A girl I work with lives in Blanchardstown, she drives daily to Summerhill in her car. Why t f?
What’s wrong with a modest hatch back?
She’s unmarried and no kids. What the f does she need it for?
"A new study ranked Mississippi as the deadliest state for drivers in the United States, based on data from a U.S. federal agency."
their fatality rate (per capita) is about eight times what it is in ireland.
https://eu.clarionledger.com/story/news/2024/10/18/mississippi-is-the-deadliest-state-for-drivers-in-the-united-states/75570569007/
True and I would imagine if he did ask her why she drives that car, she would tell him where to go as it's none of his damned business. Now excuse me, I need to go outside and admire my big car. I put new mats in her today. She's a real beauty.
I honestly have never bought a car thinking about the day I crash it. Other people may prioritise ncap, for me it wouldn't concern me in the slightest.
Have you bought all your RR's new? And normally how long do you keep them for? X nr of klms, or X nr of years?
If people didn't actually take their cars out in public, then yeah, fair enough, it's none of my business. But if you take your car out on public roads and I have to interact with them, then sorry, it is my business.
Not all small cars.
In my opinion a well balanced small car can deliver an excellent driving experience.
Not for big mileage, not a hope
They look awful IMO...that particular model. A barge on wheels.
Large SUVs are generally pointless, too large for Irish regional roads, car parking spaces and are rarely used for their capabilities (if they have the correct tyres on that is...which is another topic). Status symbols for the most part / chosen to have a higher seating position.
Yes, but the context of the discussion is not about big mileage.
Horse for courses.
Small cars have their place.
Balance, handling and feedback from the road can make even a mundane commute a pleasurable drive.
Exactly so big cars have their place also
Of course big cars have their place.
That doesn't mean small cars are ****.
I presume you mean range rovers, or Q7 type, how are they too big for regional roads?
No i was referring to the Bentley SUV, the Bentayga.
There's hardly a whole lot of those goin around, besides, something like a Renault traffic is about the same size, transit van is bigger,hardly what you'd call too big for regional roads.
It might be more accurate to say that they're too large for the majority of those who drive them. If they absolutely must be sold, then it should be mandatory to include lessons, so that buyers learn how to use them properly. Every day, I see SUV drivers driving themselves into unnecessarily difficult situations, struggling with basic things like parking, road positioning and general awareness of what's going on around them. The very least people need to be taught is to use the higher driving position to their advantage - i.e. look beyond the end of their bonnet.
True, I see the same thing though with people driving cars too, think it's just bad drivers, for example, these new EV cars, they're quite big, high bonnets etc, wide, I see people, like what you see, struggling with everyday driving.
Probably fine for national routes, but once off them you're often onto 50/50 roads where older sized vehicles could just about squeeze past, now I'm finding more of these barbie buses are being driven by people who don't like reversing where once there wasn't such a problem.
The only roads specifically designed for modern vehicles in Ireland are the motorways and new suburbs, everything else is adaptions of routes that were laid down in horse and carriage times. The Korean and Japanese car makers have whole subset of vehicles they don't market abroad because they were designed for small and tight spaces from before the motor age, whereas they specifically created lux big sized cars like Lexus, Infiniti and Accura just for the US market alone.
EVs aren't any bigger than ICE cars on average. Some EVs are bigger, some are smaller. Many are the exact same car with a different propulsion system. They range from city cars to large SUVs and saloons. Just like those with an engine.
Correct, however it is part of the continued scourge of increasing the size of personal vehicles. The mass, dimensions and ultimately overall road safety is reduced with this approach. It's often forgotten that one thing doesn't change, and that's us humans. I'm talking about pedestrians, other drivers and the drivers of large vehicles themselves due to momentum at impact. What is the end game here? Keep increasing vehicle size until we're all driving overpowered mini-van sized vehicles with restrictive visibility inhibited on pedestrians, cyclists and small vehicle users alike. Our roads are not capable of supporting this.
IMO there needs to be a limit / severe taxation applied on 3000kg+ personal SUVs
Do you ever meet school minibuses, milk collection lorries, or commercial vans on these roads?
Absolutes, but they're exceptions whereas large barbie buses are becoming the new norm, especially those bloody really large Volvo's. I'm sure they've a larger footprint than a RR.
they have similar dimensions, length, width, to SUVs, you don't just see bad drivers struggling with suvs, that can happen with any large car.
Absolutely, I know people might like a certain car etc, but surely be must think of the practicality of it. I sometimes think it's a bit of "keeping up with the Jones'" when it comes to cars, SUVs etc. Just from my own observations
I don't think someone is necessarily a bad driver, just because their abilities and confidence levels are more suited to something smaller and more easy to manoeuvre. I saw a child getting out of a Qashqai recently to look at the wheels, and tell their parent the exact direction they were pointing in, as they painstakingly attempted to reverse out of a parking space. That's someone who was never taught how to drive properly. And for whatever reason, they've been conned into believing that they should be driving an unnecessarily bulky car.
No, what I mean is, I see people driving cars who can't park etc. Absolutely know exactly what you mean about the driving of the big suv, just can be downright dangerous for someone who doesn't understand, or appreciate the height width or the high bonnet positions.
Indeed, but the majority of drivers you see on the road who clearly can not properly handle the size of their car are SUV drivers.
I drive a small SUV, (VW tiguan)
I'd love a large 4x4, Ford ranger, hilux etc, the cost of buying. Running and maintenance is the only things putting me off.
Big powerful machine, can pull any load, great in snow ad ice.
Ah I wouldn't say that, I don't really pay attention to it but I see people driving cars who can't park properly or judge spaces etc, just as, much as I'd see SUV drivers. A BMW 530 etc, is as difficult to drive for a bad driver as an SUV is for a bad driver. Relatively same dimensions anyway. Actually, one thing I would say, if I do see someone with an SUV trying to park and having a bit of bother, it might take them longer to park, they'll be driving, forward, reverse, forward, reverse, etc until they're straight, but I could also see the car driver swing in, leaving the car at an angle, as they don't seem to think they need to take a bit of time measuring the swing.
Before SUVs became ubiquitous my brother pulled up behind one at a T junction, suddenly it started reversing and hit his car. The driver was very apologetic and said she felt she was out too far in the junction and simply didn't see him in her mirrors, he was in a typical 90s hatchback, think Starlet. She said she only bought it because it made her feel safer, to which my brother said something along the lines of "well we don't aren't safe because you're driving something you can't handle".
Erm…cant see over Vans, trucks either.
Problem there isn’t the SUV it’s the shît driver. You don’t need a special license to drive a transit van, which is bigger in every aspect… length, width and height….you get a job tomorrow working for cyclone couriers in a transit you don’t need a commercial license…
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