Why do people drive unnecessarily large cars?

You deliberately misrepresented what they were saying in order to use a dead kid as a pawn, flouting the tragedy in front of others as a way of browbeating everyone else into submission. Absolutely reprehensible behaviour.

What matters is that child deaths are happening in collisions with vehicles

I already asked you if the vehicle in this particular case, that you introduced as an example of "cars good : SUVs bad", was the reason for the fatality and you ducked it. If that poor child would have been killed anyway if the vehicle was a car, then introducing that story was pointless. There is nothing to suggest the vehicle type was the critical factor in the fatality. Presenting it as exhibit A in the crusade to restrict peoples' freedom of choice in what vehicle they drive is not only irrelevant, it's intellectually dishonest.

Clickbait nonsense.

A quote from that article:

Researchers…..gathered data from more than 680,000 road collisions in multiple countries over the past 35 years.

They compared the severity of injuries suffered by pedestrians or cyclists struck by standard cars with light truck vehicles, which include SUVs, small vans and pick-up trucks.

So the headline is a lie.

Lumping one category of vehicle in with others then demonising only that single category in the headline is a) a dishonest scumbag move, b) unscientific and c) exactly the same stunt that you pulled earlier……i.e….tugging on heart strings in the hope that you elicit an emotive response.

Tell me, what do the percentages look like when you compare deaths caused by (1) SUVs on their own versus (2) the total number of deaths caused by cars, trucks, vans, pick-ups and all other 'light truck vehicles' excluding SUVs?

Would you be happy if someone said "the number of fatalities caused by (2) is higher than the number caused by (1), ergo SUVs are safer"?

The nerve of calling someone else ghoulish after the stunt you pulled is just……

This thread is certainly busy with absolutely no point whatsoever 😀

What a load of nonsense. My saloon weighs almost exactly 2 tonnes. That's almost 500kg heavier than a Tucson.

Why are you campaigning against one on the basis of weight and not the other, heavier one?

Because it looks to all and sundry like you've made your mind up based on incomplete data and you're just spouting buzzwords to justify your unwarranted hatred at this stage.

If weight matters so much, why not focus on the heaviest cars? A 5-Series weighs 2.2 tonnes. That's practically double the weight of a SEAT Arona. I don't see anyone starting a thread on unnecessarily heavy saloons and estates.

And what about EVs? A Nissan Leaf is 50% heavier than the Arona mentioned earlier. Why aren't you clamouring for them to be banned?

You are correct with the force of impact calculations. It's also laughable to consider a ranger being an average sized SUV. However it's important to bear in mind that that the Tucson is a higher up car than an Octavia so will hit you higher in the body

Another thing we might be forgetting when it comes to safety is the safety of the cars occupants. If there were a car travelling the wrong way down a motorway towards me or a tuck turning at traffic lights I'd rather be in a Ford Ranger than an Isetta any day

What is the end goal of all this - People can only drive small hatchbacks unless they report to their local apparatchik for permission to move up a grade?

I need a 4x4 sometimes, other times it's my daily transport. If you passed me by in the street, how are any of you to know my business and circumstances. What are the proposals for the 'other' times I need it - have two vehicles I need to insure/tax/maintain?

I know plenty of families that use vans as it caters to their lives better. I know some who own a 5 litre + V8's but don't drive them during the week and have easy access to public transport. Some, have no heed on cars and are happy with a small run around of any make. Some love driving, like me, if the choice were to drive or take a train/bus/plane, I'd pick driving every time unless the pro\con situation was significantly overwhelming.

There's a weird wish to be involved in peoples personal lives and choices.

Sure who needs a 2 ton EV? Ireland should boycott any car manufacturer that cant supply a 7 seaterfamily car under 2 ton. That would sort them

I know nothing about you, and it's not about you. It's about reducing danger in the public realm.

The likes of Ford Ranger is simply not suitable in any metric as a personal use vehicle. When I need the odd job which requires something bigger than my 3.9 metre long commuting vehicle I hire a commercial van for the day.

Just because I drive a commercial van for a day doesn't then mean I hate all car drivers. Vehicles are simply utilities, I don't think of them as a personal extension. They are various classes of vehicles for various uses.

If you can't accept that the Ranger was designed primarily for loads greater than the average school and shopping trips then there's no getting through to you.

The joke about the likes of the Ranger is it's for pulling the boat I don't own to the mountain track I don't need to use.

I know nothing about you, and it's not about you.

Correct, and you know nothing about other Ford Ranger drivers, but seem intent to assert your will on them irrespective of this.

It's about reducing danger in the public realm.

Perceived danger.

The likes of Ford Ranger is simply not suitable in any metric as a personal use vehicle.

Just the Ford Ranger? There are other brands & models out there; it's a strange fixation you have on this model.

There's plenty of metrics that say its suitable as for personal use. You just don't want to consider them

When I need the odd job which requires something bigger than my 3.9 metre long commuting vehicle I hire a commercial van for the day.

So that works for you, why? - Because its an odd job. Others need it more often than you and it's not financially viable to rent another van every time.

Just because I drive a commercial van for a day doesn't then mean I hate all car drivers.

No, just Ford Ranger drivers evidently.

Vehicles are simply utilities, I don't think of them as a personal extension. They are various classes of vehicles for various uses.

This is the crux of the matter; you see it as a simple utility others are more interested in cars / vans/ 4x4's / motorbikes etc.

It is still none of your business.

If you can't accept that the Ranger was designed primarily for loads greater than the average school and shopping trips then there's no getting through to you.

I never said it was. You're making things up now.

You just cannot accept people have choice and wish to engage in baseless judgement.

The joke about the likes of the Ranger is it's for pulling the boat I don't own to the mountain track I don't need to use.

It's designed for a multitude of uses. I don't tow a boat with my 4x4 does it mean in your simplistic land I should hand it back?

Where would you like this to end? Cars/houses/heating & utilities/food consumption; it's a bizarre train of thought to excuse simple judgement of others simply on the basis of "I don't like them".

Get a life. Stay out of others lives.

There's a big problem with your "logic"-

I don't own a Ford Ranger.

Is the Ford Ranger in the room with us…

Ford ranger is a fairly accurate example about the type of vehicle this thread is about.

ive still to hear an argument that the average truck like the ford ranger is safer for the public domain than the average sedan or hatchback.

There's simply no argument for such trucks like the ford ranger for non commercial use.

I say that as someone who's used them frequently off road in construction.

I think people who argue otherwise are as insecure as those curtain twitchers in the valley of the squinting windows.