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Paris is saying ‘non’ to a US-style hellscape of supersized cars – and so should the rest of Europe
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2023
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Yeah the shit's out of control in the US. People don't need goddamn huge cars.
Europe used to laugh at American big cars, but recently the cars on our roads get bigger and bigger too :-(
Yeah I am glad at least that a number of countries are taking measures to de-car city centers. They're a blight. Especially these big stupid SUVs.
Biggest misnomer in the Auto industry. They are neither sporty nor utilitarian.
They are essentially a rebranding of minivans. Minivans were seen as soccer mom vehicles, but were incredibly practical. So they rebranded them to SUVs, raising the height, reducing cargo space, increasing blind spots, and over all making them less functional, but they sell much better.
Yeah, it’s “mom car creep.” First sedans were mom cars, then station wagons, followed by minivans. Somehow the stupid huge SUVs are avoiding the stigma so far.
Also, the Tesla model X is literally a minivan, not an SUV. I know that’s off topic but I had to say it. :-)
Unpopular opinion, but I want station wagons to come back. They were a super useful car that didn't look too bad.
Seconded. Wagons were the shit
Best car I ever drove was a Toyota Sienna. Would have driven around the whole world with it
I was about to say that you could still buy an Outback but it looks like they morphed them into SUVs. 😒
I had a VW Passat wagon that I loved, so I won't disagree.
Except minivans are at least good at the one thing they're made for, hauling people and their stuff. SUVs try to do everything, so they do everything badly.
They have, but it's still nothing compared to the US. I drive a Nissan Qashqai. It's quite a big car in The Netherlands. There are bigger of course (like the big Volvo XC 70 and 90) but I'm definitely on the bigher size on the road. But my car would be tiny in the US. It would be like driving an old Fiat 500 over here.
Oh, I am sure American cars are even bigger, but that does not mean we should like the trend.
They just stripped the light freight classification for trucks for private persons over here. Sales dropped by half.
Depends on what you mean by used to. When I was a child in the 70's American cars were awesome compared to European IMO.
It kind of depicted the American dream, freedom and excessive wealth by European standards. Which was probably truer then than it is now, where the American dream and freedom appear to be merely illusions.
People will look me dead in the face and tell me they need the SUV because the kids have hockey practice, I wouldn't understand. As if my dad didn't take me to hockey practice in a Toyota Terecel.
My leaf and my neighbors 90s pickup are more than enough for all of the rural farm shit we need them for so city folk really got no fuckin excuse
Unfortunately, the US Environmental Protection Agency (emphasis on mental) has rules in place regarding emissions per unit length of vehicle which effectively penalize manufacturers who make small vehicles.
Well we cant be bothered with actually changing rules and laws to change things and potentially make rich people change how they make money so we just have to keep pandering to fascists and swift fans for votes
Worse is those who don't know how to drive them. I hear all the time ohh that massive vehicle is like any other car. New money seems to be most of who buy huge vehicles in US. Got to show off in front of the poor people...actual remember news it is a metric of how the economy is doing. As old money buy affordable and reliable.
There's a lot of Americans that have been bamboozled by the auto industry. Canadians and Mexicans too. Big American trucks are a status symbol in a lot of Mexico. It just shows how effective advertising can be. Basically they are selling a kind of identity or self-image.
I guess you missed the part of the article where they talk about larger cars causing more deaths, both in car accidents and pedestrians?
There’s more to consider than just “I am comfortable”, imo. Fuel economy, wear and tear on the roads, and safety (for you and those around you) are important factors as well.
Bigger and heavier vehicles tend to have worse fuel economy. This not only costs the owner more money, but it also is worse for the environment. However, this may be an outgoing trend as more hybrid/electric pick up trucks and such are coming to market.
Bigger and heavier vehicles cause more wear and tear on roadways. This, in turn, increases the frequency of required road maintenance (read: requires more tax revenue), or else the road may become treacherous to drive on.
Bigger and heavier vehicles are proven to be safer (aside from rolling) for passengers in many regards - the size makes it safer for passengers inside the vehicle, since there is more car to take the impact before reaching the passengers. In a vehicle collision, the passengers in a heavier vehicle are safer than the lighter one, as the heavy vehicle will put more force on the lighter one. This is good for the passengers of the heavier vehicle, but much worse for the others.
Large sedans/saloons are quite comfortable, and they are very spacious. They handle better on roads to. Yet they have better fuel economy then trucks and SUVs.
I drive a 7000lb vehicle. My passengers are very comfortable and safe. I am fine with everything else you’ve laid out as long as 1 my family is safe and 2 we are comfortable. I’m happy to trade off on everything else on your list to maximize the results for 1 and 2.
I thank whatever deity or random chance that happened that I don’t live like a Europoor in a country that can limit my choices.
"everyone else will suffer for my comfort, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make"
Only you don't have to give up comfort for efficiency and road safety. Large sedans/wagons offer generous trunk space, ample seating for multiple adults, and very comfortable accomidations. Yet they don't worsen traffic safety for others, and they offer superior protection with their lower rollover risk.
Shame doesn't work on morons, that's how you can tell someone's a moron. No shame, only belligerence.
It’s an arms race where cars just keep getting bigger for supposed safety. Cars are safer than they have ever been, but that’s not a direct consequence of their increasing size.
Meanwhile, the trend of ever larger cars makes it unsafer for everyone outside of the vehicle. If you care about your family being safe, you might also want to consider how safe they are when they’re not inside of the vehicle.
My kids don’t play in the street, they are plenty safe. A 7000lb vehicle keeps them safe on the road.
This is such a sad state of affairs. Please try to reflect a little; your viewpoint seems to be completely self-centered without any regard for the people around you.
But even if you only care about your children directly: them only playing inside is such a waste. And if all of your neigbours hold the same views as you do, you’re never getting out of that hole.
Yee-haw, got me and my jumbo-sized family a jumbo-sized vee-hickle and not Obama or nobody else gon’ tell me what I am, or what I ain’t drivin’ on these star spangled streets of Murica.
Yep me and my jumbo sized families descendants will inherit the earth. Most Europoor nations can’t even produce enough kids to replace the people they have.
Enjoy becoming irrelevant and going extinct Eurotrash.
Totally different from US states that are so desperate for workforce that they have to outlaw abortion, right?
Dude, we already know education is expensive in US, you don't need to actively show it to the world. We get it.
Lol not only do you drive shitty little CUVs but you are also uneducated. Enjoy paying more in taxes for less.
https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-do-us-taxes-compare-internationally
Says the American paying more for healthcare and education for worse outcomes than any other country in the developed world. There's a reason you're this dumb and it's not your fault.
Enjoy paying more taxes for less.
A lot of the SUVs on the road today are the same size as a Sherman tank.
Every day one person wins the internet’s greatest fuckwit award. Today that person is you.
So a personal vehicle defines the person driving it? You are literally proving the small dick big truck mentality.
They're huge compared to pedestrians, cyclists, and regular cars - and therefore way more dangerous. Let alone the environmental and infrastructural costs to society.
It'd be fine if they didn't negatively affect other people, but... They do 🤷
Major small dick energy in your comment, my guy.
And completely ignoring the environmental impact of these big dumb fucking cars. Classic.
They seem pretty huge to me.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/americas-cars-trucks-are-getting-bigger-are-front-blind-zones-children-rcna52109
Your god damn right friend.