to hate SUVs & the bints who drive them?

[scariboo]

ds changed schools recently & where once I was only perplexed by people driving SUVs, I now (almost) HATE them. Barging up & down the narrow lanes leading to the school, taking the space of 1.5 cars, arrogant, rude, more money than brains, splutter, splutter

We holidayed 10 km up a mountain this year, with tight hairpin bends all the way. As dh valiantly manouvred our ancient, overladen (4 dcs, 10 tonnes luggage) people carrier all the way up, I mused aloud that perhaps I could, afterall, see the point of 4x4s, for such places.

Do you know what? None of the locals drove them - they just had ordinary, small cars, the lot of them. Some of the farmers had normal sized utes, and there was the odd tractor. Didn't see a 4x4 the whole time (no British tourists in the area!).

We live in flat-terrained inner London and guess what most of the locals drive - yup, pristine 4x4s. Usually while on phone.

I love it when 4wd drivers try to pretend they actually need one. Very funny. They want one and have to justify it to themselves and everyone else.

I personally don't think there is anything wrong with wanting and having one, but drop the bullshit for goodness sake.

I DO need a 4x4, ask the people who are repairing my little Peugeot 206cc which I've used on some of the many occasions when my land rover was being repaired - lots of damage underneath from bumpy farm tracks.

Physically cannot fit my work dogs in anything else anyway, although I now have a 400yr old Discovery which someone gave me. I pine for my proper land rover and will probably get another eventually, but it does the job and a bit more besides. What else can you tow horses with, fit tack, spare bales of hay, sacks of feed, children, a Great Dane and a load of spaniels in?

'some people have nice cars'

They're not nice. Not tasteful.

how can you say they are not nice? mine was beautiful, I still pine for it though have stopped welling up every time I see a similar one

No MookySpinge you want one cause it makes it easier to do all that stuff. If it was an actual need then people wouldn't have been able to live in the country before the advent of the 4WD.

They do make life easier, and they are feckin' wonderful in my opinion, but nobody needs one.

You don't need to have horses and dogs etc, but you want to.

I don't need to drive up winery driveways that look like dried out riverbeds with kids and dog in tow, nor do I need to go to beaches that are inaccessible without one, but I want to. I don't need to take Mum on holiday with us, but I want to.

Why justify your lifestyle? Sounds like fun to me, but it is a choice. Just like living in the middle of the city and not running a car at all is a choice.

THey're just big lumps of metal. I have friends who drive them and the friends are lovely, though.

What does SUV actually stand for? Have always wondered..

but it's my JOB to pick up lots of dogs and drive them across one field to another to exercise, train and socialise them - I only have one dog of my own

some of my work involves horses too and other field animals, I could use a tractor instead but it would take ages to get anywhere by road wouldn't it?

trust me on this one, to do that job you do need a 4x4 especially in the winter

Special Utility Vehicle.

Well yeah MookySpinge but it is a choice to do that job as well isn't it? I assume you enjoy it? I bloody well would.

I do think most of the SUV hating comes down to envy. Some of it might not but I am yet to meet anyone who hasn't upgraded their car when they could afford to, usually to something bigger and better.

Also how did people do your job before SUVs were around? Horses and dogs have been moved around forever.

I'd be amazed if anyone envies my current 4x4, but not the old one (please admire on profile) with his beautiful orange light sob

Was distracted by the horse.

Wish I could convince DH to move to Sydney's outskirts so I could have a couple of horses.

He insists however on being a banker and working in the CBD. Quite selfish IMO.

Thank you - am ashamed to show my ignorance as I have a nissan micra - which is tiny, beautiful and does fit both my youngest children, my husband and me driving - and a fair amount of clobber. I wouldn't mind something with back doors I must admit, but would be seriously worried about the hatred directed at me if i had one of those big old things. Like most people on here, I am constantly astounded at the way in which any kind of road manners, especially near school, go completely out of the window by the (totally and without exception around our way up their own arses) women who drop their kids off in them..

GOD Mooky if anyone needs one you do.

Of course nobody NEEDS one, but then no one NEEDS an ordinary car either. People have walked since forever! Old people who couldn't walk, well they just died!

Goodness sake.

Actually Mooky ought to move her dogs on the train. That would be much more ecologically sound even if she is the only person on it at 3pm.

The majority of the population do not need a SUV, even country folk. I lived in the country for a couple of years and my mini metro coped with those mud ladened lanes so to say you need one to get through roads like this is a myth.

They are a status symbol, especially in surburbia.

The other day, I saw this fake blond wag wannabee attempt to drive out the petrol station with her baby in the passenger seat and she yakking into a mobile phone. She was really struggling to manoeuvre the metallic hulk with one hand but she carried on yakking oblivious to the fact that she ws inches away from driving into other cars.

oh, don't even get me started on moronic fucktards who speak on their mobile phones whilst driving. They actually deserve to crash and die (but not kill anyone else which is unfortunately more likely)

I don't think it is envy. No one gets upset with Jaguar owners, they are beautiful cars.

People get farked off with the great big monsters in urban areas because they are a pita.

Plus you know the owner thinks everyone is jealous of them, when in reality quit a few people are thinking what an arsehole etc

Not a problem at all in country areas.

Like tinkerbell, we have one partially for business use - so we dont have to have both a car and a van. And to be honest - I absolutely love ours. Very comfortable, and holds all our camping equipment.

Its true though that they take up lots of space and lots of people who drive them are completely clueless about how to do so. Of course there are plenty of bad drivers in smaller cars as well, its just that the bad SUV drivers are capable of so much more damage. So totally understand your frustration, but dont blame the vehicle, blame the driver...

(And fwiw, I'm a terrible driver, which is why I dont drive ours - DH with his unblemished record does...)

The Hummer I saw near Selfridges the other day was being driven by a wagish type. It was just such a waste. It should be out roaring around jungles, not sat stationery in the traffic.

I feel the same way when I see Ferraris stuck at lights and being driven over potholes. It is cruel and unusual.

I would't class a normal old landy as a proper annoying 4x4 anyway. Nobody aspires to a 10yo hardtop defender do they? Nobody 'trendy' anyway...

I'd love one myself but can't justify it...we just use my mother's flashy new fiesta and feel all out of place I have put my wellies in the boot and it still looks weird.

I created my job because it was making me depressed to be catching a train in the dark each morning, coming home in the dark, never seeing the children, having about 18 different childminders for the girls.

I didn't know I had a worrying love for land rovers until I got one though, now I am like a trainspotter exclaiming 'oh look! a double cab high capacity pick up! isn't it lovely!' when I see a 130 trundling about

There is a guy with a hummer round here. Well I know him and it is proper, 15 feet off the ground hummer. It rarely leaves the drive, just sits there looking spectacularly incongruous and they all laugh about it. It's an interesting item, a toy, not for road use - that's where it belongs of course.

Another friend drives a German 5L thing which makes me a bit cross as yes, it is stupidly wasteful and not even beautiful Landrovers are atually very beautiful imo, especially older ones.

Honestly if I could afford it I think I would run three cars.

Something big and hulking (but new and extremely luxurious) for long trips, maybe a Honda civic for darting around town (doing shopping etc) and possibly a Wrangler for duneing and general "real" 4WD'ing.

I live in South West London, a part of the land somewhat lacking in rural farm tracks and there are a lot of SUVs (Chelsea tractors) around here. Nervous drivers with money tend to go for them when they're the car they shouldn't have. Most are driven unnecessarily and it's a busy suburban area where you need a car you can manoeuvre past bicycles, buses and ínto tight parking spaces. It's the sheer number of them which irritates rather than the car itself.