To think levying additional charges on SUV owners in London is a bad idea?

[FirmNavyCat]

Saw this article in the Guardian yesterday and it's been prominent in my mind since I read it. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/13/suv-drivers-could-face-extra-charges-for-driving-in-london

Sadiq Khan is talking about levying further charges to SUV drivers due to the evidence that they pose a significantly increased risk of fatal injury to pedestrians in collisions, particularly children. While on the face of it this seems like a noble cause, my belief is that policymakers should be focused on beefing up existing laws. Speed limits should be reduced on roads that have the highest number of fatalities, and drivers who cause injury or death should face tougher sentencing by the courts. I know SUVs are popular on MN (and are popular with mums in urban areas generally). They feel so much safer to drive compared to smaller cars. Also, should the worst happen and you are involved in a collision, I would very strongly prefer to be in an SUV than a smaller car. I'd want my loved ones to be in an SUV as well if I had to choose.

I can’t say it’s a good idea. Like many of these traffic measures, it’s fruitless. Am in London, loads of SUV’s in all areas, I have never understood why tbh, but all that drive them will continue & grudgingly pay the extra.

Drivers of the wank-panzers need to remember, that pedestrians, horses and cyclists use the road as a right. Drivers are licensed and that licence can be revoked.,

I loathe them. Why the tax in London only though? It should be throughout the country. Better still SUVs should be banned, and their owners socially ostracised. Owning a SUV should be considered socially unacceptable, and considered akin to smoking, burping and farting in public. Bad social behaviour.

Many years ago I had a Daihatsu Cuore tiny little thing, smaller than a Micra but I'm 6ft 3 and managed to get myself and two colleagues of about the same size into it comfortably.

Recently bought a Kia Picanto and its a joy to park and watch the 4x4 drivers attempt to manoeuvre into spaces like they are trying to bring a cruise liner into Swanage Pier

I have some very wonderful photos of my 6ft 3 uncle proudly driving his mini in the mid 60s! Not sure how he did it but he drove it for many years.

Wank panzers wins today's internet!

😂

Why do you need one in London? It’s a highly urban area and these cars are designed for out of town!

I've grown to dislike unnecessarily huge cars more over time. I don't mean people carriers so much, but honestly some cars are ginormous now. I'm in Surrey and feel like we're the only ones at nursery with regular sized cars. I've got 2 large boys with a 25 month gap. Yes it isn't the most spacious, but my golf has been fine including fitting a double pushchair in the boot. Husband's civic is equally fine. Trying to see past most of the massive cars in the car park is hard enough sometimes, and that's before trying to get out of the car when parked next to one. Spaces were for the most part never intended for such large cars. The height of some of the bonnets scare me in case a child runs out and isn't seen. So yes, for once I'm with him on this one.

It’s just weird one upmanship/ keeping up with the joneses isn’t it?

Largest concentrations of these vehicles are always seen at pick up and drop off time outside schools like Hampton Boys if I recall from my days in SW London. So I suppose they’re putting their own children at risk. Which is mad

Not sure the thousands of people who benefit greatly from these traffic measures would agree with you

I loath SUVs, and living in the sticks I can see why some people might need them, but absolutely no need in any city. I want good old fashioned estate cars back, I could fit all my clobber in my old Toyota estate. But SUVs are crap, far too wide, but no space inside. I don’t get them at all.

Question - at the expense of thread drift

Statistically I am about 5 times more likley to be killed by a vehicle when I am on the pavement than die in a terrorist incident

So why dont I ever see the local boy racers handcuffed, face down on the floor and an armed Police Officer standing over them, weapon drawn safety catch off?

Yes, good point, you don’t. I should have said, he got the big car because he was recovering from back surgery so ‘sit up and beg’ seats plus the support/comfort/lumber adjustment was crucial.

There was only one car at the time that had suitable seats. He’d previously had a hatchback for years. FIL has a smaller version where it’s easier to get in and out of and regularly makes the drive down despite double hip replacements. Like I say, we don’t really need this car now as good backs (thanks to pilates) but it’s the car we’ve got and we’re unlikely to change it unless we have to as no need while it still works.

We only use it once every few months nowadays. Surprisingly we’ve never had to jump start it in 10 years.

Because the temptation to pull the trigger would be too great. "Ask yourself punk,do I feel lucky?"

😂😂😂😂

Children are 77% more likely to die in a collision with an SUV.

Oof. Legs that long I’d have thought the boot space of a hearse would be the best bet 😀

The trick with those routes is to get used to them and in the habit before your ability to assess risk kicks in. I used to cycle nine miles to work in my early twenties on a very fast narrow A road. No idea how I didn’t get killed but it really didn’t occur to me that it wasn’t safe . The housemate I cycled part of it with is still alive (amazingly) and still doing the route .

Fun fact : you can fit a double bass into a hatchback, any hatchback, easily. For SUVs especially SUVs made after around 2010, not so much. In fact sometimes it's impossible.

Admittedly this is a niche requirement but it blew my tiny mind when I realised. It's all padding.

In true MN style I've had a 6ft 6 bloke in the back of my picanto with 6ft 2 DH in the front.

We all got there fine (genuinely).

Yes, some SUVs have remarkably tiny boots. My children played trombone and trumpet and we often gave lifts to band to a tuba player. A Peugeot 205 did the trick at a squish, tho the Volvo was better.

There have been interesting discussions on model railway websites about car boot sizes and despite their size most SUV boots are quite small

Does anyone remember the Volvo estates (960s?) from the nineties? They had phenomenal boot space

Yeah they were massive.

They looked it though. A lot of other hatchbacks don't look so huge but have good space regardless. VW golf for eg can fit a double bass easy, Toyota SUV can't.

Audi 100CD massive

I go camping with my little Smart ForTwo - tent, camp kitchen stand, bbq and gas stove, cool box, utensils, pots & pans, food, chair, table, sleeping mattress and bag/blankets/pillows, sheepskin rug, lights, clothes and toiletries for a week all fit in.

I’ve also transported 6ft tall DS, two amps and three electric guitars to gigs in it numerous times before he got his driving licence.

My neighbour who has a small SUV thinks it’s amazing how a big mound of camping equipment can vanish into what looks like a tiny space. He calls it my jenga witchcraft 😆