4 ms·

> Cars are getting too big; why are manufacturers pushing “crossovers” and SUVs on consumers and why are consumers buying them? I could write pages on this poin

> Cars are getting too big; why are manufacturers pushing “crossovers” and SUVs on consumers and why are consumers buying them? I could write pages on this point alone. I think this is partially a race to the bottom (or to the top, as it were). When you're driving your low-riding sedan in traffic, if the car in front of you is an SUV, you can't see beyond it. If most cars become SUVs, you can't see two cars ahead almost ever. That's a crappy feeling - I for one feel less safe, less able to predict if an emergency stop is going to happen - so I'd be unconsciously nudged into buying a taller car myself.

CogitoCogito 3y ago
I can’t really understand this sentiment. If you keep enough distance you’ll be able to stop in time regardless of what’s down the road. I personally feel safer in smaller cars.
- underdeserver 3y ago
  Well, I don't know how it is where you drive, but here you have two options: you either stay just close enough that you can stop in an emergency, but no closer, and certainly not a "comfortable" distance; or you can get cut off every couple of seconds.
  - CogitoCogito 3y ago
    My experiences are driving mainly in California and New York. I definitely have not had the problems you’ve described and I wouldn’t consider drivers in either location to be very good in general. I’ve driven larger cars as well and they’ve never made me feel safer. Edit: The more I think about it, I’m actually kind of confused by your point. Even assuming what you say is true, how does driving a larger car avoid the problem of people cutting you off anyway? Is your “solution” to drive a larger car and tailgate or something?
    - gdilla 3y ago
      Larger vehicles suck to me, because you feel blinder than necessary. It's a larger car to park, it feels less agile to do a quick maneuver like dodging something on the road or squeezing by an idiot drifting into your lane. I like zipping past idiots and fitting through an opening if i get one.
    - rrr_oh_man 3y ago
      > Is your “solution” to drive a larger car and tailgate or something? You got it
stefs 3y ago
Keeping the proper safety distance to the car in front of you is surprisingly hard. On the one hand, it goes against the learned behaviour (of most people). On the other hand, other drivers' bad behaviour actively sabotages this by overtaking and/or squeezing in the spaces that open up from proper distance. Most drivers just don't have the emotional control to drive well, but the actual problem is they don't even realise they're bad drivers. SUVs are the completely wrong solution to this problem. I'm not sure if distance warning (akin to seatbelt) beepers could help, but I suspect people would hate them so much it'd doom sales.
sndean 3y ago
> When you're driving your low-riding sedan in traffic, if the car in front of you is an SUV, you can't see beyond it. I had a Scion FRS (a very small and short car) for a while and very much was the (annoying[1]) guy who stayed 10+ car lengths away from the person in front of me so that I could see better. This was one of the reasons I traded it in for something taller. [1] I had many more incidences of road rage directed at me than I have experienced in other cars before or since because I left so much space in front of me. Lots of "what the ** are you doing?" screamed at me.
ytdytvhxgydvhh 3y ago
Well it’s also because the US government set up rules that end up encouraging crossovers over lower cars: https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/car-design/a33490594/suv-chins-dodge-regulations/ https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/car-design/a3349059...

CogitoCogito 3y ago

I can’t really understand this sentiment. If you keep enough distance you’ll be able to stop in time regardless of what’s down the road. I personally feel safer in smaller cars.

underdeserver 3y ago
Well, I don't know how it is where you drive, but here you have two options: you either stay just close enough that you can stop in an emergency, but no closer, and certainly not a "comfortable" distance; or you can get cut off every couple of seconds.
- CogitoCogito 3y ago
  My experiences are driving mainly in California and New York. I definitely have not had the problems you’ve described and I wouldn’t consider drivers in either location to be very good in general. I’ve driven larger cars as well and they’ve never made me feel safer. Edit: The more I think about it, I’m actually kind of confused by your point. Even assuming what you say is true, how does driving a larger car avoid the problem of people cutting you off anyway? Is your “solution” to drive a larger car and tailgate or something?
  - gdilla 3y ago
    Larger vehicles suck to me, because you feel blinder than necessary. It's a larger car to park, it feels less agile to do a quick maneuver like dodging something on the road or squeezing by an idiot drifting into your lane. I like zipping past idiots and fitting through an opening if i get one.
  - rrr_oh_man 3y ago
    > Is your “solution” to drive a larger car and tailgate or something? You got it

stefs 3y ago

Keeping the proper safety distance to the car in front of you is surprisingly hard. On the one hand, it goes against the learned behaviour (of most people). On the other hand, other drivers' bad behaviour actively sabotages this by overtaking and/or squeezing in the spaces that open up from proper distance. Most drivers just don't have the emotional control to drive well, but the actual problem is they don't even realise they're bad drivers. SUVs are the completely wrong solution to this problem. I'm not sure if distance warning (akin to seatbelt) beepers could help, but I suspect people would hate them so much it'd doom sales.

sndean 3y ago

> When you're driving your low-riding sedan in traffic, if the car in front of you is an SUV, you can't see beyond it. I had a Scion FRS (a very small and short car) for a while and very much was the (annoying[1]) guy who stayed 10+ car lengths away from the person in front of me so that I could see better. This was one of the reasons I traded it in for something taller. [1] I had many more incidences of road rage directed at me than I have experienced in other cars before or since because I left so much space in front of me. Lots of "what the ** are you doing?" screamed at me.

ytdytvhxgydvhh 3y ago

Well it’s also because the US government set up rules that end up encouraging crossovers over lower cars: https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/car-design/a33490594/suv-chins-dodge-regulations/ https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/car-design/a3349059...