Vehicle Size and What People "Need"

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
They may well do better off renting vehicle X, Y or Z depending upon need, for the short duration when needed.


Absolutely. I debated on buying a ski boat when the kids were younger. I added up all the costs, and the likely hours of usage, AND the hours of non-usage as a boat slave, and figured that $500/day+ was cheaper. It was the same deal for any such item I "wanted". Jet skis ..snowmobiles..motorhome. I obviously didn't have enough passion involved in the decision making process. I didn't even bother to indulge myself in a Harley.


Hey, but ..everybody...enjoy your freedom of choice. These are the good old days!!

 

[DieselTech]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I buy and drive what I want, based on what I can afford. I'd be driving an Excursion right now if we didn't get the deal with did on the Expedition and the dealer hadn't been a complete pylon.

Do I need a massive vehicle? No.
Could my three children fit in a van? Yes.
Could I tow my 4-wheeler and boat with a van? Yes.
Could I take a van where I sometimes take the Expedition? No.
Could I take a van out in 2ft of snow and feel confident that it would get me to work? No.

But really, what it comes down to is: I like the feeling of driving an SUV.
-I like the height. I like the ability to see above cars in traffic.
-I like the ability to click it in 4x4 with the family in the back and just GO up a back-road without having to worry about bottoming out or getting stuck.
-I like being able to follow my friends with trucks through the trails.
-I like the "truck" ride.
-I hate the image of a van.
-I dislike FWD.
-I drive my vehicles HARD and if I had a van, I'd probably break it.


And most importantly, driving to me is FUN. I refuse to own a vehicle that is not FUN to drive. An FWD mini-van is NOT fun to me. A large truck-based SUV with loud exhaust, torque-fun V8, and a transmission that does full-power upshifts through all 4-gears is FUN to drive for me.

The Lincoln is FUN for me to drive. It handles incredibly well for its size, sounds awesome, and is very comfortable. The fact that it has zero lateral occupant support and you feel like you are in a lazy boy that somebody slapped in a oversized Mustang just adds to the fun!

And I don't think we need to really delve much into the topic of the Capri/Mustang, as its pretty easy to see why I have it.

My issue is with bad drivers and poorly maintained vehicles. Not where the person is properly utilizing the "size" of their vehicle.

And I have no problem paying to play. I KNOW my V8 powered vehicles consume more fuel. And you won't see me complaining about that.


You forgot to mention

- do I wanna be a soccor mom in a van--NO
-I Work my Arse off to get what i want-- Yes
- Will my buddies make fun of my prius--Yes
- Can't take my money with me when I die so I'll just buy gas and have fun

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Quote:
They may well do better off renting vehicle X, Y or Z depending upon need, for the short duration when needed.


Absolutely. I debated on buying a ski boat when the kids were younger. I added up all the costs, and the likely hours of usage, AND the hours of non-usage as a boat slave, and figured that $500/day+ was cheaper. It was the same deal for any such item I "wanted". Jet skis ..snowmobiles..motorhome.


That approach kind of drives home the cost of owning toys.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Lamborghinis for everybody!

 

[Kaboomba]

I needed a car that could be used as a battering ram without having to worry about pesky airbags and spoiled bumpers.

Now that my Buick is totalled (see sig), it's PERFECT!

All must agree that the E63 AMG WAGON is the summation of all that is perfect and beautiful in automobiles.

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/09q3/2011_mercedes-benz_e63_amg_wagon-car_news

 

[MCompact]

I don't tell anyone what they should drive, and I expect to receive the same courtesy from others. A few years ago we were renovating our kitchen. My wife wanted a double oven installed, and I asked for suggestions on another site. One guy informed me that my wife didn't "need" a double oven and that a single oven would be more than adequate 99% of the time. I told him that my wife doesn't ask me why I "need" a 155 mph daily driver so I wasn't about to ask her why she "needs" a double oven- in fact, she could get a triple oven for all I care...

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
I don't believe in peak oil


Just out of interest...

Do you believe that fossil fuels are infinte, or that humans and their consumption will be finite ?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
I don't believe in peak oil


Just out of interest...

Do you believe that fossil fuels are infinte, or that humans and their consumption will be finite ?


I don't believe unborn babys are people. So by virtue using all their oil is not hurting anybody.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Larger vehicles should be made to handle crashes with small cars, not the other way around. This will make larger vehicles cost a bit more and may look funny but they are the vehicles that are the problem, so buyer of a large vehicle should be the one paying to fix the problem.
If you truly need a large vehicle for work, then all your competitors will need one for work too, putting everyone on equal footing.


agree wholeheartedly, and given the carnage on Oz roads at the present time, semis should be banned from public roads until they are made safe for the rest of us.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Larger vehicles should be made to handle crashes with small cars, not the other way around. This will make larger vehicles cost a bit more and may look funny but they are the vehicles that are the problem, so buyer of a large vehicle should be the one paying to fix the problem.
If you truly need a large vehicle for work, then all your competitors will need one for work too, putting everyone on equal footing.


agree wholeheartedly, and given the carnage on Oz roads at the present time, semis should be banned from public roads until they are made safe for the rest of us.


You guys must be living in some alternate universe where the rules of simple phsyics can be bent to suit your personal preferences....please enlighten us earthlings as to how what you propose is possible.

 

[Shannow]

Sorry, there's no sarcasm font.

If people seriously beleive that large cars need to be made safer for small cars, and pedestrians, then logically it must start at the largest, most lethal end.

Personally, and given the near misses that I've been involved in over the last 25 years, I'm more than comfortable using other people's crumple zones, as they are the ones causing my near misses.

If I fall off the road and whack a tree, then I accept the consequences.

 

[Drew2000]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
....I see it kind of like income taxes, lower incomes pay lower rates so they can buy the basics, higher incomes pay higher rates because they can easily afford the basics and taking a bit more of a higher income earners discretionary income doesn't reduce their quality of life significantly.


It's not a "bit more" (in the US):
The Top 5% of taxpayers pay 60% of federal income tax burden.
The bottom 50% pay around 3%.

Who's more "eco-friendly"? A guy like me that drives 3 miles per day to commute by train/subway, then drives a not-so efficient muscle car 100 miles on the weekend for fun, or a guy who drives his 40mpg beep-beep car 60 miles per day to commute?

Maybe a "distance tax" for those who choose to live far from work/public transit?

The one-size-fits-all does not work in reality, nor should it be legislated wraped up in "good intentions".

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
If people seriously beleive that large cars need to be made safer for small cars, and pedestrians, then logically it must start at the largest, most lethal end.

Those vehicles require more training and different licenses with stricter terms, don't they? That's a very important consideration IMO.

 

[Shannow]

They are still over-represented by nearly an order of magnitude in the road death statistics, despite them calling themselves the knights of the road etc.

 

[d00df00d]

Oh wow. Is that just accidents that are their fault, or all accidents involving semis?

 

[Shannow]

Out here, in the regional areas, it's not uncommon to come around a corner and find a semi on the wrong side of the road, or two racing up a hill, or have brake failure and rear end a line of holiday traffic...or..
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&tbo=p&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&tbs=nws%3A1&q=semi+trailer&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryAU&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Larger vehicles should be made to handle crashes with small cars, not the other way around. This will make larger vehicles cost a bit more and may look funny but they are the vehicles that are the problem, so buyer of a large vehicle should be the one paying to fix the problem.
If you truly need a large vehicle for work, then all your competitors will need one for work too, putting everyone on equal footing.


agree wholeheartedly, and given the carnage on Oz roads at the present time, semis should be banned from public roads until they are made safe for the rest of us.


You guys must be living in some alternate universe where the rules of simple phsyics can be bent to suit your personal preferences....please enlighten us earthlings as to how what you propose is possible.

Mainly what I'm thinking about is having some semblance of accident compatibility, ie not having front bumpers of 4x4 pickups at side window level of the average car.
And have energy absorption systems on larger vehicles so the force they exert during an accident is reduced.
Could be as simple as adding 2 foot thick bumper of aluminum honeycomb or styrofoam onto the front of semi at a height that is compatible with a car.
Something as simple as that could make a 40mph t-bone survivable, instead of certain death. Can you see a practical problem with adding that tomorrow on most semi trucks?
Really they aren't the problem though, big trucks have pro drivers which have far few accidents per mile than the average Joe.
Light trucks and SUV's driven by average Joe and Jane kill far more people and some simple design changes could help reduce that. It is as simple as setting some minimum standards for energy absorption in a crash. Make the 5000lb truck hit like a 3000lb car at a height that the 3000lb car can take.
Personally I don't have a problem with people spending their money on whatever vehicle they like, I have a problem with bigger vehicles designed without consideration of what the larger mass does to the average car in a crash. Folks who buy the F350 for a daily driver air hauler shouldn't mind paying a bit extra to make it more safe for others who drive a regular car. I guess it would be almost like a mass tax for vehicles, the more mass, the better collision system the vehicle needs. For a guy buying an F350 for commuting, another $1000 isn't going to break the bank.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
I don't believe in peak oil


Just out of interest...

Do you believe that fossil fuels are infinte, or that humans and their consumption will be finite ?


What many think of when the words Peak Oil are heard is the idea that we have already reached peak oil production because the supply of oil is dwindling. I do not subscribe to that theory. Oil reserves of all types are being discovered regularly. We're finding previously unknown reserves, better ideas of what's there on known reserves, and new ways of extracting more out of reserves we are already using. The supply of oil is not currently in danger. The price of CHEAP oil is dead, but that's another story.

Just as there is still stone after the stone age, still bronze and iron after those ages, there will be oil after the end of the oil age. When oil becomes too expensive for transportation needs new ways will be found at a price that fits. Or not, and civilization as we know it will cease.

Oil will be needed for other things and will be used for as long as it is economically viable.

I won't ever mention the idea that oil is produced by earth's own processes. At any rate, it'll be a large number of lifetimes before the paradigm shift will occur. Our current difficulties are largely a concoction of the crazy, arm-waving, radical environmentalists. IMHO.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
The supply of oil is not currently in danger. The price of CHEAP oil is dead, but that's another story.

Disagree. Those two ideas are not separable. The price of oil is directly related to its supply, or what you might call its "effective supply" taking into account the ease of extracting it.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
As was stated in the "Onion", most people don't need a car. Most people should take public transportation and lighten road congestion so that people like me can have a more pleasant driving experience.


There's no way around people needing cars. Public transportation just isn't available everywhere people live. And don't say to move into the cities where there is public transportation. If you want to put you and your's among the scummy murderers and rapists who live in the inner cities, be my guest. I'm not doing it....