[newgeezer]

Kaul used to be a commie opinion columnist for the Des Moines Register. When he became too non-controversial for them, they moved him to D.C. ;-) Apparently, he's retired now, and writes for fun.

To his credit, he did not even hint at removing your right to buy an SUV. And, by golly, it almost sounds like the "researchers" got their data by asking non-owners their opinions about SUV-owners.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I bought an SUV after my first extended cab pickup wore out. It was a jeep. Then, I bought an Expedition. Now, I'm driving a Suburban. Nine passenger, no 4WD. I DON'T need the 4WD but I do need the room. For the children. We have an 11 y.o. and two grandchildren and two grown children and their spouses. I offered to buy a minivan, but my husband said he would never ride in it. He did offer to buy me a BMW convertable, same price, but it wouldn't hold everybody and their car seats, and the baby gear going on vacation.

I don't think I'm an aggressive driver. I try not to tailgate, and little cars pass me quite often.

My son and his wife will be moving in the fall, and taking the granchildren with them. Then, I may let my husband buy me the BMW.

[Knuckle Sandwich Combo]

Yet the SUV has become the backbone of the American auto industry...

Anti-SUV = Anti-Capitalism

[rdb3]

Aw, man! Guess that means I should feel badly about my wife's new Suburban LT.

NOT!

[Alberta's Child]

The funny thing is that I agree with a lot of what he says. There was an ice storm in New Jersey late last fall that caused more than 100 accidents on the New Jersey Turnpike. Something like 95% of the accidents involved SUVs traveling at excessive rates of speed.

Someone I know at work recently told me that his sister was thinking of buying an SUV for the family, but opted for a mid-sized car instead because the price of gas is so high.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who makes a purchase of an item that is expected to last more than five years, and bases the decision for that purchase on the cost of gasoline over the last few months, shouldn't even be allowed to dress herself in the morning.

[sauropod]

Picture the typical SUV driver---the beady, close-set eyes of a serial killer set above a snarl that could curdle a latte. And that's just the women. The men are worse. Think of Hitler's Panzer divisions invading Poland.

Like a ROCK!

[sauropod]

Ping!

[cardinal4]

This was supposed to be funny, right? A little bit of comedic relief, perhaps? LOL!

As soon as my 97 Cherokee gives up the ghost (not for another 150,000 miles or so)I will be looking for another one. As soon as my wifes Saturn is ready for the pasture, we will be looking for another Cherokee.

[Sergio]

Quote: "However, because of their huge size, in a collision with a normal-sized car, they are more apt to kill the occupants of the other vehicle. ... This what's known as a lose/lose situation."

Only if you are in the smaller vehicle. (insert evil laugh here)

We don't have a SUV in our household, but folks against them should really take up a hobby. And let me tell you about intimidation.

Here in SoCal we have a lot of little souped up cars. Civics, Integras, Eclipses, Celicas, you know, the ones with about an inch of ground clearance, more wings than a fighter jet, and that you can hear coming from about three blocks away.

These guys love screaming in on your left, jumping in front of you as you are waiting your turn on a freeway on or off ramp, and then slam on the brakes as soon as they are in front of you. They have even been known (personal experience) to do a quick jink into your lane to get you to hit the brakes. Their way of opening a whole in traffic.

I have noticed that these guys will do this to vehicles that are of about the same size or smaller than their own.

Seems like a lot of folks that buy SUVs are just tired of these guys. When you are in a bigger vehicle, you don't have to be as worried about these guys. You see, they know about physics too. They know that in an altercation, they would be on the loosing end. They go away, to be stupid someplace else. They leave you alone.

That in and of itself, is reason enough for an SUV's exsistance.

Think I'm gonna buy the Wife a Suburban ... or maybe one of them Hummer H2s.

Best regards

Sergio

[King David]

I used to drive a Nissan Altima and a Cadillac Deville. This noise about SUV's has been simmering for years now, and is one of the reasons I decided to buy a Jeep Grand Cherokee and an Acura MDX. Partly because I wanted to tweak the liberals who whine about these outward signs of success, and partly because I REALLY DO WANT MY WIFE AND CHILDREN TO SURVIVE IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. Call me selfish.

[Mama Shawna]

My 1998 1ton Chevy Silverado, crew cab, with the 454 VORTEC engine is needed to tow my 22 foot, gas-guzzling BAYLINER power boat, when I want to go out and drop my CRAB pots to get some great Puget Sound dungeness! Screw these jealous litte whiney-a$$es!

Mama

[colorado tanker]

To his credit, he did not even hint at removing your right to buy an SUV.

And what makes you think that won't be next? This is how the left always starts a campaign against an industry. Their attacks on the oil industry haven't been very effective, so switch the target from production to consumption. I can't believe some conservatives are fooled by this.

[Petronski]

A Chevy Tahoe, for example, kills 122 people for every 1 million models on the road

Simple, just find that killer Tahoe and take it off the road, it's giving the other million a bad name.

[martianagent]

The author hit it on the nose. Aside from everything else, SUV owners appear to have all attended the same driving school; they all tailgate, they all try to pass in inside lanes in heavy traffic, and there's just no end to it.

Somebody like Heinrich Himmler or Adolph Eichman would be doing the world a favor to set up some sort of a Hotel California version of an SUV dealership into which which the potential buyers simply disappeared and never returned to pollute the world with their progeny. Kind of like "sie treten durch Tur hinein, und durch Shornstein herab" or something like that.

[trebb]

I almost felt bad for a minute, then took myself to lunch in my Jeep liberty. Feel much better now..

[Atlas Sneezed]

The leftist weenie big government regulators CREATED the SUV craze!

They established CAFE standards for cars that killed the incentive for automakers to modernize and develop the large, comfortable safe cars that many people actually want. SUVs were the only real option for many of these buyers. I don't like CAFE, but if they had set one standard average for all vehicles, then we'd have more of the cars that people would naturally prefer. Big cars would be better and cheaper, and SUVs would be more expensive, leading only those who really desire them to pay the price.

In addition, there are discriminatory regulations on safety standards, and import duties, if I recall.

Did you know that a business can depreciate the full cost of a large SUV like any equipment purchase, but can write off only the first ~$20,000 of other business vehicles?

I support freedom of choice, but equal treatment of vehicles so as not distort natural market demand patterns.

[Servant of the Nine]

Washington, DC is totally responsible for te spread of SUVs.

They made it impossible to buy a large stationwagon or minivan with enough power to pass on the highway.
SUVs were exempt from the CAFE standard as trucks and so people started buying Chevy Suburbans and customizing them into decent station wagons. This has been going on for 25 years in Texas. About 10 years ago all the manufacturers started turning out phony SUVs to grab market around the CAFE standard.

SO9

[PhilipFreneau]

I love my SUV, a BMW X5. It is comfortable, safe (one of the safest on the road), and handles Pennsylvania weather nicely.

My recommendation to everyone: exercise your Freedom of Choice and drive whatever you want! Also, be Pro-Choice on material things, and Pro-Life on living beings!

[Snowy]

If nothing else, I love my Trailblazer because I'm high up and can look down on those tight-a$$ed liberals driving aluminum cans.

[POhara71]

I agree with this guy - most people behind the wheel of SUVs shouldn't be allowed to drive a Mini never mind a ton and a half vehicle. They buy them because their neighbor has one or because they're suckers for advertising. God bless America that they have the right to be so stupid but don't defend anyone that overpays for something they don't need or will never use.

Self-righteously yours
A guy that has to drive in sand to get to his front door.

[al_c]

There are few things more misleadingly named than the Sports Utility Vehicle

In some case, I'll agree with this statement. Especially the "luxury" suv. How can you put the words "luxury" and "utility" in one phrase describing a vehicle? Seems silly to me.

How's it going, geeze?