"Here he comes! Here comes Speed Racer! He's a demon on wheels!"
- The first line of the Speed Racer Cartoon Theme Song

Update June 16th 2002

To be fair, someone had written in with the other side of the coin. I, of course, do not agree. But I am not one to force my opinion on anyone. Here is the response (note- some of the names have been blocked to protect the crabby innocent).

I have a friend who also hates SUVs. Says they're unnecessary and use too much gas.

I asked him how you determine what is unnecessary? If they ever make that a paying job ... I want it! If we accept that SUVs are unnecessary why shouldn't we say that the thousands of empty cab pickups are also unnecessary? After all more than 90% of pickups I see driving around have nothing in the back. They are as big as SUVs, maybe larger ... and they guzzle gas like the best of 'em. Maybe if we ever decide to ban SUVs we should tack pickups next on the list.
And, oh yeah ... have you ever seen all those minivans driven around by soccer moms with just an infant or two in the back? Come on now ... how much space does an infant need anyway? Aren't they just mini people? Couldn't they just cut down on the size of those diaper bags and fit into regular cars? Minivans use gas just like SUVs and pickups. Years ago when we grew up families never needed minivans ... sedans and station wagons did the job just fine. Never mind that those huge gas guzzlers did worse than today's SUVs. But what can you do ... those were the good ole days, weren't they? So what do ya say? Tack them on as number 3 on the list? Might as well tack on full sized vans on at number 4 just to be fair.

My friend told me he drives a sedan because he wants to be economical with his gas mileage. He told me his Toyota Avalon gets 22 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway. I was flabbergasted! He calls that economical? My SUV gets 19 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. All that hot air and all he gets is 2-3 miles per gallon better? Come on that's not economizing!

Ya know ... no one gets on [my partner]'s case for driving that speedy little Mercedes of his.

Did you know his gas mileage is not anything to brag about? Why do such small cars need such large engines any way? What a waste of gas. Let's just go on and add them on to the list at number 5. And if we want to make safety the issue what is less safe than those tiny fuel efficient eco cars? Unless we mandate that everyone and their mother drive one then they will never be safer than a Schwinn going the wrong way on the NJ Turnpike. Maybe just to be on the safe side we might want to add them on as number 6. Let me stop here ... if I go any further we might just all end up walking to work every day.

This all gets me thinking. Which ranter gets to make his or her list the rule of law? Should you get to decide which vehicles are allowed to be driven on the road ... or should I? Maybe [co-worker subordinate], [co-worker subordinate], [co-worker subordinate]? Who? Who? I for one don't want to live in a society where someone like Vikar gets to tell me what to drive, what to wear, what to read, or watch or anything else. Seems awfully un-American to me.

If I ever decide I want to live that way I'll pack up my bags like Jihad Johnny Walker and catch the next fuel efficient jet to Afghanistan.

My commentary:

In actuality, I can tell people to do anything I think is best. Whether, people actually listen or do what I tell them is a different thing. That's Freedom of Speech - a very American principal. - Vikar

Updated January 28th, 2003

I read your "rant" about "gas guzzling" while looking for SUV stopping distances. I have an older Ford Explorer which gets worse mileage than the current Ford Explorers.

My friend owns a year old Accura. We get approximately the same gas mileage. I'd get better mileage than her if I had a new Explorer. Plus she needs to use premium fuel. I don't.

Gas guzzling is a poor argument in my opinion. Almost every new "performance" vehicle gets about the same mileage as me (and less than a new Explorer). So why aren't performance vehicles called "gas guzzlers" and being slammed in the press like SUVs?

MY opinion? The argument is really more against the driver's lifestyle and the driver's socio-economic class. But that would sound like jealousy, so it's easier to attack the car itself. Of course, I'm all for increased gas mileage, so hopefully the mileage will be even better by the time I buy my new Ford Explorer in about 5 years.

Debbie

My commentary:

Deb,

Thanks for feedback.

I agree. Unfortunately, when I had written this rant initially (Summer 2001), SUV's were becoming notoriously bad gas guzzlers (as opposed to my 99 Honda Civic and my 98 VW Jetta which get GREAT mileage). However, this does not condone our one brain celled oil magnate president from giving tax breaks to SUV owners.

They aren't that great.

As with all things, the issue of SUV guzzlers becomes less apparent when technology improves. So, congrats to the manufacturers for making, at least, more fuel efficient road hogs.

Do I agree that SUV's are a wise purchase? Well, I think only under certain circumstances. Am I jealous of people who own SUV's? Nope.

As mentioned in my rant, my brother owns one. I get to listen to him how unnecessary his is. Were it not for the now necessary seating room (he has recently had two new additions to his family) he'd be perfectly happy with his old Honda. This is a "Sports Utility Vehicle" ask him how many times he needs to take it "off road".

Practically never.

An SUV is a wise purchase if, and only if, you live in an area where the terrain is not for regular cars - where roads are really optional. When in Vermont or Maine where 4 wheel drive is a necessity during snow storm then an SUV is a good purchase. However, if an SUV is used exclusively to get kids to and from soccer practice, that's being obstructive. I even know one guy that owns one of the higher end models of SUV that refused to drive it after a snow storm. What did he think it was for?

I remind you, that SUV back door windows still shatter upon minimal impact with a rear end collision. Given the size of the vehicle as an obstruction for other normal sized cars, stopping distance behind an SUV must be increased. I judge stopping not only from the break lights of the car in front of me but also from the car in front of that. From a normal car perspective, you can't see that. Should you be unfortunate enough to tap the rear of an SUV, not only do you have to pay (as it is the rear car's fault) but the parts are more expensive than your average car. Consumer Reports rates that only the BMW SUV had the most resistance to rear impacts than every other one on the market. How many people can afford one of those?

My biggest problem with SUV owners is that the majority of owners can't drive their own cars. I can't lay my hands on SUV flip over statistics, I can only go by what I see on the road... and that's a lot.

Deb, if you are one of those responsible SUV drivers that does consider other drivers on the road, congrats, if not, well.... shame on you.

I think the problem lies with the actual term on SUV. "SPORT utility vehicle", you'd think people are purchasing a toy. A car, very much like a gun, if not used properly can be deadly - not only to the owner but to others around him.

Once again, Deb, thanks for the feedback. - Vikar

Addendum January 31st, 2003

I thought I'd gone nuts but, yes, I was right. This is what I get for agreeing too quickly. According to a Fox News report, broadcast last night, the US government considers SUV's as gas guzzlers and is cracking down to make them more fuel efficent.

So much for good mileage.

Addendum March 24th, 2003

I got this one today. This says it all.

Hi,

I did a search on SUV accidents and found your little rant....here is a rant of my own.

This past weekend the front end of my Honda Civic was hit by the rear end of a Nissan Pathfinder. Unfortunately my horn didn't work and as I attempted to back up my car up to avoid the idiotic driving skills, she finally slammed into my hood. The more room I gave her, the more her speed increased. This woman never looked out of her tinted rear view mirror or her tinted side view mirror! She was on her own island of road and car. The most idiotic thing is that I think she was backing up because she "thought" a car backing out needed more room when in fact it did not. She had no spacial concept of her vehicle whatsoever and it was totally unecessary for her to back up period.

I am a female, 30 now and I have driven several SUV's and pick-up type trucks over the years. I can't tell you how many times I encounter SUV drivers who have no business driving a vehicle so big that they carelessly disregard the safety of smaller vehicles like my own. Many SUV drivers do not comprehend the shear size of their vehicle and are not aware of the "blind spots" their vehicle imposes on them and others. When the weather is warm, I fear for many of the Bikers who ride their "hogs" as they are in even greater danger than my Honda of not being seen by careless drivers. And I'm not even going to mention the High School kids who's parents buy or allow them drive SUV's.

That's a whole other issue.

In closing, I have to literally treat many of the SUV's like I do the semi-trucks and stay back far enough to see the driver's sideview mirror so they can see me. In addition, that is the only way I can see around them to know "why" the SUV driver is "riding" the brakes. I would agree...if people buy SUV's, and especially those NEW to driving large vehicles, perhaps we need to make sure they are also educated on how to drive them. Oh...and might I add...my car has been hit "3" times by SUV's...all 3 incidents - no fault of my own.

Thanks for letting me rant. I'm just a little pissed off because I've made it 30 years without any car accidents or back injuries and now because of a stupid mistake by a person who didn't check her SUV mirrors, now might have a back problem.

Thanks,
Sj

Addendum - May 14th, 2003

2001 statistic - SUV accidents accounted for only 3% of all accidents - but 3 times that rate of fatalities because of rollover accidents.

Now that there are more SUV's on the road from 2001, I'd imagine that statistic to be higher.

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