Can we just end this thread?

The original question was "Why do people bash SUVs? Why is there hostility towares SUVs?" I think that has been answered a dozen times, by a dozen posters. If it was a serious question, then everyone here can read serious answers to it. If poster A can't understand that SUVs are perceived as big, reckless and dangerous to other drivers, so what? If poster B can't understand that just as many sports car drivers are reckless as SUV drivers, so what?

There is no reason to keep bashing each other and adopting attitudes regarding each other's views of SUVs on A HONDA S2000 WEBSITE.

Thank you for your time. I have earned my 1 cosmic karma point for the day...you may now return to your regularly scheduled argument.

 

I'm definitely in agreement with Jason. No, it's not the denial comment. No, it's not the unibody comment either.
I do believe that SUV would be in worse shape in a rollover than a seden or coupe. Those pictures are different cars/trucks in their own rolling situation. You can't really compare them. Unibody argument is definitely sound.
How about this....simple physics.
Which car/truck is heavier and is going to have greater momentum when it starts to roll?
Would the structure hold up better when a 4000 lb 4Runner come crashing down on the top structure and your skull or a 3500 lb seden?
The result is more like the poor SUV shown above......
I feel safer in a seden as long as I control my own destiny.
However, it isn't always the case. There are tons of SUVs out there. These SUVs are bad in handling and bad in brakes, even if you try to leave them alone, the chances are one of those will decide to hit you whether you like it or not. (in fact, it will hit you whethere they like it or not)
SUVs are great, I just think they should be banned from all major highways. At the very least the truck ban from "parkways" should extend the definition of trucks to cover SUVs.

 

I got in late, but here's my $.02. We currently own the S2000 and a '96 Pathfinder. Bought the pathfinder cause we have a dog and my parents live on a lake. At the time we got it we lived about 40 mins. away and went up to the lake every weekend at least. We also play a lot of volleyball and took Kona (the dog) with us quite a bit. It was just easier. Now, we live just down the street from my folks on that same lake. All we do is commuting. No need for the pathfinder anymore so it's going up for sale.

I think it's really a facts and circumstances argument. For the "mid" sized SUVs (pathfinder, explorer, et.al) I don't really see any more issue with them than any other car on the road. I avoid them like the plauge in parking lots simply because (unlike minivans) they have 4 doors to swing open and ding my baby and much of the time there are rugrats climbing in and out of them that couldn't care less about my paint. Now for the MONSTER SUVs like the Ford Eyesore or the Caddy or Lincoln, again, facts and circumstances. Friend of mine has two kids, owns a liquor store and also runs a bartending service - has a suburban. Makes pefect sense. If you're gonna use it, great, by all means. But I also know a couple people that have the Eyesore or Caddy who live in IL and drive up here on the weekends to enjoy "God's Country" (that one is for you IL guys ) And so many times I see them driving up here with just two of them in it and have it as a status symbol. Now, I've got a little more of a problem with that, but it's still thier choice. My problem with them is selfish because I don't like to drive around them. They kick up more crap off the highway, they are closer to the shoulder/median (generally they are wider) and have a tendancy to spray up stones and other garbage off the side of the road - again attacking my paint. Also, I can't see the driver in them so it's hard for me to keep an eye on what they are going to do (i.e. checking over their shoulders indicates a lane change) so I can avoid them since I'm generally invisable.

My last argument can best be expressed by reading this link. It's the short story that inspired Rush's Red Barchetta. Could it ever happen? Sure, why not. And that's my biggest fear. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4893/nicemdrv.html

 

Suvs are not a "fad". We own a '98 Ford Expedition, and we use it to tow boats, and transport people. Ok, yes, you can transport people in a station wagon, but the you lose the towing part. Same goes for trucks, you can tow, but 5 seats isn't enough or comfortable w/ 5 big guys in it. All you SUV haters are just scared. Plain scared .

 

Anyone want to make stickers that say "I DETEST SUV's"? I'll be the first to buy one.

 

Very good thread that brings out the best viewpoints of both sides, unfortunately I am hanging with the anti-SUV people. I do not see the need for these vehicles in the majority of the cases.

Gregg, I do not think your survey of you commute will give you the picture of the SUV craze. First, I do not think the men are the majority who drive this type of vehicle, it is generally the mom who drives the vehicle doing useless errands around town. I live in the largest condominium complex in the state and according to our records 61 percent of the vehicles are SUVs. Of the 61 percent, those that I call the oversize catagory (Expidition/Suburban type) account for 43 percent of the SUVs. I do not have away to check the family sizes.

I think these figures are very realistic of what is going on in the real world. I would say that the majority of these vehicles are driven by the women of the house not the men. I would also add that the overwhelming majority of the drivers do not know how to handle a vehicle of this size. It is not all SUV drivers who cause us to slam SUV drivers, but there is a large enough number to form an overall opinion.

I would also add that when we performed traffic safety stops for speeders in the neighborhood the majority by far were the Moms in SUVs and Minivans with their children in the vehicle.

Just my $.02.

 

SUV's and Roadsters are both fine with me and they both have rights to the road. It's not only Soccer Moms that drive SUV's. I am sure there are a few of them that drive S2000's, too.

I would love to have a big old Toyota Land Cruiser under my foot as a salt vehicle.

 

I do not like SUVs, hence my name...

 

Soccer moms usually drive minivans around here.

 

My wife drives an Acura MDX with a nav system. It's a wonderful vehicle and she loves it. That's good enough for me. She's a very safe driver. I think a few jerk SUV drivers (OK, maybemore than a few) have given them all a bad name.