Page 3 | If you buy a massive 4×4 SUV...

bravefox · 2025-02-15T14:34:47+00:00

... to ask you to practise parking it in a single space? Saturday afternoon in the town multistorey and the number of huge cars parked half in a second space is 🤯

Flopsythebunny · 15/02/2025 15:29

Lemsipper · 15/02/2025 14:35

Thats why I normally just park in the adult & child bays! (Despite no child) its not easy parking this beast 😜

I find the blue badge spaces are better

KimberleyClark · 15/02/2025 15:29

Ireallycantthinkofagoodone · 15/02/2025 15:27

Not all SUV’s are huge. Mine is fully electric and the same size as a normal saloon car, but higher off the ground, which makes it easier to get in and out. I never use a multi storey car park, but it fits fine in a normal bay, and in my garage.

The taller ones make it harder for normal cars to see properly at junctions though

JarvisIsland · 15/02/2025 15:31

Our site vehicles are big 4x4’s. We tow trailers, cabins, generators etc across all sorts of off road sites and need space for 3-4 adults plus kit in the back. It’s 100x the most appropriate vehicle for this. Sometimes we also have to get fuel, or lunch, or supplies and have to park somewhere.

That said, if they were limited to commercial use there would be a lot less of them and so a handful (in the same way you get the odd LWB van at the supermarket as well) parked at the far end of the car park isn’t the end of the world.

The beginning of the removal of the estate is troubling on a personal level though. I don’t want to have to get a Defender or similar to get the old capacity I currently get in a car as wide as a golf (as let’s be honest, it’s the width rather than length or height that’s an issue in these car parks)

Pluvia · 15/02/2025 15:31

StrawberrySquash · 15/02/2025 14:47

And if you are designing a carpark or setting standards for them, please allow enough space. Cars are bigger these days. A lot of the reason behind that is improved safely; crumple zones take up space, and if you have three children you can't just line them up on the back seat.

So please design for the actual world. Similarly, add in some extra loos for the women if that's what you are planning.

Yours, a childless non-car owner.

No, please keep multi-storey car parks tight, and keep the giant cars out. Reward those of us who don't squeeze other road users into hedges.

OverTheTopOfTheMountain · 15/02/2025 15:31

Flopsythebunny · 15/02/2025 15:29

I find the blue badge spaces are better

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I have beautiful very sticky stickers to deal with that. 😉😉

KimberleyClark · 15/02/2025 15:31

OverTheTopOfTheMountain · 15/02/2025 15:28

Most car parks were designed many years ago before said big cars became ‘the norm’.

Ofc they could remark all spaces to make spaces bigger. Except prices to go up accordingly because they’re not going to lose money because some townies think they need a big 4x4

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Yes, if they make spaces bigger, capacity will be smaller and they’ll want to recoup their losses somehow.

OverTheTopOfTheMountain · 15/02/2025 15:33

JarvisIsland · 15/02/2025 15:31

Our site vehicles are big 4x4’s. We tow trailers, cabins, generators etc across all sorts of off road sites and need space for 3-4 adults plus kit in the back. It’s 100x the most appropriate vehicle for this. Sometimes we also have to get fuel, or lunch, or supplies and have to park somewhere.

That said, if they were limited to commercial use there would be a lot less of them and so a handful (in the same way you get the odd LWB van at the supermarket as well) parked at the far end of the car park isn’t the end of the world.

The beginning of the removal of the estate is troubling on a personal level though. I don’t want to have to get a Defender or similar to get the old capacity I currently get in a car as wide as a golf (as let’s be honest, it’s the width rather than length or height that’s an issue in these car parks)

My answer for that is a van. Like the Ford Tourneo.

Rainingalldayonmyhead · 15/02/2025 15:34

I have an SUV. I park on my drive and don’t inconvenience anyone. I park in one space when out and make sure I am in the middle so plenty of room. We have it for numerous hobbies that need a bigger vehicle…..so shouldn’t be a problem really.

You can be a dick even in a small car. I have seen fiat 500 over two spaces, people park diagonally, people without kids in parent spaces etc.

its not always the car but the driver…..

grumpypedestrian · 15/02/2025 15:35

JohnofWessex · 15/02/2025 14:56

One issue is that car makers are not selling estate cars

They are also stopping selling MPV's and cars you can get into easily

There was some discussion on a site I am on for those that suffer the vice that has no name (OK Model Railways) that SUV's are massive but the bit thats important - the load bay is small compared to a proper estate car

That of course and the fact that you dont get a good view forwards so can easily run over a child because you cant see them

This. We have an estate as we travel with large canvas tents and the associated poles for our hobby. I find it laughable when people say they buy SUVs for space then they have roof boxes.

You aren’t buying an SUV for boot space, stop lying to yourself.

Ireallycantthinkofagoodone · 15/02/2025 15:37

KimberleyClark · 15/02/2025 15:29

The taller ones make it harder for normal cars to see properly at junctions though

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But so would vans and lorries - you just have to wait a bit if you can’t see your way clearly.

AnSolas · 15/02/2025 15:39

OverTheTopOfTheMountain · 15/02/2025 15:33

My answer for that is a van. Like the Ford Tourneo.

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Whats the road clearance and air intake for them?

Happyher · 15/02/2025 15:39

At Meadowhall if you don’t park within the lines you get fined. You also have to be registered to use the parent and child spaces

User21012025 · 15/02/2025 15:40

Just to turn your post the other way around... I own a big 4×4 and reverse parked perfectly the other day at a very busy supermarket in a space probably the furthest away from the entrance... came back to my car and found I could not get in as the cars either side of me had parked in what looked like an arrow shape. If they had parked sensibly I would have been able to get in. It's the driver NOT the car!!!

Thatladdo · 15/02/2025 15:40

Disabled spaces are the best option, no worries getting in or out or dings from other car doors.

Flopsythebunny · 15/02/2025 15:41

OverTheTopOfTheMountain · 15/02/2025 15:31

I have beautiful very sticky stickers to deal with that. 😉😉

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I have a blue badge. My suv was the only vehicle on the motability scheme that would fit my adaptations and equipment without having to get another Wav which would mean an even bigger vehicle. I have to be able to get my vehicle on the driveway to charge and a wav doesn't fit without sticking out and blocking the pavement

Lavenderblossoms · 15/02/2025 15:41

Also sort out your stupid LED lights that dazzle the rest of us...

Usually these huge cars have them and it's like they have their full beams on.

Allthegoodhorses · 15/02/2025 15:42

CurbsideProphet · 15/02/2025 15:09

I remember seeing a video where they tested how many little children lined up behind the car it would take for an SUV driver to be able to see them out of the rearview mirror. I can't remember the exact answer, maybe +. Even the driver was totally shocked and said they didn't realise their view was so hampered that they wouldn't be able to see small children stood behind their car, even if they checked the mirror before reversing.

Thankfully most modern cars have sensors and/or a reversing camera so it is not so much an issue. I have SUV's and all of them have had a reversing camera.

andyouwillknowusbythetrailofdead · 15/02/2025 15:42

A lot of people around here (suburbs) have new Defenders as a status symbol. They're bloody massive things that are totally unnecessary for the school run/commute to the station/Waitrose shop.

I'm not jealous. I could afford one but it's completely ridiculous for my life and the life of almost everyone who's bought one.

grumpypedestrian · 15/02/2025 15:44

OverTheTopOfTheMountain · 15/02/2025 15:33

My answer for that is a van. Like the Ford Tourneo.

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I don’t want to buy a van as our estate is our only car. If people bought the car that matched their needs rather than status symbols then manufacturers might have kept making useful vehicles.

We looked at the boot space in SUVs and we would have struggled to get our canvas tents and the metal poles in any of them.

So when people say they get SUVs for camping space it’s just not true.

MumblesParty · 15/02/2025 15:46

Lavenderblossoms · 15/02/2025 15:41

Also sort out your stupid LED lights that dazzle the rest of us...

Usually these huge cars have them and it's like they have their full beams on.

i put my full beams on when they come towards me.

SlaveToAGoldenRetriever · 15/02/2025 15:46

Lavenderblossoms · 15/02/2025 15:41

Also sort out your stupid LED lights that dazzle the rest of us...

Usually these huge cars have them and it's like they have their full beams on.

Any new car has them. It’s not an SUV thing. 20yo DD and I share a little Audi A1 - the LED lights are far too bright but nothing that I can do about it. I find driving at night really difficult these days as I’m constantly getting blinded by other newer cars with the same problem

JarvisIsland · 15/02/2025 15:50

OverTheTopOfTheMountain · 15/02/2025 15:33

My answer for that is a van. Like the Ford Tourneo.

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We looked at vans before (for mountain bikes) but found insurance was £££ as they are commercial vehicles, and you are also limited to 60 rather than 70 on dual carriageways (and I know someone who was fined for doing 67 in a 6 seater vivaro on a 70 road, despite it fitting nicely into multi storey car parks). A 2.6T VW Transporter can’t go through the Rotherhithe Tunnel in London either, though a fully loaded to 3.5T BMW X7 that’s bigger can and it can take a little Thule trailer thing with it, unless you can manage to get your VW converted to M1 on the logbook to be a passenger car.

There are many considerations when replacing a car with a van vs a premium estate, and we don’t have the home parking to have both a little car for daily and a van for evening and weekend hobbies and holidays.

Lavenderblossoms · 15/02/2025 15:51

SlaveToAGoldenRetriever · 15/02/2025 15:46

Any new car has them. It’s not an SUV thing. 20yo DD and I share a little Audi A1 - the LED lights are far too bright but nothing that I can do about it. I find driving at night really difficult these days as I’m constantly getting blinded by other newer cars with the same problem

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Apparently it's do with the way it's set so yes it can be changed. If you can't do it ask your garage to help you.

See here for a better explanation:

https://www.reddit.com/r/changemyview/comments/r962ts/comment/hna7s5v/?utmsource=share&utmmedium=mweb3x&utmname=mweb3xcss&utmterm=1&utmcontent=sharebutton

notprincehamlet · 15/02/2025 15:51

is it jealousy? Insecurity?
Experience.

DeepFatFried · 15/02/2025 15:52

mugglewump · 15/02/2025 15:04

With number plate recognition, the technology is there to charge these vehicles more to park. If they take up two spaces, they should pay for two spaces.

Good idea.

I drive a small modest car and am sick of paying sky high insurance because the cost of repairing A.A.NOther massive ££££ car should I accidentally crack its huge expensive headlamp is so extortionate. And I do not want to pay higher charges to provide bigger car park spaces for huge vehicles.

Why people haven’t cottoned on to the impractical and small boots may have, I don’t know.