Are hybrid SUVs what we really need?

Bad drivers are everywhere, and they can drive ANYTHING. Today, on the way back home from getting icecream with my fiance', a CAR, it was a Oldsmobile Delta 88, cut us off, We were making a right at a light, and this lady I estimate in her 50's, made a left in front of us when we CLEARLY had the right of way.

These drivers are EVERYWHERE. And they don't all own SUV's.

Just curious, how many people would be up for having BlackBoxes installed in every vehicle. And it would be used to HELP determin what happened in a accident? Speed, breaking, steering position. Perhaps it could be tied into a GPS system as well. I believe that there are many installed now, which are accessed by mechinics for diagnostic reasons.

Just imagine the possibilties.

 

Paul,

You'll be happy to know that I did not show your mom the "she's #1" finger , or any other signs of road rage! :lol:

Off to work, have a great day.

 

I wouldn't mind having a black box installed (or even a camera) if only to proof it's the other drivers that drive like idiots.

 

Well, it seems like nobody here is aware of the various classes of drivers licenses. There are five classes of drivers licenses, divided into two categories.

You have your class A, B, and C license that anybody here can go apply for, with minimal testing. If you buy a large motor home, you will have to apply for a class B or A license, depending on the size of the motorcoach, and pass the written and basic driving tests. The one in your purse or wallet will most likely be a class C. Everyone who posesses a class C license, will be able to drive any vehicle with a COMBINED gross vehicle weight rating (CGVWR) of up to 26,000 pounds. This includes the Ford truck pulling 33 refridgerators in John's example. You think you're worried about a measly SUV? You can go to Ford, Chevy/GMC, Peterbuilt, Freightliner, Kenworth, International, or Sterling dealer, buy, and drive off the lot any medium duty truck with a CGVWR maxing out at 26,000 pounds, with your class "C" license.

The other two will be covered under the CDL, or commercial license. These are tougher to get, and are increasingly required to take specialized classes to obtain one. CDL class B and A are divided into weight ratings. Medium duty trucks, and busses are typically covered under the class "B" license. IIRC, the maximum CGVWR will be around 55,000 pounds. Class "A" CDL's are what are required for all of those cement mixers, and 18 wheelers on the highway. With additional permits, issued by the states per load, or to the truck for dedicated work, the class "A" driver can haul loads in excess of 80,000 pounds. I've personally driven trucks that were as heavy as 112,000 pounds.

In response to the driver of the Escallade blowing the light, does anybody here really think that they would have stopped if they were in a car? Bad drivers are going to be bad drivers, regardless of what they are piloting. If you REALLY want to make a difference, then we need to adopt European licensing requirements. The problem isn't the SUV. It's the moron behind the wheel that cannot be bothered to put the damn phone down and pay attention to their driving.

 

No, certainly not. I was merely following a thread of "what happened today." But certainly we can make the point that the margin for error with larger vehicles is much smaller. He was doing forty and if he T-boned me, I could be killed (side airbags or not) just because his bumper likely wouldn't have hit the door like the bumper of a car would. His bumper would have intruded into the drivers compartment.

When cars are so radically larger, the results of small actions can be huge. A car that wanders around a few inches one way or the other can stay in their own lane. But in a wider vehicle, that can mean crossing a line.

The stopping distance on an Escalade (60-0 mph) is 158 feet. The stopping distance for a 2004 Prius is 132 feet. 26 feet can mean a lot. (Okay that's going freeway speeds, but you get my point.)

Anyway, I'm just ranting. I'm not doing anything to get SUVs off the road except toodle around with a wonderful air of calm and hope that others want what I've got.

 

And see, that was fine when cars weighed twice what they do now. But now, as materials get lighter and stronger, they need to further divide class C. Unfortunately, by doing this, especially by weight, would just mean down the road there'd be another problem such as this. Perhaps size is what they should restrict classes to? I don't know.

I do know I'd feel better if, when I have to rent the occasional Uhaul to move or what have you, instead of just copying my driver's license, they actual made me take a test drive with them to make sure I can handle driving such a large truck. Regardless, when the majority of SUV drivers are unable to fit in standard parking spaces, we face a problem.

-m.

 

What we really need are hybrid RVs.

 

Please note the NHTSA data that hit today's news cycle (4/19). Points to the specific issues of side impacts from SUV's and pickups on standard sedans. NOT PRETTY!!! As far as I am aware the Prius was not one of the vehicles tested but at least cars with side airbags performed significantly better than without. Hope everyone took that option.

Jon

 

Exactly. I watched an Escalade run a VERY solid red, my light was green for easily 10 seconds and he/she went through the intersection presumably not hearing my horn which I leaned on HARD well before they got TO the intersection. It was that clear thay they were not going to stop. The last one I saw was an older compact car. The guy STOPPED at the red, looked both ways then turned left and no, it wasn't onto a 1 way street. Bad drivers are everywhere, my fear is the one that hits me will be a guy with a pickup truck jacked for driving in mud pits on the weekend.

 

My biggest worry is getting tangled with a Semi. I never drive along side of them, even in my 4Runner. I either pass them, or let them go by.

I know I "feel" safer in my 4Runner, then in my fiance's Honda Civic. Every accident is differnet. I consider myself a very good driver. I have avoided MANY accidents just from being alert, and not getting myself in a situation I may regret.

Being aware of your surroundings is the best soloution for avoiding an accident. I know sometimes your just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I believe that over 1/2 of the accidents could be avoided if everyone was paying attention a little better.

 

Medved, I couldn't have said it any better.

 

Wow, what a fun thread : )

Back in 1998, a couple friends and I were walking around downtown Bethesda, MD (a suburb of DC). The light had turned and we were about half way across the street when this SUV goes wizzing by, driven by a woman on a cell phone. She damn near killed all 4 of, running that light which, by my count, must have been red for at least 8-10 seconds. I doubt she even noticed us. Thus began my complete and utter hatred of SUVs.

I completely agree that its the bad driver that's the problem. Street signs are easy to read, yet most people don't understand "No Turn On Red" and "No Left Turn." Red light means stop. And the turn signals behind the wheel are for signaling your damn turns and lane changes (yes, I signal ALL the time, even at 3AM when I'm clearly the only person within 5 miles of where I am). Its not like you have to use hand signals, just a flick of the damn wrist. CLEARLY, some people (lots of people) shouldn't be on the road.

One thing that could easily be done is to make getting a drivers license, any drivers license, much harder. In Maryland at least, the drivers test is a complete joke, conducted on a closed course. Given a few days practice, I could probably do it blindfolded. And my license lets me drive everywhere.

And then there's the (previously mentioned) method of punishing bad drivers. Black boxes would be an awesome requirement on cars. But I need something that really gives morons pause when they drive. Personally, I don't think drunk driving or speeding in and of themselves should be illegal. BUT, if you get into an accident and injure or kill someone WHILE driving drunk or speeding, then it should be life in prison or capital punishment (take your pick). That way, we'd have less regulation (drive however the hell you want) plus personal reponsibility (you cripple or kill someone by DUI/DWI, your life is over too).

But since that would probably never fly, automakers should take a page from James Bond. Or more specifically, Q: Stinger missiles behind the headlights. Oh how I've longed to blow up morons who shoot through red lights and can't stay in their lanes while eating and cell phoning. Why are Stingers not an available option on the Prius?? I demand answers!

 

Hell, turn it into a "ghost story" urban legend: one lone woman cell-phone centered woman, driving through intersections and red lights all over the US in her spectral phantom Hummer.

In fact, that explains it -- she doesn't see anyone because she's already dead. And the penance in Hell for dying in a Hummer wreck is to spend all of eternity driving it.

(Which explains the super-size cup holders.)

 

i like george carlin's idea. we all have suction cup dart guns that shoot a dart with an 'idiot' flag at any driver/car that does something stupid. three flags and they get pulled over by the cops and given a ticket for being an a**hole...

 

Wow, that's a much more practical idea than my "give-everyone-a-gun-and-legalize-the-shooting-of-any-idiot-driver's-tires" idea.

 

I have a new scary bad driver story! One that actually occured this very afternoon (Wednesday, 5/12/04).

I was driving in downtown Bethesda, MD(pretty close to where I almost got run over). Coming around a gentle bend in the road, I suddenly saw another car coming STRAIGHT AT ME, in my freakin lane. I didn't see the car earlier because the road was bending around a building, which blocked my view. Mercifully, I was going pretty slow and was also pretty alert, and managed to swerve out of the way.

Thing was, this was a one-way street. And I assure you I was going the right way.

The first half second, I was simply stunned that any person could possibly be so stupid. To not notice all the One-Way and Do Not Enter signs is one thing. On top of the lane-dividers. But YEESH.

I don't mean to sound cold-hearted, but I sincerely hope that idiot driver dies before she manages to pass on her moron-genes to any offspring.

P.S. She wasn't driving an SUV. Looked kinda like a Corolla-type mid-sized car. Couldn't be sure, it went by pretty fast. moron

 

The oil companies just love this thing! :guns:

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/im...ummerdumber.htm

 

It might be a Toyota thing. My 1977 Corolla was listed as a "liftback". That's one old trend!

I hated all SUV's until I needed to buy one. I needed the cargo space because I bought a house and going to Lowes in a BMW Z3 just doesn't cut it. I got an Infiniti FX35. It's a beautiful SUV but I have issues. 14 MPG is one of them. I'd love to test drive a Ford Escape Hybrid. As SUV's go... it doesn't look huge.