> The discussion of whether SUV's are safe or not may be an interesting discussion in itself (it isn't to me), but let's not forget what issue started it.
>
> Frankly, it doesn't make a darn bit of difference whether SUVs are safe or not. It's a private citizen's right to own one, or, heck, own twenty, and, Julian, if you have a "pet hate" over the lifestyle of people who live thousands of miles away from you, then I would say you don't have a very good sense about where to spend your emotional energy.

That would be the case if it didn't affect me. However, as I have tried to state, the trend of buying large SUVs isn't exclusively american, and this spreading is worrying me for social reasons: In my opinion, this issue is about far more than just personal lifestyle. Also, "hate" is probably too strong a word (my bad).

I don't question the right to own these cars, but I would like people to show more restraint in using them, primarily because they pollute more than necessary, secondarily because they are less safe than regular cars, potentialy casuing pain where it could reasonably have been avoided.
I might be overreacting on this one, but combined with other aspects of the case, I think I have a reason to campaign. As I understand it, people buy SUVs for the following reasons

(1) They need them regularly for practical reasons, for instance towing, driving in difficult conditions, moving large amounts of stuff.

(2) They feel safe because of the size and/or the high driving position

(3) They feel the car gives them superior image, either by the actual size/(supposed) price of the thing or for linking the owner/user with a certain lifestyle.

I can't possibly object to the first reason. This is what this type of vehicle is designed too do.

Regarding the second reason: As was said in another post, safety of a car depends almost entirely on the person driving it. It's a matter of driving according to the conditions. However, an 2 meter tall 3-tonne SUV cannot be driven as a 1,5 meter tall 1,5-tonne regular car, and I've heard of too many people who don't realize this. Maybe this could be solved if seperate driver's licences was required for vehicles larger than a certain limit.
Also, a larger car is certainly safer than a smaller, all othe thing equal, because of its larger crumple zones - an impact has to come through larger amounts of car before it hits you. However, larger cars (especialy SUVs) tend to be heavier, increasing the impact it has on it's counterpart in an accident, thus requiring larger crumple zones. To some extent, this voids the safety gained, seen from societys viewpoint.
A higher driving position is certainly safer, because it aids visibility - unless everyone else are driving SUVs.

I fear that the third reason has grown to be dominant over the last decade or two. Of course, it is difficult to tell, so I could be wrong. But I don't think so. And I would like these people to think again about their priorities.


Having dealt with the safety issue, I would like to stress that my primary concern is about the environmental issues. Lifestyle/image may be important to people, and so be it. But This is one area of life where it wouldn't hurt us as a civilization to show some restraint: Please, if you don't absolutely need a truck, stick with a car and be smug in the knowledge that you are saving a fortune when gas prices go up. Pollution is a global issue, and if a guy in Tokyo leaves his car with the engine running, my children will die younger. Overdramatic, but you get my point.

jul"now, can we go back to discussing movies?"ian