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>Most people Did you mean fat people? I'm curious to know if the evolution of the average car size tracks obesity.

neom 21d ago
My little sister is a very petite woman, and drives a massive SUV, when I asked her why she said it makes her feel safer, I suppose that is a form of comfort. I'm 6ft tall and skinny, that's not particularly tall, but if I was a driver, I'd certainly consider the leg/head room of an SUV.
sublinear 21d ago
Is it only fat people who pay extra for more personal space on any other form of transport? I think there's a stronger argument that if you really don't want huge vehicles, you could at least improve ventilation. Air quality and temperature have a massive psychological effect. Anecdotally, I think most people were fine with a subcompact back in the day because they weren't so airtight and we used to even have crotch vents. So much comfort has been sacrificed over the years because of autistic designer bullshit like "road noise". It's why you can hop into an old Toyota truck (far smaller than modern SUVs) and instantly feel at ease and grounded. Fits like an old glove and that was always the point. You get improved road awareness and less highway hypnosis. You don't get that nervous system disconnect between your inputs into the car and the feedback. It feels more like an extension of your body and less like a spaceship or coffin on wheels.
- fragmede 21d ago
  After 10 straight hours of freeway driving across Texas, give me a spaceship on wheels with "autistic bullshit" no road noise, please. Or better yet, something that drives itself. Don't get me wrong, I love a spirited jaunt through the mountains on four or two wheels, but the vehicle for that isn't the vehicle to drive in an almost straight line for 10 (or more!) straight hours.
  - sublinear 21d ago
    I don't think the vehicle is going to make a difference at that point. You shouldn't be driving so long without a break anyway! Thanks for demonstrating the attitude that got us here in the first place, though. In your reply, we have an answer for the rest of the world why americans buy SUVs.
    - fragmede 21d ago
      That attitude is a physics problem reflected by culture. El Paso to Houston is a 10 hour drive. it's worse in Africa. Algiers to Marrakesh is a 15 hour drive. Djibouti to Johannesburg is 4.5 days. But Amsterdam to Berlin is only 7 by car/bus/train or 80 minutes by air. Seoul to Pyongyang is only three hours. Theoretically. The difference in the amount of people who live between those is vast though, and the rest of the world is used to horribly long bus drives, they're just too poor to complain anywhere you or I would frequent. Point is, EV self driving sleeper cabins are going to change the world, though self-driving hot tubs in major cities is liable to come first.
glimshe 21d ago
That's a silly stereotype. My wife is thin and loves SUVs for the extra leg and arm room, in addition to the extra driving height. That said, obese people will certainly enjoy the same benefits.
swiftcoder 21d ago
As a bigger guy, I don't really buy this argument. I have a mid-size SUV at the moment, and it has roughly the same legroom as a mini cooper (just higher off the ground). I'd much rather have the longer legroom in an estate car / station wagon (and when this car reaches an end, I will be going in that direction).

neom 21d ago

My little sister is a very petite woman, and drives a massive SUV, when I asked her why she said it makes her feel safer, I suppose that is a form of comfort. I'm 6ft tall and skinny, that's not particularly tall, but if I was a driver, I'd certainly consider the leg/head room of an SUV.

sublinear 21d ago

Is it only fat people who pay extra for more personal space on any other form of transport? I think there's a stronger argument that if you really don't want huge vehicles, you could at least improve ventilation. Air quality and temperature have a massive psychological effect. Anecdotally, I think most people were fine with a subcompact back in the day because they weren't so airtight and we used to even have crotch vents. So much comfort has been sacrificed over the years because of autistic designer bullshit like "road noise". It's why you can hop into an old Toyota truck (far smaller than modern SUVs) and instantly feel at ease and grounded. Fits like an old glove and that was always the point. You get improved road awareness and less highway hypnosis. You don't get that nervous system disconnect between your inputs into the car and the feedback. It feels more like an extension of your body and less like a spaceship or coffin on wheels.

fragmede 21d ago
After 10 straight hours of freeway driving across Texas, give me a spaceship on wheels with "autistic bullshit" no road noise, please. Or better yet, something that drives itself. Don't get me wrong, I love a spirited jaunt through the mountains on four or two wheels, but the vehicle for that isn't the vehicle to drive in an almost straight line for 10 (or more!) straight hours.
- sublinear 21d ago
  I don't think the vehicle is going to make a difference at that point. You shouldn't be driving so long without a break anyway! Thanks for demonstrating the attitude that got us here in the first place, though. In your reply, we have an answer for the rest of the world why americans buy SUVs.
  - fragmede 21d ago
    That attitude is a physics problem reflected by culture. El Paso to Houston is a 10 hour drive. it's worse in Africa. Algiers to Marrakesh is a 15 hour drive. Djibouti to Johannesburg is 4.5 days. But Amsterdam to Berlin is only 7 by car/bus/train or 80 minutes by air. Seoul to Pyongyang is only three hours. Theoretically. The difference in the amount of people who live between those is vast though, and the rest of the world is used to horribly long bus drives, they're just too poor to complain anywhere you or I would frequent. Point is, EV self driving sleeper cabins are going to change the world, though self-driving hot tubs in major cities is liable to come first.

glimshe 21d ago

That's a silly stereotype. My wife is thin and loves SUVs for the extra leg and arm room, in addition to the extra driving height. That said, obese people will certainly enjoy the same benefits.

swiftcoder 21d ago

As a bigger guy, I don't really buy this argument. I have a mid-size SUV at the moment, and it has roughly the same legroom as a mini cooper (just higher off the ground). I'd much rather have the longer legroom in an estate car / station wagon (and when this car reaches an end, I will be going in that direction).