wolfchild

Don't blame the vehicle type, blame the person who is operating that vehicle.

livedarklions

I can do both.

wolfchild

Sure you can blame both but it doesn't mean that you're right.... Only one is really at fault and it's always the distracted driver, not the vehicle.

retswerb

The vehicle one purchases and operates is a choice. I'll blame the driver both for being distracted and for choosing to operate a vehicle that obstructs visibility and gives a low chance of survival to anything it hits.

Daniel4

I blame the marketing for selling unrealistic dreams of freedom and why consumers need such big vehicles for urban driving.

I blame the auto engineers for designing vehicles that are increasingly more dangerous to the general public.

wolfchild

I use a full size pick up truck as my daily driver and never had a problem seeing pedestrians or cyclists or any other users of the road. Before that i drove a modified SUV with a suspension lift and big tires and heavy steel bumpers and never had a problem seeing anybody and never hit anybody. The blame should be placed on the driver and not on the type of a vehicle that they're driving.

livedarklions

​​​​​Assume the video is correct and you're 3 times more likely to die if you're struck by a SUV than by a car, is that because the drivers of SUVs are 3 times worse? You're talking complete nonsense.

livedarklions

A. I don't believe your view is as unobstructed as if you were driving a car.
B. Arguing from anecdote is stupid. "I drive one and I haven't hit anyone" proves absolutely nothing.

Korina

Distracted drivers can be found in all kinds of vehicles, and they can all hit people, but one is more likely to kill than injure. I'd rather survive their mistake.

livedarklions

The notion that only distracted drivers hit people is absurd.

JW Fas

At some point we have to stop letting people off the hook merely because they didn't intend to commit harm. When it comes to traffic safety and the preservation of life, the end results and the objects used matter a lot. Negligence with a motor vehicle is treated too lightly in this country.

JoeyBike

A choice induced by brainwashing people who have no business operating heavy equipment in the first place. Most of my friends have trucks and SUVs. I've made fun of them for years. The only straight answer I've pried out of any of them was a single friend of mine who REALLY needed a mini van for all of his adventures bought an SUV instead because some of his other friends (women in particular) told him the minivan makes him look like a daddy with a bunch of kids when he tries to get (or pick up) dates. He NEEDED a minivan but his frail ego bought a stupid SUV that really didn't do what he wanted.

Yep, freedom to purchase what marketers want to sell to you even if it doesn't make sense. Suckers.

Korina

Sounds like he needs better friends.

Troul 

he really may not be benefiting from those mock friends in terms of personal growth...
If your single friend were to have obtain a minivan, they could go do what they like to do; when they want to, where they want to, & with whom they wish to. Being isolated with someone means he is susceptible to answering to a variety of questions prior, during, after & still doesn't promise they can go do what they want.

Go get that Mini-V!

JoeyBike

My personality/ego has never been all tied up with the vehicle I drive. My current car was my wife's old car. I didn't chose it, it chose me. It's a 2003 Toyota Camry - sand color like a million other old Camry cars that mostly grandmothers drive. You think I care? So it is hard for me to understand using a vehicle as some kind of ego crutch.

JoeyBike

No joke, myself included - mercilessly making fun of the dude and his "urban assault" vehicle.

alcjphil

One of my friends had one just like that which he bought from another friend. He used to call it his "chick magnet"

Troul 

life is short, it sucks that your friend is choosing to let others live it for him.

JoeyBike

Funny! In my case it IS a chick magnet.

My wife bought that car new. It's a luxury car with leather interior and all the goodies cars had in 2003, with a sun roof that she can not do without. It became too undependable for her, in fact we got towed into the dealership with an oil light lit up. She picked out a used 2016 Camry with a sun roof right on the spot. During covid cars were in short supply so I decided to buy it from her instead of trading it in. Then over a year I sunk about $5K more into it.

My point (at last) is my wife loves that car and picked it out specifically (unlike the 2016 used one which was the only "choice"). Now she has TWO dependable cars at her fingertips including the old one she loves. Anytime we do anything together we take "my" car. So you see, it IS a chick magnet in my case.