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> Cars are getting so big that people can’t drive them. While controversial because car companies in the US intentionally chose to market large SUVs to the pub
by sammalloy 4y ago
> Cars are getting so big that people can’t drive them.
While controversial because car companies in the US intentionally chose to market large SUVs to the public, there is some evidence that smaller vehicles are safer and that auto manufacturers have doubled down on unsafe vehicles. Why this is the case, isn’t exactly known, but one of the theories is that bad drivers will get behind bigger cars and take more risks.
I’ve driven both large SUVs and smaller subcompacts, and I can talk at length on the pros and cons. However, as a driver, I can tell you that smaller cars are often bullied by larger cars, and this gives weight to the idea that people driving larger vehicles take larger risks, resulting in greater danger to the driver and to other cars and pedestrians.
There’s also the mistaken perception by older generations that smaller cars are inherently more dangerous; this was once true, and everyone can point to disastrously unsafe compact cars in the 1970s and 1980s. But due to modern technology and safety enhancements, this probably hasn’t been true for the last two decades or more. This older, erroneous belief continues to underlie why people choose larger vehicles today.
- bwilli123 4y agoThese Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7mSXMruEo&t=1858s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7mSXMruEo&t=1858s
- logi2mus 4y agoRisk compensation
- LanceH 4y agoSmaller cars are more dangerous in a multi-car accident. Most accidents only involve a single car. There is less control in larger vehicles. Everyone thinks they are a better driver than they are and the only way they'll end up in an accident is if someone else hits them. Add all this up and many want to drive larger cars.
- Schroedingersat 4y ago> Smaller cars are more dangerous in a multi-car accident. Smaller cars bear more of the risk in a multi-car accident from the more dangerous larger cars. The smaller cars themselves are safer. It's like saying t-shirts are less safe than guns because they won't stop bullets.
- 8ytecoder 4y agoIt's a negative spiral. More people get bigger cars now because well there are more bigger cars on the road now. That and the convenience of an SUV is unbeatable for people with families - like baby seats or ease of getting in and out and so on. When I bought my car almost a decade ago, it felt reasonably sized. Now it looks puny on the road.
- Schroedingersat 4y agoTrue. But language is important. We don't have to help them victim blame.
- LanceH 4y agoNo victim blaming. Smaller cars are more dangerous given an accident is already occurring between multiple cars. Choosing a car to be in an accident, a bigger car is a solid choice. Of course, that skips over being in an accident at all. It also skips over any concern for others -- but so many people view that hypothetical accident as clearly the other person's fault, so may as well go with the big car.
- Schroedingersat 4y ago> Smaller cars are more dangerous given an accident is already occurring between multiple cars. Again, you're victim blaming here. The small car is not causing the danger. T-shirts are not more dangerous than guns just because someone firing a gun randomly into a crowd is less likely to get hurt than someone in the crowd wearing a t-shirt.
- smegger001 4y ago>Everyone thinks they are a better driver than they are and the only way they'll end up in an accident is if someone else hits them. I hear this a lot and wonder how true it is because I personally think i am a horrible driver and can't wait until actually safe fully self driving cars take away my need to drive. on the other had a drive a small car and want a smaller one despite sharing the roads with behemoth raised 4x4 pickups that seem to be inexplicably popular.
- amrocha 4y agoSelf driving cars are never coming in a form that would allow you to absolve yourself of responsibility for driving
- ben_w 4y ago"Never" is a long time. Given the explanations I've been given for why demonstration videos of general purpose vision-based robots are still often sped up x4 or more (despite Tesla and Spot), I have to assume it's at least a few years away yet, but that's not never.
- kergonath 4y agoThe human will always be responsible. There is no way the manufacturers are going to accept liability in case their self driving car has an accident.
- ailun 4y agoI remember hearing something different. Seems like Mercedes is moving in that direction. https://insideevs.com/news/575160/mercedes-accepts-legal-responsibility-drive-pilot/ https://insideevs.com/news/575160/mercedes-accepts-legal-res...
- kergonath 4y agoInteresting. I’ll be happy to eat my hat in a couple of years, but I don’t think this will be generalised.
- Gordonjcp 4y ago> I’ve driven both large SUVs and smaller subcompacts, and I can talk at length on the pros and cons. One thing I find genuinely surprising is that the Renault Zoes we have as pool cars at work have got far bigger blind spots and far worse visibility than my 25-year-old Range Rover. And, in turn, although that Range Rover is described as an SUV (it's not especially sporty, it's a top-heavy three tonne army truck with nicer seats), it's the same length and width as most "normal" family saloons. It's got a much smaller footprint on the road than some large 5-seaters like a Tesla Model S.
- avar 4y agoIt's because of modern safety regulations. A, B and C pillars are all thicker, so are doors. Windows don't go as low to improve crash outcomes.
- lostlogin 4y agoYes! My ‘60s Triumph 2000 had amazing visibility. If I’d rolled I’d have died for sure, but I’d have seen the thing that killed me.
- thevagrant 4y agoI've noticed that certain types of large vehicles attract drivers (or create false confidence) in bad driving and aggressive driving habits. It is appears that the driver of the large SUV or pickup believes they have right of way over smaller cars, pedestrians and cyclists. A "get out of my way" attitude. I love small cars, not to mention cycling and walking. It concerns me that the shift of cars parked at the parking lot has dramatically changed over the past 20 years. Walking from the car to the shop is like carpark gauntlet, you need to be increasingly ready to dodge giant vehicles reversing with disregard to their surroundings.
- ip26 4y agoSurveys have found that people driving large SUVs and trucks like them for reasons including, it makes them feel powerful, and it makes them feel important. These were high on the list, even.
- drdec 4y ago> car companies in the US intentionally chose to market large SUVs to the public, This didn't happen in a vacuum. Poorly written fuel efficiency regulations incentivized automakers to do this.
- HEmanZ 4y agoMy unscientific pet theory is that poorly built/zoned neighborhoods and cities, designed as if every human needs to drive a giant car at all times, are to blame more
- amrocha 4y agoNeighborhoods are built slower than cars are, and the increase in car size has outpaced construction. Sure we should fix our neighborhoods, but they're not the main reason behind increasing car sizes.
- amrocha 4y agoThey weren't "poorly written" as much as "lawmakers accepted bribes to add exemptions for semis"
- nukeman 4y agoBigger vehicles by volume are safer, as there is more space for crumple zones. Bigger vehicles by mass are more dangerous, as there is more momentum and kinetic energy involved in a collision.
- tmnvix 4y agoI think bigger vehicles often have the disadvantage of having a more rigid chassis.
- helaoban 4y agoBigger vehicles by volume are taller vehicles, they impact pedestrians closer to the vital organs in the upper torso and head. Pedestrians are also more likely to be swallowed / run over by cars with higher ride heights.
- sammalloy 4y ago> Pedestrians are also more likely to be swallowed / run over by cars with higher ride heights. It would be very interesting to see more studies on this. Where I am, the car of choice is a lifted truck that I don’t think has been accounted for with regards to pedestrian safety.
- nradov 4y agoAmericans spend a lot of time in their vehicles. Big vehicles are simply more comfortable and practical on a daily basis, at least outside of a few dense cities. If you're going to be stuck in traffic then might as well have some space to stretch out instead of being squeezed into a compact car. Safety is less of a concern for most buyers. You can argue that this is irrational based on handling or fuel economy or whatever. But for better or worse buyers prefer size and comfort.
- lostlogin 4y agoI’m around 195cm. There is plenty of space. I can fit very comfortably into most vehicles (passenger planes excluded). Outside of leg and elbow room, what can you even do with that extra space when stuck in a traffic jam?
- Symbiote 4y agoYou may leave less room for rear seat, adult passengers if you drive a compact car. It's still manageable, and fine for occasional trips, but I wouldn't choose that car to drive 4 adults daily.
- jessaustin 4y ago...I wouldn't choose that car to drive 4 adults daily. Is this a typical thing that cars do? I'm not sure if I've seen 4 adults in a car in the last month.
- tbrownaw 4y agoBefore the plague forced pervasive WFH, this was every Friday when a bunch of us would pick somewhere for lunch and all pile into the fewest cars needed.
- jessaustin 4y agoA long time ago I worked in an office like that. I usually biked to commute, so when we had one more person going than cars going to lunch, I just biked to the restaurant as well. Otherwise, I rode in someone's car. Still, none of the drivers did this "daily". Neither this nor sibling comment describe a "daily" situation. If you need a big sedan once a month and big SUV twice a year, just rent at those times and drive something more practical the rest of the year.
- Helmut10001 4y agoIn Germany, the car tax includes the type of car and is adapted based on the accident rate for this type. Basically, you know ahead of time that you will pay more if you buy a car type that is often driven by reckless drivers.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]