lovegroova

I was just referring to posts 24 and 25.

Although I think we've established it's not just chippy impecunious types.

Polemicist

But 'they're' in the majority.

GarethB

Not blaming the car at all, unless there's a 4x4 Herbie it is the owner's fault.

This has nothing to do with the car itself. A 4x4 on its own is environmentally friendly (it can't fill up with petrol and drive until an owner / driver is involved)

People.....ok some people.... don't like 4x4 owners then.
Particularly when they do not have sufficient driving skills to negotiate the smaller roads in cities, or the crowded, double parked streets outside schools. The "COMING THROUGH, LIKE IT OR NOT" attitude which is heightened (pardon the pun) by the sheer size of a 4x4

Perhaps it's inconsiderate drivers we're railing against here and it's just that inconsiderate / poorly skilled 4x4 drivers cause a lot more damage, panic and irritation that inconsiderate Polo drivers?

Mole

There were tests done recently that suggest high bonneted vehicles cause less damage to pedestrians at low speed than lower, basically in lower bonneted cars the pedestrian is hit lower down causing the lever point to be lower and slamming the chest and head into the bonnet at greater force. With higher bonnets they hit around the midrift to chest area and the lever point is higher making the head impact at a slower speed.

GarethB

if it's between one ton at waist height and two and half tons at chest height I know which I'd prefer to be hit by!

Nick Graves

...which is why modern cars are all so fugly.

Really depends on the design of the SUV; you can submarine a pedestrian with something as big as a Landbruiser or a Patrol. Bars & winches tend to smart a bit, too. TBH though, it's a bit Darwin to not see one of those coming...

A Pious in silent mode is probably more dangerous!

You can make yer own jokes about a Panda paw X paw coming off worse than the pedestrian...

Mole

But in these comparisons its not, its more like 1.8 vs 2.2 tons. Mine has nice composite wings, bonnet and bumpers so its softer on jaywalkers bodies.

The 4x4 driver would have probably spotted the careless pedestrian long before the car driver as hes much higher and has a clearer field of vision.

lovegroova

He may have spotted the pedestrian, but he's more likely to hit him, as the vast weight of his car means he can't stop as quickly, so will be going faster.

In fact, in a normal car, the pedestrian might even have been avoided due to the better braking and higher manoueverability.

dreamer

We could do our own experiment with stopping distances Simon at the next Surrey meet I have no doubt the LC will take a while longer, would be interesting to see quite how much further!

RISLAR

Well AJ 2 or 3 words for you, Pickup Truck, no daft tax, plenty of options and bloody good fun you know it makes sense