3 ms·

I'm not sure you need an SUV to take care of a family of four, but a lot of people in America specifically seem to feel that way. Elsewhere I guess the standard

I'm not sure you need an SUV to take care of a family of four, but a lot of people in America specifically seem to feel that way. Elsewhere I guess the standards for comfort are different.

xyzelement 3y ago
You definitely don't need anything - you can raise kids in the woods as our ancestors did. But I don't think large vehicles an American thing, it's a wealth thing. Eg in Japan, which is rich, pretty much anytime you see a family with kids on the road, they were in a Toyota Alphard (look it up, never heard of it till I saw them) which are huge vs typical car. Similarly around the world, the size of the typical family car varies with the wealth of the country (richer countries bigger cars) and likewise wealth of the individual families. So I think the thing about the US is that our wealth and the quality/dimensions of our roads enable us to drive larger cars.
- piva00 3y ago
  In Europe the trend of trucks replacing cars is poking through in some places but still the most common car for a family is a estate car. Large trunks for carrying whatever might be needed during a family trip while still being a small car, not much heavier than their sedan counterparts. I really don't understand why a family would choose a truck over a estate car except for the increased safety against other trucks. It's a self-reinforcing effect, if there are more larger cars on the road, some people will purchase one just to feel safer against the others.
  - frumper 3y ago
    People think trucks look cool. They may occasionally use it to tow something. If you own a trailer then it's not much use without the ability to use. They may head down to Home Depot for a few weekends a year, or even more. I can fit a couple 8ft 2x4's in my model y, but nothing longer. I typically need to borrow someones truck a few times a year for building materials or new furniture. Maybe they like the visibility it offers by sitting up higher. That's probably one of the most common ones I hear. I have heard people say they feel safer in one too. You also present it as a choice of truck vs something else. Most American families have multiple vehicles, so it's a truck and something else. I'd wager families buying $60k+ trucks almost certainly have a second vehicle.
  - pandaman 3y ago
    People in Europe live mostly in tiny houses or apartments even with families. These dwellings have similarly sized appliances and furniture and don't have storage for things like ATVs, boats, snow blowers, lawn mowers etc. Americans with families usually live in big houses, those houses have full sized appliances and furniture that does not come in flat-packed boxes, they sometimes have the above-mentioned vehicles, which are not road-legal in the US and require transportation. They also might do repairs on their houses since they own them. The houses are made mostly from wood, which comes either in form of long pieces of lumber or long and wide pieces of plywood. None of the above will fit into an "estate".
    - piva00 3y ago
      I don't believe that explains it, where I live if you have the need to carry a large load you just go to a nearby gas station and rent out a small box truck to transport it. I did that with all my non flat-packed boxes furniture, my appliances, all the construction material I ever needed. It costs me 80-90€ for a 4-6h rental period, or around 120€ for a full day with the truck. How many families that own a truck in the USA have the need to transport ATVs, boats, and so on? It really doesn't add up in my head that the vast majority of these beastly trucks I see on highways when I go to the US have this need. Where I live houses are also made of wood, I really need some data instead of just an opinion on why there are so many trucks in the USA, it really doesn't make sense without hard data.
      - pandaman 3y ago
        >where I live if you have the need to carry a large load you just go to a nearby gas station and rent out a small box truck to transport it Sure, you can rent anything. I responded to somebody who does not understand why would anybody need a truck. Many people post on HN regularly how they don't own a car and rent one if they need it. I don't see how this proves that you cannot possibly need a truck though, why you rent one if you don't need it? >How many families that own a truck in the USA have the need to transport ATVs, boats, and so on? All that have ATVs, boats, and so on? It's pretty pointless to have one without means of transportation since you cannot really drive an ATV on the street, much less so a boat. >Where I live houses are also made of wood, I really need some data instead of just an opinion I cannot help you with that other than giving you dimensions of common lumber items: plywood and drywall comes in 8'x4' sheets, dimensional lumber can be anywhere from 8' to 20', you can check it out at any supplier.

I'm not sure you need an SUV to take care of a family of four, but a lot of people in America specifically seem to feel that way. Elsewhere I guess the standards for comfort are different.

xyzelement 3y ago

You definitely don't need anything - you can raise kids in the woods as our ancestors did. But I don't think large vehicles an American thing, it's a wealth thing. Eg in Japan, which is rich, pretty much anytime you see a family with kids on the road, they were in a Toyota Alphard (look it up, never heard of it till I saw them) which are huge vs typical car. Similarly around the world, the size of the typical family car varies with the wealth of the country (richer countries bigger cars) and likewise wealth of the individual families. So I think the thing about the US is that our wealth and the quality/dimensions of our roads enable us to drive larger cars.

piva00 3y ago
In Europe the trend of trucks replacing cars is poking through in some places but still the most common car for a family is a estate car. Large trunks for carrying whatever might be needed during a family trip while still being a small car, not much heavier than their sedan counterparts. I really don't understand why a family would choose a truck over a estate car except for the increased safety against other trucks. It's a self-reinforcing effect, if there are more larger cars on the road, some people will purchase one just to feel safer against the others.
- frumper 3y ago
  People think trucks look cool. They may occasionally use it to tow something. If you own a trailer then it's not much use without the ability to use. They may head down to Home Depot for a few weekends a year, or even more. I can fit a couple 8ft 2x4's in my model y, but nothing longer. I typically need to borrow someones truck a few times a year for building materials or new furniture. Maybe they like the visibility it offers by sitting up higher. That's probably one of the most common ones I hear. I have heard people say they feel safer in one too. You also present it as a choice of truck vs something else. Most American families have multiple vehicles, so it's a truck and something else. I'd wager families buying $60k+ trucks almost certainly have a second vehicle.
- pandaman 3y ago
  People in Europe live mostly in tiny houses or apartments even with families. These dwellings have similarly sized appliances and furniture and don't have storage for things like ATVs, boats, snow blowers, lawn mowers etc. Americans with families usually live in big houses, those houses have full sized appliances and furniture that does not come in flat-packed boxes, they sometimes have the above-mentioned vehicles, which are not road-legal in the US and require transportation. They also might do repairs on their houses since they own them. The houses are made mostly from wood, which comes either in form of long pieces of lumber or long and wide pieces of plywood. None of the above will fit into an "estate".
  - piva00 3y ago
    I don't believe that explains it, where I live if you have the need to carry a large load you just go to a nearby gas station and rent out a small box truck to transport it. I did that with all my non flat-packed boxes furniture, my appliances, all the construction material I ever needed. It costs me 80-90€ for a 4-6h rental period, or around 120€ for a full day with the truck. How many families that own a truck in the USA have the need to transport ATVs, boats, and so on? It really doesn't add up in my head that the vast majority of these beastly trucks I see on highways when I go to the US have this need. Where I live houses are also made of wood, I really need some data instead of just an opinion on why there are so many trucks in the USA, it really doesn't make sense without hard data.
    - pandaman 3y ago
      >where I live if you have the need to carry a large load you just go to a nearby gas station and rent out a small box truck to transport it Sure, you can rent anything. I responded to somebody who does not understand why would anybody need a truck. Many people post on HN regularly how they don't own a car and rent one if they need it. I don't see how this proves that you cannot possibly need a truck though, why you rent one if you don't need it? >How many families that own a truck in the USA have the need to transport ATVs, boats, and so on? All that have ATVs, boats, and so on? It's pretty pointless to have one without means of transportation since you cannot really drive an ATV on the street, much less so a boat. >Where I live houses are also made of wood, I really need some data instead of just an opinion I cannot help you with that other than giving you dimensions of common lumber items: plywood and drywall comes in 8'x4' sheets, dimensional lumber can be anywhere from 8' to 20', you can check it out at any supplier.