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The next time you're driving on a highway in the U.S., entertain yourself by playing this game: count the number of pickup trucks (non-commercial) with empty be

The next time you're driving on a highway in the U.S., entertain yourself by playing this game: count the number of pickup trucks (non-commercial) with empty beds, resetting to zero every time you spy one that's actually carrying or towing something. Try not to be surprised when you reach the triple digits!

shaneprrlt 7y ago
How could I possibly see what's in the bed from the driver seat of my Honda Accord?
- d1zzy 7y ago
  You mean you aren't driving your own SUV/truck? Get out of here! /s
addisonl 7y ago
How do you see into their bed unless you are also in a truck?
- Yizahi 7y ago
  If there is anything inside which doesn't stick out above truck sides then it can be carried in a regular medium sedan just as well. So count them as not carrying anything worth buy a truck for.
Gibbon1 7y ago
What gets me. For a while I owned a van as my only vehicle. I was only driving about 3000 miles a year. Then my company moved and I was driving 12000 miles a year. And I bought a used Prius. Because when I ran the numbers the van would have cost around $10,000/yr. Vs $4000 for the Prius. I see people commuting in full sized trucks all the time and I don't get it. It's 80 cents a mile when you add everything up.
- jjeaff 7y ago
  I'm sure there are alternatives, but If you spend a significant amount of time in your vehicle everyday, the size and comfort of the vehicle does come into play. For one, if you are a big person, either horizontally or vertically, a Prius can become less than comfortable. Also, sciatica and back issues can come into play. I know for me, sitting for too long in a small car keeps me folded a little too tightly to the point that my lower back will start to throb. Where sitting up and stretched out with a high enough seat to keep the bottoms of my thighs supported while feet are flat on the floor or at the petals makes a big difference for back and leg pain.
strikelaserclaw 7y ago
I moved to dallas from the east coast, i was quite surprised at how many people view having a pickup truck as some kind of status symbol (southern culture). Nothing like seeing a lifted pickup hurling towards you at 75 mph in your rear view mirror everyday.
- zip1234 7y ago
  And it seems every pickup in Texas has a brush guard on the front, making it even bigger.
  - msisk6 7y ago
    It depends on where you live in Texas, but you only have to hit a deer once to understand the utility of those ugly brushguards. My son ran into a deer with our beater Aerostar minivan awhile back it totaled it. Airbag went off and everything. Meanwhile I hit a deer with my Ram diesel pickup with a Ranchhand guard last week and no damage. So they do have some utility. ;) I do agree these trucks are ridiculous; if I didn't have a farm and the need to haul a large trailer I probably wouldn't have it. As it is we mostly drive my wife's Subaru when we actually need to go somewhere unladened.
    - dillonmckay 7y ago
      What model RAM?
- thorwasdfasdf 7y ago
  Yeah, it's really weird. I've always noticed that the top 3 best seller of vehilcles in the US were pick up trucks. and articles talk about them like their somehow aspirational. I've always thought of them as big, ugly and dorky: about as far away as cool gets.
- zerr 7y ago
  Another way to look at it would be - the person is not rich enough to own several types of vehicles therefore owns the most universal one.
barryparr 7y ago
You can also do this survey in a parking lot. For bonus points, check the bed liner for wear, which is a good indication whether they ever haul anything in their truck. Many are surprisingly pristine.
sjg007 7y ago
Pickups are the number one selling vehicle class in the US.
- baddox 7y ago
  According to what system of vehicle classification? I would have guessed crossovers to sell more, if that's considered a vehicle class.
dsfyu404ed 7y ago
Are we gonna count 5-passenger cars that only have the front row occupied while we're at it? Not having to use your vehicle to capacity at all times is one of the hallmarks of being at least middle class (at least in the US).
- BluePen7 7y ago
  And the lower class, a 4 door 5 seater sedan is what I drove when I didn’t have that much money. If I’d had more money, I could afford a coupe. And if I had more money still, I could afford a 2 seater sports car. An under utilized vehicle may be a hallmark of the middle class, but a desirable vehicle that is only exactly what you need at that moment is a hallmark of the upper class. On top of being more expensive, it’s also far more likely to be a secondary vehicle.
- blaser-waffle 7y ago
  That 5 passenger car is going to use WAYYYY less gas then the mostly empty giant truck, while also being less of a risk to other drivers and not obstructing other car's view.
  - jjeaff 7y ago
    Not as much as you think. 2019 f150 is rated 22/30 mpg. 2019 Honda Civic is 32/40. (Side note, a Prius will only get you to about 50) So you are going to spend 20-30% less on gas which, depending on how much you drive and gas prices, might amount to around $100/month. Then of course deduct the cost of a rental and the hassle and if you need a truck once a month, you are already about even.
- cafard 7y ago
  Outside of professional truckers--and we won't count the trip back to the loading dock--who regularly uses his vehicle to capacity at all times?
baddox 7y ago
While you're looking out for laughably low vehicle utilization, count the number of cars that only have a driver and no passengers.
tchock23 7y ago
Here is another game... Sit outside of a car wash and count how many of these supposed "utility" vehicles go through them. They're almost always spotless both before and after they go through...
giancarlostoro 7y ago
Exception's gotta be Orlando then, cause every other truck is full of tools and what have you, at least in my morning drives to work.
cafard 7y ago
I haven't driven much the last ten years, but used to find myself behind a lot of sports utes with a driver and at most one passenger. For the rest, they here hauling empty space, and I would fantasize about suggesting that they just get a sedan and a compressed-air tank.

shaneprrlt 7y ago

How could I possibly see what's in the bed from the driver seat of my Honda Accord?

d1zzy 7y ago
You mean you aren't driving your own SUV/truck? Get out of here! /s

addisonl 7y ago

How do you see into their bed unless you are also in a truck?

Yizahi 7y ago
If there is anything inside which doesn't stick out above truck sides then it can be carried in a regular medium sedan just as well. So count them as not carrying anything worth buy a truck for.

Gibbon1 7y ago

What gets me. For a while I owned a van as my only vehicle. I was only driving about 3000 miles a year. Then my company moved and I was driving 12000 miles a year. And I bought a used Prius. Because when I ran the numbers the van would have cost around $10,000/yr. Vs $4000 for the Prius. I see people commuting in full sized trucks all the time and I don't get it. It's 80 cents a mile when you add everything up.

jjeaff 7y ago
I'm sure there are alternatives, but If you spend a significant amount of time in your vehicle everyday, the size and comfort of the vehicle does come into play. For one, if you are a big person, either horizontally or vertically, a Prius can become less than comfortable. Also, sciatica and back issues can come into play. I know for me, sitting for too long in a small car keeps me folded a little too tightly to the point that my lower back will start to throb. Where sitting up and stretched out with a high enough seat to keep the bottoms of my thighs supported while feet are flat on the floor or at the petals makes a big difference for back and leg pain.

strikelaserclaw 7y ago

I moved to dallas from the east coast, i was quite surprised at how many people view having a pickup truck as some kind of status symbol (southern culture). Nothing like seeing a lifted pickup hurling towards you at 75 mph in your rear view mirror everyday.

zip1234 7y ago
And it seems every pickup in Texas has a brush guard on the front, making it even bigger.
- msisk6 7y ago
  It depends on where you live in Texas, but you only have to hit a deer once to understand the utility of those ugly brushguards. My son ran into a deer with our beater Aerostar minivan awhile back it totaled it. Airbag went off and everything. Meanwhile I hit a deer with my Ram diesel pickup with a Ranchhand guard last week and no damage. So they do have some utility. ;) I do agree these trucks are ridiculous; if I didn't have a farm and the need to haul a large trailer I probably wouldn't have it. As it is we mostly drive my wife's Subaru when we actually need to go somewhere unladened.
  - dillonmckay 7y ago
    What model RAM?
thorwasdfasdf 7y ago
Yeah, it's really weird. I've always noticed that the top 3 best seller of vehilcles in the US were pick up trucks. and articles talk about them like their somehow aspirational. I've always thought of them as big, ugly and dorky: about as far away as cool gets.
zerr 7y ago
Another way to look at it would be - the person is not rich enough to own several types of vehicles therefore owns the most universal one.

barryparr 7y ago

You can also do this survey in a parking lot. For bonus points, check the bed liner for wear, which is a good indication whether they ever haul anything in their truck. Many are surprisingly pristine.

sjg007 7y ago

Pickups are the number one selling vehicle class in the US.

baddox 7y ago
According to what system of vehicle classification? I would have guessed crossovers to sell more, if that's considered a vehicle class.

dsfyu404ed 7y ago

Are we gonna count 5-passenger cars that only have the front row occupied while we're at it? Not having to use your vehicle to capacity at all times is one of the hallmarks of being at least middle class (at least in the US).

BluePen7 7y ago
And the lower class, a 4 door 5 seater sedan is what I drove when I didn’t have that much money. If I’d had more money, I could afford a coupe. And if I had more money still, I could afford a 2 seater sports car. An under utilized vehicle may be a hallmark of the middle class, but a desirable vehicle that is only exactly what you need at that moment is a hallmark of the upper class. On top of being more expensive, it’s also far more likely to be a secondary vehicle.
blaser-waffle 7y ago
That 5 passenger car is going to use WAYYYY less gas then the mostly empty giant truck, while also being less of a risk to other drivers and not obstructing other car's view.
- jjeaff 7y ago
  Not as much as you think. 2019 f150 is rated 22/30 mpg. 2019 Honda Civic is 32/40. (Side note, a Prius will only get you to about 50) So you are going to spend 20-30% less on gas which, depending on how much you drive and gas prices, might amount to around $100/month. Then of course deduct the cost of a rental and the hassle and if you need a truck once a month, you are already about even.
cafard 7y ago
Outside of professional truckers--and we won't count the trip back to the loading dock--who regularly uses his vehicle to capacity at all times?

baddox 7y ago

While you're looking out for laughably low vehicle utilization, count the number of cars that only have a driver and no passengers.

tchock23 7y ago

Here is another game... Sit outside of a car wash and count how many of these supposed "utility" vehicles go through them. They're almost always spotless both before and after they go through...

giancarlostoro 7y ago

Exception's gotta be Orlando then, cause every other truck is full of tools and what have you, at least in my morning drives to work.

cafard 7y ago

I haven't driven much the last ten years, but used to find myself behind a lot of sports utes with a driver and at most one passenger. For the rest, they here hauling empty space, and I would fantasize about suggesting that they just get a sedan and a compressed-air tank.