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There are plenty of trucks in Europe. There's even a whole computer game series based around it.[0] Lots of Europeans go on driving holidays. They even take car
by alisonatwork 6y ago
There are plenty of trucks in Europe. There's even a whole computer game series based around it.[0] Lots of Europeans go on driving holidays. They even take caravans ("travel trailers"). Caravans are so common that they're a running joke on popular car shows like Top Gear.[1]
It is true that generally people don't tend to drive as long distances in Europe as they do in the US, but it's not unheard of to drive 1000km on holiday. It's not as if everyone in Europe spends their lives pootling around cobble-stoned towns in Fiat 500s with a crusty baguette sticking out the window. There are large highways and plenty of heavy traffic.
I think the difference is that people in Europe tend not use their oversized vehicles as daily drivers. Many people don't even own a large car at all, preferring to rent or borrow one for specifically when they do go on holiday. Driving a large car seems like less of a status symbol in Europe. I don't buy that it's a safety thing for Americans, when most Americans are just driving their SUVs to the shops or to work every day.
[0] https://eurotrucksimulator2.com/ https://eurotrucksimulator2.com/
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNTnrpL1Uw0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNTnrpL1Uw0
- mikewarot 6y agoOk, what do you mean by large car? In the US, a car is specifically NOT an SUV, nor a Truck. In my mind, that conjures up a 1972 Buick Electra Station Wagon. They are 2320 Kg, more than 2 of the 1999 Honda Civic. https://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/buick/full-size_buick_7gen/le_sabre_4gen_wagon/1972.html https://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/buick/full-size_buic...
- alisonatwork 6y agoI understand the term "car" to mean pretty much any personal/family vehicle with an engine and four wheels. I don't think that's an unusual understanding of the word. The (American) Car and Driver magazine features stories on SUVs and pickup trucks too. Most "car" dealerships in the US sell all of these vehicle types.
- mikewarot 6y agoThis misunderstanding is because I'm old and when I grew up there were cars, pickup trucks, and Trucks. The language has mutated and I didn't notice. SUVs in the US are out of hand, I totally agree with that. I thought you were saying that our Sedans are huge.
- alisonatwork 6y agoI'm also old (ish), and I do admit that the "American cars are bigger" argument has gotten less convincing as time has gone on. Even if we just look at cars, it seems the small/compact end has been getting larger, in Europe as well[0]. It would be interesting to see if the move toward larger cars in general has been offset by the increase of "sub-car" vehicles like electric tuk-tuks, e-bikes and so on. [0] https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/investigation-why-are-cars-becoming-so-wide https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/investigation-wh...
- ghaff 6y agoLess commonly with a pickup truck but plenty of people will refer to their SUV, especially if it's a crossover as most are these days, as their "car." I suppose a large car, in the strict sense of the word, these days would be something like a Lincoln Town Car.