3 ms·
> I’ll get hammered for this, but why do people own cars like that, why on earth would people need a F350 super duty ? What practical purpose would it serve ?
by rootusrootus 4y ago
> I’ll get hammered for this, but why do people own cars like that, why on earth would people need a F350 super duty ? What practical purpose would it serve ?
The only reason you'd get hammered for that question is the implicit assumption that nobody who owns an HD truck needs it.
You might see me drive to the store once in a while in my F250. So you'd probably wonder why I needed such a massive gas guzzling grocery getter? Well, because that day my wife took the Bolt and I had no other option. People fall for this fallacy all the time, assuming that if you see someone underutilizing their truck, they must always be underutilizing it.
But I only drive mine a thousand miles a year, and except for rare occasions only when a travel tailer is attached behind it. The rest of the time we drive my wife's Bolt, and I'll wager that my average fuel consumption is lower than most people who only have an economy car.
- iancmceachern 4y agoMe too! I love seeing a fellow RVer here on HN, pretty small overlap between the two I expect. In also live in SF.
- chrisseaton 4y ago> I had no other option Buy a smaller car? Walk?
- ls15 4y agoBoth of these don't tow the trailer.
- Fatnino 4y agoTrucks do have a use sometimes, and some people keep a truck on standby while using a more efficient car most of the time. With that set up a situation can arise where the one efficient car is in use while the other driver needs to be somewhere. It is completely irrational to expect them to maintain a 3rd vehicle for this rare case.
- Ancapistani 4y ago> Buy a smaller car? So your solution to the incremental pollution caused by driving “too much vehicle”… is to mine, refine, and manufacture a second vehicle?
- chrisseaton 4y agoIf you’re already making an entire car to drive it one thousand miles a year then you’re better off buying a smaller one instead and hiring yeah. Or just walking to get groceries.
- singron 4y agoMoney is a surprisingly good proxy for energy and carbon impact. If it's cheaper to buy than rent, then it probably uses less energy too. When you rent a car, it has to sit in the rental car parking lot. They have to build the facility. An employee has to drive there to do all your paperwork and rent it to you. The rental gets fully cleaned and inspected after a day of use by another set of employees. They all have to eat to work and a lot of energy is used to produce that food. All of this and more is encapsulated in the price.
- chrisseaton 4y agoNot sure if you’re agreeing with me - yeah renting for such low use is both cheaper and better for the environment.
- rootusrootus 4y agoRenting isn't even feasible. I couldn't even begin to tell you where I'd rent a pickup that would work for this. Supposing I found one, I'd have to make all the arrangements to retrieve it, then spend a few hours setting up the towing equipment for it, and then make all the arrangements to send it back. LOL, no. It can sit in my garage getting used every couple weeks for the next 10 years. That's what I do with trucks. They are utility vehicles.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- rootusrootus 4y agoSo I should buy a third car for that one special occasion? That seems less climate friendly, not more. I could walk, but that would take a nice chunk of the afternoon for multiple trips.