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What to do about America's killer cars

economist.com

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Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#41

Post by [deleted] »

_yb2s wrote: post #32
misun78 wrote: post #3

Let me be the first one to say it - anyone who drives a large pick-up truck for non-commercial reasons is a grade A asshole. SUV drivers aren't that far off, though I sympathize with the game theory element of buying SUVs to protect against other larger cars -- but I would expect you to take accountability and drive slower and safer than smaller cars. These monstrosities are environmentally unfriendly, pedestrian unf…

This is pretty absurd… there are plenty of non commercial reasons to use a truck- towing trailers, hauling wood, etc. they’re pretty essential for people that live in the country, do subsistence farming, or build/maintain their own house. I grew up in the country in a house my dad built, and we got much of our food from plants and animals we raised- we needed a truck. Ultimately all motor vehicles are pretty dangerou…

[deleted]

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#42

Post by toast0 »

misun78 wrote: post #3

Let me be the first one to say it - anyone who drives a large pick-up truck for non-commercial reasons is a grade A asshole. SUV drivers aren't that far off, though I sympathize with the game theory element of buying SUVs to protect against other larger cars -- but I would expect you to take accountability and drive slower and safer than smaller cars. These monstrosities are environmentally unfriendly, pedestrian unf…

I've got a small pick-up truck, and it's great for me, but nobody makes a good small pick-up for the US market anymore, because of how CAFE standards work.

Currently available small trucks aren't very small and aren't very truck. To get a 6 foot bed, you need to buy a big truck, and a 6 foot bed is IMHO an essential quality of a truck.

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#43

Post by Gimpei »

misun78 wrote: post #3

Let me be the first one to say it - anyone who drives a large pick-up truck for non-commercial reasons is a grade A asshole. SUV drivers aren't that far off, though I sympathize with the game theory element of buying SUVs to protect against other larger cars -- but I would expect you to take accountability and drive slower and safer than smaller cars. These monstrosities are environmentally unfriendly, pedestrian unf…

If you have a large family, it’s hard to get by without an SUV. Four kids and all their car seats do not fit into a regular sized car. While it would be great if we could all just get my on public transportation and shank’s pony like in Europe, the ship left the port a hundred years ago on that one. Like it or not the majority of US cities are designed for the car.

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#45

Post by screye »

mcmcmc wrote: post #26
misun78 wrote: post #3

Let me be the first one to say it - anyone who drives a large pick-up truck for non-commercial reasons is a grade A asshole. SUV drivers aren't that far off, though I sympathize with the game theory element of buying SUVs to protect against other larger cars -- but I would expect you to take accountability and drive slower and safer than smaller cars. These monstrosities are environmentally unfriendly, pedestrian unf…

Yeah, and fuck everyone who lives in the country and has large animals, or anyone who wants to haul a camper or trailer. A subcompact can fit like two bales of hay, surely that’s enough right?

What sort of large animals need a pick up truck ?

Anyone who owns horses or cows surely doesn't live in cities. The original comment appears to be talking about urban areas in particular.

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#46

Post by hugh-avherald »

frogblast wrote: post #16

Given the conclusions in these articles, I'd expect insurance prices for larger vehicles to be substantially higher, because the underwriters have a large incentive to get this right. My own policy has two drivers with a long flawless history, and several vehicles, including a heavy duty pickup truck and a compact crossover. The truck policy prices for bodily injury is 8% higher than the crossover, while property dam…

Except that the insurance market is also flawed. For example, some payouts are capped by law. So it's likely that premiums are lower than they should be.

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/01/18/why-car-i...

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#47

Post by SoftTalker »

_yb2s wrote: post #32
misun78 wrote: post #3

Let me be the first one to say it - anyone who drives a large pick-up truck for non-commercial reasons is a grade A asshole. SUV drivers aren't that far off, though I sympathize with the game theory element of buying SUVs to protect against other larger cars -- but I would expect you to take accountability and drive slower and safer than smaller cars. These monstrosities are environmentally unfriendly, pedestrian unf…

This is pretty absurd… there are plenty of non commercial reasons to use a truck- towing trailers, hauling wood, etc. they’re pretty essential for people that live in the country, do subsistence farming, or build/maintain their own house. I grew up in the country in a house my dad built, and we got much of our food from plants and animals we raised- we needed a truck. Ultimately all motor vehicles are pretty dangerou…

Yes but a farmer's pickup truck used to look like this...

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6c/a8/29/6ca8299cb79d89b811da...

... and now it looks like this...

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LDHolYeplpg/maxresdefault.jpg

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#48

Post by toast0 »

phkahler wrote: post #15
khaki54 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In other words, this problem was caused by a progressive regulation intended to help the environment that had the exact opposite effect intended. They set aggressive targets for MPG that were not able to be reached and still produce a car that people want to drive. Remember the tiny Ford Ranger or Chevy S10? If they were produced today, they would be expected to have a very high MPG, which would require an engine uns…

Check out the Ford Maverick hybrid. Similar size to trucks 30 years ago with 38mpg. The 2025 gets 4000lbs towing capacity. You can park it in normal sized spots.

Trucks 30 years ago had 6 foot beds, not 4.5 foot beds.

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#49

Post by [deleted] »

misun78 wrote: post #25
danielschonfeld wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thoughts and prayers are all we have in this country. Nothing will be done about that just as nothing is done about guns or healthcare. Just more thoughts and more prayers.

Unfortunately agree, especially given how much of an influence the auto industry has on our government. My goal is hence to make enough money to allow my family and I to live in an urban walkable environment. The venn diagram overlap of areas that have a high proportion of large trucks and how livable they are is quite small anyways.

[deleted]

Re: What to do about America's killer cars

#50

Post by buildsjets »

_yb2s wrote: post #32
misun78 wrote: post #3

Let me be the first one to say it - anyone who drives a large pick-up truck for non-commercial reasons is a grade A asshole. SUV drivers aren't that far off, though I sympathize with the game theory element of buying SUVs to protect against other larger cars -- but I would expect you to take accountability and drive slower and safer than smaller cars. These monstrosities are environmentally unfriendly, pedestrian unf…

This is pretty absurd… there are plenty of non commercial reasons to use a truck- towing trailers, hauling wood, etc. they’re pretty essential for people that live in the country, do subsistence farming, or build/maintain their own house. I grew up in the country in a house my dad built, and we got much of our food from plants and animals we raised- we needed a truck. Ultimately all motor vehicles are pretty dangerou…

Pickup trucks are a lot higher, wider, and longer, yet have with smaller windows and windshields and less room in the beds than when I was a kid. And FYI I still own a square body 1988 3/4 ton 4X4 Suburban in the 1973-1991 body style so I know the difference between an old truck and a new one. It’s a really horrible shade of beige and my neighbors probably hate it.

These changes have generally has made new pickups designs much more of a pain in the ass to use for towing, hauling wood, feeding livestock, and harvesting crop. New trucks definitely fail the haybale stacking test.

They are now designed to be sold primarily as bro-dozers for suburban manchildren who want to LARP like they are some stereotype of macho, not useful tools for traditional rural living.

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