To ask how drivers of massive SUVs square it with themselves in terms of climate change?

[Bleepingtons]

Same goes for those who go long haul on the regular? Buy loads of cheap, disposable fashion? Etc etc? Do you just not worry about climate change?

I know I sound sanctimonious but I am genuinely baffled by people driving massive diesel SUVs like there isn't a major issue.

I use resuabme nappies and wipes. Same for makeup remover etc. Would never use a wipe.

Use a toy subscription service so don't buy. Children are vegan.

it’s the same skill set but it’s much easier to park badly in a bigger car. Same space is much more forgiving for a polo than an SUV. Also blind spots etc are bigger in an SUV. Putting up a barrier like an additional test would be annoying but not stop those who were good at manouvering and really wanted/needed an SUV. For others it would mean they either don’t get the SUV or improve their driving. Those SUVs remaining on the road would be better driven. All positive results surely?

@ThePoisonousMushroom sorry if I jumped there. I just didn’t want to list all the “right” reasons for SUV because I’d inevitably miss one so I tried to speak in more general terms. I just went on a side rant about the rural thing.

Someone up thread tried to claim they are to tall for normal cars though which I find hard to believe.

@sammylady37

Do you have children, OP?

I wonder why you ask this? You don’t have to have a huge car just because you have children.

I’ll get an electric car as soon as there’s a decent plan for charging infrastructure.

Does everyone really need a car

Not if you are lucky enough to live in a big town with great public transport (as am I).

Not everyone is so blessed, though.

wineismymainvice I assume because the choice to have children is far, far more environmentally damaging than choosing to drive an SUV

I had a diesel SUV when I needed a car that would tow a trailer. But as soon as I didn't need that I sold the car and bought a small petrol car that does 50+ mpg. I didn't have lots to spend so couldn't buy electric but I think my new (to me) car is probably less bad for the environment than my old one.
I'm several miles from the nearest bus stop, and 40+ miles from the nearest mainline railway so really do need to have my own transport.

I have a diesel volvo estate as I could not afford a petrol on and need all that space (it becomes a bit like a mini van) as so many things to move regularly. I know humans are only on the planet for a very short time so I am not too bothered if we go a bit sooner as that will be better for the planet and the other animals on it.

We have a massive diesel SUV. Bought for a couple of grand 8 years ago, when diesel was still being touted as the greener option. Now 20 years old but still doing ok. We need a big car as we camp a lot.

We dont have a massive budget for a new car. Larger greener options tend to be incredibly expensive. We're hoping it gets us by for another year or 2, by which time we will hopefully have saved enough for something with better eco credentials.

We're very environmentally aware. We have a fairly wild garden, we buy lots second hand, reuse and recycle as much as possible, buy very little meat, rarely fly and never long haul. But the car isn't something we can easily do much about right now.

😂 Because I have 3 dogs & a disabled mum, I have petrol SUV to get us all in. An electric Renault Zoe won't work! When there is an affordable SUV that is big enough, I will consider it. 🤷🏼‍♀️

@AlphabetAerobics

Don’t go to the supermarket OP. I weep every time I see an avocado or bunch of asparagus in a trolley. 😭

An exaggeration, surely?

The thing is, we all 'care' about climate change, but most of us realize that tiny changes won't make an iota of difference to the planet.

As someone has said, species on earth die out, many because of dwindling resources. As a species, we use up far more of the Earth's resources than other species. Maybe the planet has had enough of us?

@Bleepingtons

I use resuabme nappies and wipes. Same for makeup remover etc. Would never use a wipe.

Use a toy subscription service so don't buy. Children are vegan.

Why do you use make up though? You don't need to and its still wasting resources.

@Seasonschange it is possible to be too tall for a car. With the car seat in the back my husband couldn't even get in the drivers seat of my old fiesta! When we were looking we went on loads of websites for tall people and depressingly most of them are SUVs or even vans. Skoda Superbs came out well though but they were a pretty rare beast on the normal car front and the Superb mpg wasn't much better than the SUV, which had a better seated position for my particular tall person. If you are genuinely oddly tall, it isn't easy.

@PissyMum

wineismymainvice I assume because the choice to have children is far, far more environmentally damaging than choosing to drive an SUV

But the two tend to go together. Oh I have two children and a dog so I must have an SUV.

Have one child, and no dogs, and you can drive a small hybrid like me

Duchess, why the laughing crying face

It's also a choice to have 3 dogs

If you have 5-7k to spend on a car that will fit two/ three kids, the dog the bikes etc. You will struggle with choice that’s not diesel. The cars in that price bracket tend to be the ones that were when diesel was the perceived good guy.

And don’t get me started on the whole DPF bull shit. Biggest scam going.

You don’t have to have a huge car just because you have children

but they do - it's a stealth boast - their kids are so popular and have so many friends that they constantly have a car full and so need an SUV to fit in the car seats

Some are just so ridiculously large as well, they are like small vans. Who needs a car that big, especially when it sits in the railway station car park (taking up two spaces) all day. It's just "needed" to show off on the way to work, to the neighbours when sat on the drive, and bully people on the roads.

As I said above, I wish owing a hybrid or electric car would take over as a status symbol. They are not perfect but they certainly reduce emissions and local air pollution.

While I agree we need to do things at an individual level to address climate change as a moral imperative, I feel we're all being sold a lie that this will make a significant difference. Only sweeping changes at government and corporate level will pull us out.

Hey OP!! I have a car on the motability scheme which is classed as a ‘large SUV’, personally I wouldn’t say it’s very large but it is one of the larger ones on the scheme. It’s one of the only ones that was suitable for the adaptions that I needed made to it whilst also being available in an automatic. When you’re disabled relying on public transport is out of the question when you have multiple hospital appointments to be running backwards and forwards to, we desperately need a car and it gives me a freedom I didn’t have before.

I also shop at fast fashion places because they’re cheap and I’m broke AF because I’m disabled and freelance when I am well enough but I don’t have a steady, constant income. I have really bad contamination OCD (which I am getting treatment for), so second hand clothes are out of the question for me because I am not in a place mentally where I can wear them.

For what it’s worth I am vegan and we are a one car only household which is much better than two. But maybe you should stop being so judging because you aren’t aware of everyone’s circumstances and it’s rude.

You can’t have 25 cars for different reasons though.

So if your weekends are taking your kids and their mates to football and the rest of the time it’s parked at the train station your going to buy the bigger one.

Of course zip cars could be good for that. But it’s not as easy as walking out your front door and your cars there with your stuff in it already to go.

The efficiency and fuel consumption on my new (2019) large 4x4 is waaaay much better than my old super small car and loads of other cars on the road.

I also shop at fast fashion places because they’re cheap and I’m broke

Same here. I do buy second hand. But basics and bras you have to buy new really. So that’s primark etc.
Some of my primark stuff has lasted 10+ years.