Why an SUV?

["Janet Scruggs" <scruggs@mbay.net>]

Kirby asked why an SUV vice an Audi, and why not rent for pulling duties. 
Ground clearance... and no snickering.  After the snow begins to pack down
and get pushed to the center of the lane, then it freezes.  The air dam on
your, and my, Audi will take on new and interesting shapes when asked to
perform plow duties.  Additionally, when that fool driving the
'fill-in-the-blank' spins in the ice/snow and sits across the road waiting
for a wrecker my Trooper and I simply motor along the berm around the mess
and continue along the way.  Ever have to cross a two-foot deep torrent of
water running across the road after a deluge?  I haven't either, but I can,
and wouldn't hesitate to do so... in the Trooper.  Ever take a sick
neighbor to the hospital at midnight during a two-foot snowfall?  I have. 
Ever have to stay at home because the snow plow didn't make it to your
street?  I haven't.

I will offer an amendment to my defense of owning an SUV... like all
sentient life forms, they are not all created equal.  Most of what is
offered in this classification is trash-on-wheels and not worth the agony
of driving it for the rest of the year just to have mobility in poor
weather.  I drove a lot of them and found most to be without heart and
lacking character.  Only the new style Trooper and the Range Rover met my
threshold of quality and couldn't afford the RR.  (Actually had a grey
market '83 Range Rover back in '86 until it was stolen.)  

Does one absolutely need an SUV?  No.  But for the same reason that I do
all my own car work, build furniture, raise vegetables, fly airplanes, do
my own electrical wiring, and why I own all the tools that I do, table
saws, welders, bead blast cabinet, compressors, spray guns and everything
that one can live without... I prefer to depend on others as little as
possible.  It nourishes my independent streak to be prepared to deal with
whatever comes my way.

A 4WD SUV is for traction and confidence, an AWD Audi is for balance and
precision... and they are not incompatible.

Doubtless to the relief of all, my last words on the topic.  I will try to
make Lagua Seca this weekend.

Regards, Gross Scruggs
"Correct me if I'm right."