Tuesday, August 17, 2004

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I hate to join in in any left-wing bash-fest, but I have to say, the SUV trend is annoying. IMO, the real reason people started buying them in droves was because they needed a bigger vehicle, but couldn't stand the idea of driving anything as pedestrian (pun intended) as a minivan or wagon. Seems to me like a silly denial of the reality one's life situation, like a bald-guy doing a comb-over. Of course, at some point the trend became self-fueling, as SUV's became the "in" vehicle to drive. Many SUV drivers justify their purchase, however, on the basis of safety. This is doubly annoynig. One, because their safety comes at the expense of other vehicles (override the bumper syndrome, because SUVs ride so high). Two, because by and large, they are less safe than comparable weight (and lower price) cars. Then there is the fact that they are extra-gas-guzzling and pollution-emitting, under the service truck loophole. Plus the fact that they are hard to see over on the road (though I guess I can't say much, since one of our cars is a minivan). Those are the reasons SUVs annoy me. OTOH, I suppose I should be grateful, SUV buyers make an enormous contribution to the automaker's fixed costs, presumably "subsidizing" the cost of regular passenger cars that I prefer. 11:36:55 AM    comment []