Replies

Well Dave, I am including ALL SUV's in my post, not just the "enviro-pussy" ones, although I very much enjoy the term.

I happen to agree with part of what you are saying: very large SUV's are safer than smaller ones. They are actually pretty good in normal collisions as they have standard ladder frames and most cars do not. The fact that they are THOUSANDS of pounds heavier also helps (simple physics). But if you want to tell me that they can break or steer, etc. better than a normal car, I'm going to laugh my a$$ off - that is why they get in more wrecks, they cannot avoid accidents well. You are just a proponent of giant sized automobiles, and I'm telling you that they are only safer in one aspect: hitting a smaller car. Yay. Let's all get 10 MPG behemoths. Guess what? Your safety evaporates.

And if you wish to label me a BSE because I think proponents of 10mpg vehicles are OPEC-loving fools, be my guest.

Again show me/us the stats.

Skills are required to drive a big suv, and they are not bullet proof as evident in any big snow storm and the suvs that go off the road because the new drivers assumed that their 4 wheel drives could handle snow and ice at high speeds. The reality is at high speeds, they aren't in 4 wheel drive anyway.

My wife has a 96 Sable, and I can turn my OJ Simpson Bronco in a shorter radius than I can her Sable. I'm sure that I could go to Sears Point and do a shalom better with the Bronco than the Sable.

I have made panic stops in both of them (both have abs) when some idiot has pulled out in front of us. I believe that the Bronco stops faster/better and tracks better than the Sable does in these situations.

The biggest safety advantage of the Bronco and the Navigators and big GMC's is that you are up high and see bad conditions and bad driving developing far ahead which enables you to slow down or change lanes. I can't do that in a Taurus, Sable, or any medium size cars. Forget even trying it in a smaller car.

The bad big SUV drivers are the bullies and those who think that they are bullet proof. I'm sure that then you guys with their higher rates after accidents they caused or after tickets change a lot of their behavior.

Last but not least, and I don't have to tell you this, there are people who never should be driving anything from a bicycle to a Big Suv. They are dangerous in any vehicle.

I have a female neighbor with a new Honda smaller suv. She is an accident waiting to happen. Of course she was one in her Honda civic. She leaves late on everytrip and plans more to do on a trip than she should. She is constantly on the egde of losing her license regardless of what she drives.