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.

My "giant" suv has a modern small petrol engine that returns better mpg than a Ford focus.

So that's how I justify it, by not being an ignorant wanker who assumes that a car with an elevated driving position is some polluting beast.

But you’re failing to acknowledge people on here saying that modern SUVs are on a par to estate cars with their carbon emissions.

I’m not wilfully misunderstanding - for some reason you don’t seem able to understand that people like or need bigger cars for a variety of reasons. Maybe it makes them happy. Maybe long haul flights do.

Sorry I don’t believe for a second someone actually wanted and could have and afford more children and not because of the environment. I just don’t.

@Bleepingtons
So the fact that your life would be worse without them is a good enough reason to have your kids?

Anyone can say the same about anything. My life would be worse without my holiday. My life would be worse if I didnt eat meat.

You wanted kids and although you state you considered the environment in the end you still made the decision to have 2 and live with that decision easily. You manage to make excuses in your mind that makes it ok and dont feel guilty about it. I imagine it's the same for everyone else who does things you personally disapprove of

I definitely think less of them. And I don't know anyone who has one who actually needs it.

It also baffles me because the priciest houses near us are mainly going to be underwater in 20-30 years if we don't turn things round,.yet the occupants of those houses are clearly not budging from their SUV owning rampant consumerism

We could easily afford a big SUV each, but I cannot imagine making that decision (same applies to flying regularly or buying new "stuff" all the time)

Don’t a lot of people buy their cars second hand which means most of us let’s face it are just using these big ole suvs till they die.

We run ours till they can’t go anymore and then buy a second hand car. Rinse and repeat. Never ever brought a brand new one. Since they already exist because someone got it new might as well use it.

@Justheretoaskaquestion91

But you’re failing to acknowledge people on here saying that modern SUVs are on a par to estate cars with their carbon emissions.

I’m not wilfully misunderstanding - for some reason you don’t seem able to understand that people like or need bigger cars for a variety of reasons. Maybe it makes them happy. Maybe long haul flights do.

Sorry I don’t believe for a second someone actually wanted and could have and afford more children and not because of the environment. I just don’t.

Well believe it because it's true and I'm actually surprised because a lot people I know who stick at 2 do so for environmental reasons. There was a thread on here with ppl saying exactly this the other day.

Isn’t it worse for a household to have 2 cars than just 1 car? What if the 1 car is an SUV and the 2 cars aren’t? Do you have a carbon emissions formula to work out who to judge more? 😀 I hope people judging SUVs on this thread only have one or no cars per household!!

My dad use to despair of SUVs. He hated how they blocked everyone else's view on the road. Now he hasn't driven anything else in last 8 years. Because he "doesn't fit" in smaller cars.

He "fits" in my Fiat 500. But you know, it's not the same experience. The annoying part is when we go visit soon he can't understand WHY I won't be renting an SUV. "You need a larger vehicle for all the luggage" he insists. 3/5 of us travel with no more than a backpack. "SUVs are perfectly normal here" he continues. Like I've ever been normal. Like whatever. I looked at trunk of a VW Jetta, it looks big enough to me.

[quote Porfre]@Bleepingtons
So the fact that your life would be worse without them is a good enough reason to have your kids?

Anyone can say the same about anything. My life would be worse without my holiday. My life would be worse if I didnt eat meat.

You wanted kids and although you state you considered the environment in the end you still made the decision to have 2 and live with that decision easily. You manage to make excuses in your mind that makes it ok and dont feel guilty about it. I imagine it's the same for everyone else who does things you personally disapprove of[/quote]
I take your point but do you really think anyone thinks eating meat gives them the same amount of pleasure as kids? I'm just not sure that's comparable (and I know kids are waaaay worse than meat). Anyway agree to disagree I guess.

a lot people I know who stick at 2 do so for environmental reasons. There was a thread on here with ppl saying exactly this the other day

Yes of course people say it. It’s a convenient thing to say to sound smug and superior at the moment. More exciting than “I was fine with 2” “3 seemed a bit hard” “3 was expensive”. It’s a retrospective reason slapped on for kudos.

I often wonder these people who are so concerned with what other people are doing or driving and the impact on the environment. I wonder do they eat meat? Eating meat particularly red meat causes more of a carbon footprint per person than driving big vehicles.

People just love to rant about the big cars because generally they drive a smaller one so feel like they are being better on the environment. A lot of steps are needed to sort this mess out. SUVs are the easy target I feel.

@Justheretoaskaquestion91

a lot people I know who stick at 2 do so for environmental reasons. There was a thread on here with ppl saying exactly this the other day

Yes of course people say it. It’s a convenient thing to say to sound smug and superior at the moment. More exciting than “I was fine with 2” “3 seemed a bit hard” “3 was expensive”. It’s a retrospective reason slapped on for kudos.

Well I'm 34. I could afford more, I want more but we're not having more. It's not retrospective, it's the truth.

We needed a reasonably large car because of having two children, a dog and a very tall husband, but I’ll be honest and say I feel guilty every time I drive it and try to walk as much as I can. In fact I find myself feeling eco-guilt a lot of the time.

OP, what car do you drive? How many vehicles do you own? Is your house insulated? Do you use a green energy supplier? Do you own leather products? Do your children own plastic toys?

None of this is my business of course…

Eating meat particularly red meat causes more of a carbon footprint per person than driving big vehicles.

I read an astonishing statistic the other day - the emissions generated by eating 1-2 burgers a week for a year are broadly equivalent to the emissions generated heating the average U.K. home for 95 days.

I have a simple proposal to reduce the number of large SUVs. If you want to drive one, you must take your driving test in one, or re-take it. Given the choice of smaller car or re-taking your driving test, I bet most people would have a smaller car.

I took my test in a large SUV, they aren't particularly hard to drive.
You can have some obscured visibility from thick A pillars but other than that no additional issues.

I only have one child so I can offset against my SUV.

@Chunkymenrock

Everyone justifying them of course on this thread. I am so sick of people driving round in them full of excuses and arrogance.

What do you want me to do with mine?

Seriously, I doubt most of them care - or if they do they think it's up to governments to solve the crisis, nothing to do with them.

@sammylady37

Do you have children, OP?

This.

@WarmWinterSun

OP, what car do you drive? How many vehicles do you own? Is your house insulated? Do you use a green energy supplier? Do you own leather products? Do your children own plastic toys?

None of this is my business of course…

I drive a Nissan leaf, only 1 car as use public transport or cycle, use Bulb, bank with Triodos, use a toy subscription service which is actually ace because you return them when you're done and don't own leather because I'm vegan.

BUT I am not saying I'm perfect because I'm 100% not. I think the PP who said she drives one but feels guilty kind of gets the nub of what I'm trying to ask.

Because I only chose to have one child?

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

I think those judging would be much happier if you stopped using your SUV, perhaps sold it, and then bought a new green car. But I think the environmental impact of replacing cars that don’t need to be replaced would be terrible for the environment too. But that doesn’t bother them because what many people really want to see is virtue signalling and the appearance of being green, rather than the environmental reality.

@Bleepingtons

To be fair, your green credentials are very good so you are probably better placed to judge than most people…