A car gets you from A to Z. What does it matter what it "feels" like?

Car owners need to realise that they are responsible for huge use of the finite resources of space (roads, car-parks), and fuel, and they are driving lethal weapons.

We live on a country lane with a terrible road surface. We have a Dacia Sandero and a Ford Fiesta. Whilst an SUV would be quite handy in bad weather, we’re fine without one. I honestly cannot understand why anyone needs or wants to drive a massive car in towns or cities.

@toflyornottofly this is hilarious. You do realise there have always been large families, many of which have consisted of tall people? Most seem to manage fine with smaller cars, and some even cope without a car at all!

Using the appropriate size of vehicle for the journey/task would be a lovely choice to have, but that would mean having 2, 3 or 4 different sizes of car at your disposal - or more likely using the car you have.

People with real lives don't just do one type of trip.
While you might think it inappropriate for them to be using a 7 seat people carrier to run little Cardonay the mile and a half to school on a wet day, they may then be loading up with the other 3 kids and hobby/camping gear for a weekends hobby/camping event. And are a 1 car family!

And no car clubs/hiring and the like don't cut it for everyone.