this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2023
171 points (98.3% liked)

Australia

3716 readers
417 users here now

A place to discuss Australia and important Australian issues.

Before you post:

If you're posting anything related to:

If you're posting Australian News (not opinion or discussion pieces) post it to Australian News

Rules

This community is run under the rules of aussie.zone. In addition to those rules:

Banner Photo

Congratulations to @[email protected] who had the most upvoted submission to our banner photo competition

Recommended and Related Communities

Be sure to check out and subscribe to our related communities on aussie.zone:

Plus other communities for sport and major cities.

https://aussie.zone/communities

Moderation

Since Kbin doesn't show Lemmy Moderators, I'll list them here. Also note that Kbin does not distinguish moderator comments.

Additionally, we have our instance admins: @[email protected] and @[email protected]

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Australians are driving bigger, heavier, dirtier cars and it's alarming both climate and road safety experts.

A decade ago, sedans and hatchbacks were the most popular cars in Australia. Today, Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and American-style utes dominate new car sales and advertising.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 58 points 2 years ago (1 children)

A failure to properly regulate the import of yank tanks. Stop letter them in, simple.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 years ago (2 children)

How about we allow them in, but make them work in our interests through high taxes and other ownership requirements that more than offset the damage they do.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Sound good. Maybe something like make them have an extra child to make up for the one the will inevitably run down? Lol

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

Yeah, if it was simply environmental, then maybe there could be some sort of offset scheme introduced. However unlikely it would be to actually make it to 1:1.

But adding the extra, and unnecessary, road danger, yeah.. old mates weekend can go stick it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

Can you please write all public policy for the country?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Also disallow tax writeoffs on 'em

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

The problem is the tax writeoffs are for businesses. You can't close that loophole unless the govt gets into the weeds of defining exactly what a "work truck" is. Those people who claim tax writeoffs on these yank tanks actually do use them for work or appear to. ~~Even if the use is just driving to work.~~

[–] MisterFrog 26 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

A cautionary tale of what we don't want to become (and are on our way to becoming): These Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 years ago (1 children)

F = ma, or net force is equal to mass times acceleration. That's the physics driving adoption of land barges. Have to have lots of mass to avoid being subjected to deadly amounts of acceleration when the distracted, texting, makeup applying, breakfast juggling driver plows into you in their lifted F350.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Crashes are actually a shitload more complicated than that. Impulse is a big deal and then you have to factor in the meat geometry of a human and the specialness of various bits of meat.

Don't throw scientifish nonsense around. Just say big car scary make get big car.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 years ago

Are we all just going the ignore the fact that the FCIA director's name is Peter Griffin?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Make a suitable alternative for the soccer mums. Most suvs never go outside the city these days

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago

It's a symptom of the ride height war. When everyones giant arse car is blocking your view of oncoming traffic you either follow suit or literally risk death every time you pull out of your kids daycare.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

We bought an electric recently. Was very upset to have to choose the Kona in order to fit 2 tall people and 2 big dogs. It's a great car but being realistic there's no need for it to be so big.

It seems like the styles now being sold are small hatchback, sedan, and everything else is SUV. Very disappointing to see there's not much middle ground lile the station wagon space or slightly larger hatchbacks. Especially with EVs. Most of my trips are like 40 km at most. I don't need 500 km range with a full car...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Station wagons are excellent, my 2003 holden has more cubic space than these 'I need it for the space' SUVs

What a ridiculous argument. Hope their insecurities resolve after they back over their toddlers.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Yeah absolutely. This silly car doesn't even have enough room for a suitcase and the dogs in the back but it's a good head an shoulders above my dad's holden station wagon.

Part of that is the battery sure (maybe the head part) a lot is also ground clearance. I need a bit of ground clearance sure but we used to manage with firm suspension just fine. If it's shaking the crap out of you just drive slower. No need to tear down lumpy roads at 80 km/h unless you're actually a farmer.

We are also talking 2 big greyhounds and 2 six foot people, one with back problems that prevent a more reclined seating position, living in the blue mountains. We're not your average family. This stuff is marketed to average urbanites who defs need to be able to fit an entire Holiday's worth of luggage and their whole family on those red pavement roads they take to the school in the morning?

Surely there's room for more practical stuff ffs.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

What's actually going to ruin adoption are the new electric vehicle taxes being introduced

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago (3 children)

EVs are much heavier than ICE cars of the same size and wear roads faster so more funding will be needed to maintain everything. Walkability/cycling and PT are the way forward

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 years ago

While it's true that EVs are generally heavier than equivalent ICE vehicles, it doesn't actually make much difference. Heavy trucks account for the vast majority of road wear and tear. Even a comparatively heavy EV doesn't weigh anywhere near as much as a truck.

The "EVs will wear the roads out!" argument is generally trotted out by people who have been influenced by those who have a vested interest in keeping ICE around.

It's true that active transport and PT are better in most respects, its naive to think we'll be getting rid of cars any time soon. When people do need to drive, an EV is always a better choice from an environmental standpoint.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I was at a shopping center and the car park was almost full. Then i saw this dumb bitch in her big ford Raptor , trying to get into the parking lot which is already busy. Looking at her driving skill and face , I knew she'll do something dumb so I took out my phone and started recording. 5 minutes in she side swiped another car. The guy who was driving a VW golf got out and yelled at her in some asian language. I recorded the full thing, its really fun to watch

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

it's really fun to watch

Did you bring enough for the class?

load more comments
view more: next ›