3 ms·

Good. These things are absolute monstrosities and a menace to pedestrians and cyclists. The number of close calls with the drivers of these vehicles is way too

by xyst 3y ago

Good. These things are absolute monstrosities and a menace to pedestrians and cyclists. The number of close calls with the drivers of these vehicles is way too high. Doesn’t help state DMVs basically hand out licenses to anybody that can pass these useless tests. Hope the entire industry comes crashing down tbh.

kungfooey 3y ago
This guy ties grill height directly to fatalities. They really are a menace, but it's by design. Quoth one designer, "I want it to look like a fist coming through the air." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpuX-5E7xoU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpuX-5E7xoU
- ryandrake 3y ago
  I'm reminded of an article[1] a while back about trucks getting bigger where a commenter pointed out they are also getting "meaner" looking. I'd argue that maybe aggressive, belligerent, menacing truck styling is popular because [some] Americans themselves are getting more aggressive, belligerent and menacing. Vehicles have traditionally been used by people as personality extensions, so this "My truck should be like a big fist" attitude shouldn't be surprising. 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32425028 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32425028
  - xyst 3y ago
    Look at the “Market researching” section: > “SUV buyers want to be able to take on street gangs with their vehicles and run them down” This was in 2002 … https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ebd0080238e863d04911b51/t/6065dbeb73734b58372d797b/1617288180453 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ebd0080238e863d04911...
    - ryandrake 3y ago
      Fascinating. An interesting part of that document: > The point of these explicit associations with violence was not to reflect a growing brutalisation of society, but to identify people the market researchers describe as “especially self-centred”. Which would contradict my guess: They're actually going after self-centered buyers, not necessarily angry, belligerent ones.
sircastor 3y ago
Agreed. They’re essentially brick walls moving down the road at 70 miles an hour. And I’m confident that the vast majority of drivers in these own them for non-utility purposes
- xyst 3y ago
  Data backs your intuition: https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history

by xyst 3y ago

kungfooey 3y ago

This guy ties grill height directly to fatalities. They really are a menace, but it's by design. Quoth one designer, "I want it to look like a fist coming through the air." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpuX-5E7xoU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpuX-5E7xoU

ryandrake 3y ago
I'm reminded of an article[1] a while back about trucks getting bigger where a commenter pointed out they are also getting "meaner" looking. I'd argue that maybe aggressive, belligerent, menacing truck styling is popular because [some] Americans themselves are getting more aggressive, belligerent and menacing. Vehicles have traditionally been used by people as personality extensions, so this "My truck should be like a big fist" attitude shouldn't be surprising. 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32425028 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32425028
- xyst 3y ago
  Look at the “Market researching” section: > “SUV buyers want to be able to take on street gangs with their vehicles and run them down” This was in 2002 … https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ebd0080238e863d04911b51/t/6065dbeb73734b58372d797b/1617288180453 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ebd0080238e863d04911...
  - ryandrake 3y ago
    Fascinating. An interesting part of that document: > The point of these explicit associations with violence was not to reflect a growing brutalisation of society, but to identify people the market researchers describe as “especially self-centred”. Which would contradict my guess: They're actually going after self-centered buyers, not necessarily angry, belligerent ones.

sircastor 3y ago

Agreed. They’re essentially brick walls moving down the road at 70 miles an hour. And I’m confident that the vast majority of drivers in these own them for non-utility purposes

xyst 3y ago
Data backs your intuition: https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history