RE: Roll bar for CGT -(SUV's suck!)

[Gary Kaklikian <Gary.Kaklikian@digital.com>]

On March 09,1999, J.C. wrote:


>Uh-oh, touched the SUV rant button.... danger danger...
>It's fascinating the rationalizations that people have for what is
>perceived as necessary.  After hearing (being subjected to) the >arguments
>for how a minivan/SUV is an absolute requirement to support family >life,
>one must be amazed that the human race survived for thousands of years
without them.
>My parents have SUV's.  They'll take one of them off road, fishing >on the
>beach, about once every other year. This naturally and obviously >makes it
>imperative to own 2 of the gas-guzzling luxo-feature loaded danger->bricks
>at all times. Yet last weekend during the big northeast snowstorm >they
>refused to leave the house.  ( Of course I drove 3 hours through the >heart
>of the storm to get there... parents: 'oh you better not come' me: >'no no,
>that's quite alright, i'll be fine..  heh heh... ' )

Had to jump in on this one, even at the prospect of perpetuating an
pro/anti- SUV thread. As any of the listers who drive I-25 in Colorado know,
the majority of vehicles spun off the freeway in snowy/icy conditions are
SUV's (other than the occasional poor soul in a Camaro or Miata - good cars,
just need snow tires on ANY snow or ice). Frequently, when commuting on I-25
in a Quattro in these conditions and driving at the same speeds or just a
bit faster than the typical front-wheel driver, I am passed by a SUV going
20+ mph faster. I usually pass this idiot a little further up the road when
he/she is in the median, off the shoulder, or sometimes on the road facing
oncoming traffic.   

The scariest part is when these morons in the SUV's tailgate you in the snow
or even in dry conditions at 80mph (even downhill and usually while on the
phone).  The reason I'm singling out SUV's is because 1)their drivers seem
to exhibit the worst behavior, 2)their ride height makes my bumper useless
in a rear-end collision, causes their headlights to nearly blind me from
behind, and blocks my view of the road, 3)their lack of maneuvability
hinders accident avoidance, and 4)IMO, they are totally irrational vehicles
for highway use! (of course, as we all know, an Audi is a totally practical
vehicle?!) 

(Interestingly, they tend not to tailgate motorcycles, maybe because of
empathy for the rider's exposure or fear of the repercussions  of actually
killing someone - hey, is there really a live human being in that vehicle
I'm stalking with my 6000lb SUV?)

Usually, these same SUV-driving morons that tailgate you downhill or on the
flats will impede your progress up the next hill, when they refuse to conced
their vulnerability due to insufficient power and poor aerodynamics (or
they're busy redialing another number).

What advantage do the SUV's have over minivans or stations wagons for
on-road use? (And how many SUV's actually venture way off road where they
really need the 4wd or additional ground clearance?). These vehicles - front
or awd - do fine in inclement weather, have normal bumper heights, plenty of
interior space, are more fuel efficient, and even rate higher in crash
tests. 

Evidently, SUV's are satisfying some kind of need that station wagons and
minivans can't and I really doubt it's the ability to drive on jeep trails.
Maybe it's a basic insecurity on (or off) the highways, the desire for
omnipotence (in their own minds), the "best defense is a good offense"
approach, the fundamental "bigger is better" attitude, conspicuous
consumption, conformity, whatever. What has happened to the automobile
industry when an ad, I think it was for a Navigator SUV, proclaimed  "what a
luxury car should be" or something to that effect. I'll be glad when this
ridiculous fad fades into the history books! Just hope one of these
behemoths doesn't rear-end one of my Audis before then. 

Oh well, enough ranting, time to get back to work.

Gary Kaklikian
86 4kcsq
86 5kcstq