SUV sales decline in USA, but increase here!

hedgeh0g

SUV sales decline in USA, but increase here!

I find it very distressing being a cyclist and biker to see that there is an
upward trend of SUVs.

I heard of someone who put stickers on random SUVs that read
"together changing the planet" on it.

Aside from the environment I feel threatened by them living and getting around the city.

Drax

Well little johnny needs to be transported to school safely somehow! :mad:

Duiske

Drax wrote:

Well little johnny needs to be transported to school safely somehow! :mad:

I think some of these people are just a little confused about the difference between Mount Merrion and Mount Kilimanjaro.

hedgeh0g

They say the only off road done is at 3am when one of the wheels might hit the grass verge of the lawn.

Aidan1

Whats an SUV?

In the states, where the term originated, most of these tend to be huge, long, wide trucks with very large petrol engines. The ford explorer has either a 4 litre or 4.6l petrol for example, and thats a reasonably sized one.

The sitiation is not comparable here. Most of the ones on the road in this country either tend to be jacked up versions of estate cars (BMW X3 and X5 for example and with similar engines - most have 2.5 to 3 liter diesels), or more agricultural (land cruisers, hilux's etc). And a lot of the 'SUV's on Irish roads tend to be 'soft roaders', RAV4s, Honda FRVs. These are just standard saloon cars on stilts. Similar wheelbase, similar width to a 'normal' car. If someone can afford an X5 and doesn't buy one, then the most likely option is a 5 series or E class merc. Just as dangerous to cyclists and takes up just as much space on the road, and causes just as much congestion (though more dangerous to pedestrians - then again, I'd prefer not to be hit by either, thanks). The problem isn't with our 'mini' suvs, its with the transport and planning infrastructure.

Essentially, people have imported an argument from the states and applied it here with no cognisance of the fact that the situation is entirely different, not least because of tax laws and the price of fuel.

FillSpectre

an SUV is a car that looks like 4 wheel off road vehical but can't drive off road and is comfortable and plush like a salon car.

Any car with bullbars is more dangerous than one without them. Many SUVs have bullbars. The height of such cars means they hit the body,legs and heads unlike a car. That same applies to 4X4s on the roads too

They are more dangerous by design and they don't truely do their job efficently. As such they should have a a higher VRT rate and or restrictive use on public roads.

Aidan1

an SUV is a car that looks like 4 wheel off road vehical but can't drive off road and is comfortable and plush like a salon car.

That isn't exactly a scientific definition. Most "suv's" have full time 4wd, and many have a a range box as well. Even an X5 is perfectly happy off road, so long as you don't try and pull a plough with it.

And whats 'off road'? If a vehicle is used to pull a horse box into a field, it that 'off road', or does it have to be the full Fast Show mud pluggingfest to be properly 'off road'?

Is an Audi Allroad an SUV? How about a Subaru Forrester? Audi TT? Each of these is 4wd, and relatively 'plush'. And some of them can even drive 'off road'. What do you suggest, that we tax cars on the basis of their height, or plushness? On their basis of their ability to complete the Paris Dakar?

The term SUV is a nonsense description in an Irish context. If you don't like high cars, don't buy one. Otherwise, there are a great number of other much more pressing transport issues in this country that warrant discussion.

SeanW

Yeah, the average American SUV, pickup truck or "minivan" would eat the average Irish/European SUV for breakfast.