what the FUCK is that advert for 4x4s doing at the top of this page????

[CountessDracula]

I cannot believe it

How about one for air rifles too?

and the point is that people rarely need 4x4s - they are silly status vehicles driven [usually] by the rich and stupid.

I have been hit by a car. A black cab.

were you seriously injured?

oh shit.
we had a 4x4 coz dh works at a garage and it was a cheap trade in and all we couls afford at the time.
sorry.

"status symbol"

AS are most of the big, expensive cars.

How many people go out and buy some big people carrier when they ahave their first child?! I have yet to see why at all.

were not rich and had one for the boot space and leg room and so it could tow our antiquated caravan....

My uncle was hit by a bus, luckily not full on. Still caused injuries though. Caused by the bus driver's neglience - driver error, not vehicle.

i would say a status car is a huge gleaming bmw or mercedes.

oh fgs, 1Baby1Bump you don't need to aplogise!

I had a 4x4 because I WANTED one, and would get another. I live in the country and could really do with one. MPV is useless offroad and I know I am going to get stuck one day.
It is the driver which is more dangerous, not the vehicle. I'd be far mroe concerned abt cocky twats driving sports cars.

Yes I was, in fact I was hit twice. I was hit by the cab first as I was crossing the road with a lollipop person. I was thrown over the roof of the cab and deposited on the road behind it, the car following the cab didn't have enough time to stop and hit me too (albeit at a much lower speed). My pelvis was shattered and both my legs were broken, along with an arm and both wrists. Is that ok ? Do I pass your 'test' now ?

I agree with hula lots of vehicles are very dangerous for pedestrians particularly those like vans etc which don't have a soft sort of tumble zone..hardly any do well in tests for pedestrian safety and the driver is often to blame to.

I imagine that 4x4s are advertised on here because they are popular for one reason and another with the a class demographic of mn, I don't think you can generalise about their owners being more rich/unpleasant/dangerous drivers than other people

And I don't have any special software but the only ad I get is for Boden

hulababy, maybe they don't want to have to change car again once they have more children?

Though I wouldn't have one if I didn't have to, would love a smaller car. I really got used to jsut driving a little smart car - so easy to park! It was jsut so slow though

I have to admit I have never been hit by a car and I do not own or have any desire to own a 4x4, but you simply cannot say they should not be allowed as they are "silly status vehicles driven [usually] by the rich and stupid".

That road leads to communism whereby we all drive the same little crappy car, no choice in design, make, colour even maybe? The wonderful thing about the capitalist state is that we have choice and some of us have money enough to buy hat we want, within the law.

I loved my little Smart I now have a Smart ForFour and that does really well ont he motorway. And a good size for our family of three, as it the little Aygo.

Done the more expensive, fast cars. Love tem too, but being more sensible now!

OMG Nom De Plume! That is exactly what happened to me! i just had a shiver run down my spine. I shattered my pelvis too, and my accident happened exactly the same way, hit by two cars, just like that. Sorry, i didn't mean to offend you by asking if you were seriously injured, I just wondered if it affected your opinion. Anyway, that is a bloody strange coincidence.

Just some facts.The greater height and weight of 4x4s, as well as their flat fronts and stiff bonnets, means they are bottom of the class in Euro-NCAP crash tests for pedestrian safety.

You might see a small child early enough to avoid backing over them
Big, tall 4x4s have far bigger rear blind spots than normal cars, making it impossible to see a child for more than 15 feet behind them, and much further for short drivers. Check out the facts about the increased dangers to pedestrians from taller cars at www.kidsandcars.org.

sorry to apologise but i also shop in tescos and use disposable nappies.
all of which appear to be wrong round here!!
:O

1Baby1Bump - don't worry about it. I have broken lots of the "rules" too. Lots of people have. It's not a crime

that's wht I had, but the petrol version. Had it for nearly three weeks in the end. It's ok once it is up to speed, and good on smaller roads, but getting from 30 to 60 takes forever! I found that I jsut couldn't go in fast lanes, as the car couldn't do it. And I got in the habit of revving it up all the time, which I wouldn''t have done if it was mine
If I only had one though, I'd consider it for the economy.

ruty i think a lot of that also applies to people carriers and eg vans, and mpvs too..I'm not saying it's right to have vehicles which don't do well in pedestrian sfaety tests but the vast majority of them have not been designed to do so

Nom De plume, i'm sorry, really, please don't be upset with me.

1Baby1Bump do u eat sausage rolls, go to McDonaolds and drink fruit shoots too?

What model did you have? I have Passion. I drive 80 mile round trip to work and back on two motorways. No problems at all with it.

Had the little tiny smart when it first came out - had something like a 600CC engine BUT it was fab! Very odd swapping between that and the Golf GTi turbo we had also at same time!!!

How odd, ruty. But no, it didn't affect my opinion because black cabs are (or certainly were in the early 90's when it happened) just as pedestrian unfriendly and tall as 4x4s.