SUVs

Casdon

It’s less the type of car, more the way people drive and park I think. I live in the country, so loads of people drive SUVs for practical reasons because they live up bumpy tracks. My supermarket car park is full of them too, my only complaint is that I wish some SUV drivers (and van drivers) were more conscious of the car next to them when they open their door, as because they are bigger there is less gap to the next car, and my car has been dented by an over enthusiastic door opening.

In fact, I'm not sure that it's the width of te car that is the problem but the width of the parking spaces which has changed.

We saw a nearby carpark, taken over by a somewhat notorious car park firm, have all the lines repainted and more spaces were squeezed in by making them narrower. There are just three spaces for blue badge drivers.

GrannyGravy13

Maggiemaybe
A study by the European Transport Safety Council found that in a collision between a modest-size SUV (sports utility vehicle) weighing 1,600kg and a lighter car weighing 1,300kg, the risk of fatal injury decreases by 50% for the occupants of the heavier car but increases by almost 80% for the occupants of the lighter car. Similarly, pedestrians and cyclists are more likely to be killed if the car that strikes them has a bonnet that is higher off the road than average, a typical feature of an SUV. (The Guardian)
Close family members were involved in a car accident abroad earlier this year.

The police and ambulance services at the scene said if they hadn’t been in a top spec Range Rover all four of them would have died.

I’m genuinely pleased for your family members, GrannyGravy13, and that must have been a great relief to you. It rather bears out the report’s conclusions. Top spec SUV’s are statistically safer, for their owners and passengers.

But the report shows that if a lighter car had been involved in the crash (perhaps it was?), the risk of fatal injury to its occupants would have been 80% higher than if it had been in collusion with another “normal” car. That’s a cause for concern, surely?

I am looking at changing my 2 + 2 sports car in the New Year (GC getting to tall to sit comfortably in back)

I will hopefully be able to find a suitable hybrid 4 X 4, if not it will be the most eco friendly 4 X 4 SUV on the market.

DH is undecided on whether to keep his beast or change it 🤷‍♀️

I have an SUV vehicle because it is easier for my husband to get in and out of. He has dementia with severe mobility problems. I changed from a Vw Passat to a VW Tiguan. The difference in length was 2 inches. It is easier to get him out and for me to lift his power hair in to the boot. Overall there is no real difference. Many people assume it is electric and a 4 wheel drive but it is petrol and I certainly don’t want a 4 wheel drive. My neighbour has.

I have a Range Rover and love it. Nothing to do with it being a status symbol, I have a passion for sports cars, great looking cars and powerful cars. My exDH was rally driver and I loved every aspect of that. I am also a brilliant parker and leave plenty of room for car drivers beside me to get in and out. I find it odd that people think we should be driving smaller cars just because THEY find them more sensible.
My DH also has a Range Rover. This fits all of his golf clubs, golf trolley etc in it and as he is almost 70 he can no longer easily get in and out of the much lower Maserati so the RR is great for him height wise.

SUV"s in towns and cities. You know the entitled Chelsea Tractor types are bad enough

But l am more concerned about the increase in length of new cars .

Said to nave increases by a fifth ti a third.

How are the going to fit into existing parking bays! And street parking is going to be fun.

Are they likely to be more accidents !

Maggiemaybe

^A study by the European Transport Safety Council found that in a collision between a modest-size SUV (sports utility vehicle) weighing 1,600kg and a lighter car weighing 1,300kg, the risk of fatal injury decreases by 50% for the occupants of the heavier car but increases by almost 80% for the occupants of the lighter car. Similarly, pedestrians and cyclists are more likely to be killed if the car that strikes them has a bonnet that is higher off the road than average, a typical feature of an SUV.^ (The Guardian)

Close family members were involved in a car accident abroad earlier this year.

The police and ambulance services at the scene said if they hadn’t been in a top spec Range Rover all four of them would have died.

I used a citroen zara when I was doing hospital car service. The car was high enough for people to get in and out of with mobility problems and was easy for tall people too. One patient I took liked it so much that he went and swapped his car for one. I used to get cars from my garage who dealt with mobility cars and they were well serviced and looked after and so a two year old one would have low mileage and be a reasonable price. Once I had had them for two years the mileage looked right for a 4 year old car. So dont know if they are still made but a good car for people with mobility problems and easy to see ahead in .

Definitely now I need a car that I can get into and out of easily. Many years ago I was at university and to go by public transport meant two buses, a long walk and so I looked round and went mad and bought a bright yellow ford capri. It solved my travel problems for the princely sum of £250 and got me around, but was already then a problem about getting up out of it and praying that my back would not lock up when I was on my own in a car park! Years later my son was sorry I got rid of it as it was absolutely the coolest car going according to him. I used to call it the yellow bird as it had that long front and very low down. You certainly checked that you were driving correctly as you were visible from afar and could not be mistaken with the bright yellow colour (that was very useful on a misty morning)

A study by the European Transport Safety Council found that in a collision between a modest-size SUV (sports utility vehicle) weighing 1,600kg and a lighter car weighing 1,300kg, the risk of fatal injury decreases by 50% for the occupants of the heavier car but increases by almost 80% for the occupants of the lighter car. Similarly, pedestrians and cyclists are more likely to be killed if the car that strikes them has a bonnet that is higher off the road than average, a typical feature of an SUV. (The Guardian)

It’s less the type of car, more the way people drive and park I think. I live in the country, so loads of people drive SUVs for practical reasons because they live up bumpy tracks. My supermarket car park is full of them too, my only complaint is that I wish some SUV drivers (and van drivers) were more conscious of the car next to them when they open their door, as because they are bigger there is less gap to the next car, and my car has been dented by an over enthusiastic door opening.

David49

I didn’t buy a new car until I was 60, all the spare money was used expanding the business, now the business is consolidated I buy new.
Either I reward myself or I give it to the children and taxman

👍🏻

The heaviest cars are electric and hybrid due to the batteries.

4 WD cars do fit in parking spaces, ours is 18 year’s old, I have never not been able to park it 🤷‍♀️

I didn’t buy a new car until I was 60, all the spare money was used expanding the business, now the business is consolidated I buy new.
Either I reward myself or I give it to the children and taxman

Ha ha. Less glare from headlights! They are the ones causing the dangerous glare in the first place. Their headlights are too high and hit all normal cars drivers direct in the eyeline. I don't see the point in most of them, you can get normal estate cars with an extra back seat if you have more than three children. They also appear to be getting wider, longer and higher over the last few years. They're not suitable for our country roads they are fine for people with their own driveways and for countries with lots of road space like USA, Australia and Canada.

GrannyGravy13

Sago

We have two cars, a modest mini and large luxury 4WD.

It’s not about showing off but after years of working very hard being able to afford something nice.

Why is this wrong?

Totally agree Sago 👍

What is wrong is that:
- they are too big for parking spaces often taking up more than their share of the space - yes easier for you to get in and out but making it harder for the rest of us
- they take up more of the world's resources to make
- they take up more fuel
- they are heavier on our already damaged roads

kittylester

LauraNorderr

Our Rolls Royce Silver Shadow does take up an enormous amount of space, which is why we tend to use the Aston Martin DB5 when we need to park in town out of consideration for others.
When no large parking space is available the chauffeur will drive around the block until we are ready.

I hope you are really ashamed of yourself.

😂😂😂

She has my old tiara too!!

My vehicle is bigger than any of yours. I drive a pink Hummer. Cost of juice is no problem because I’m so rich and I can mow down all you minions in your pipsqueak biscuit tins if you don’t get out of my way.

We’ve lived rurally for many years now and oddly, you don’t often see farmers in SUVs. They used to drive Subarus and Jimneys or ancient proper Landrovers, but now the preference is for Dacia Dusters. They are SUV’s, I suppose, though my dd has just got rid of hers as it was too big and now the GC are 4 & 8, she has a Mazda hatchback.

On her dh’s farm they have a variety of Fords, none of them 4x4 I don’t think, but they drive them over fields and up hill and down dale, through mud and snow and whatever else the Scottish climate throws at them, so I don’t buy that people need SUV’s in towns.

David49

Romola

PS The richest people I know have the scruffiest cars.

They can afford to abuse them
Or they are too mean to update them

LOL

Why is it mean to not want to spend money on cars? If a car works and meets your needs, why change it until you need to.

Too many cars are bought, merely to impress other people, by buying a car and then running it until its next destination is the scrap heap is environmentally more advantageous than constantly buying yet another new car.

We are certainly not rich, but most people I would put in our income bracket have better and newer cars than us, so what? Our car works as well and fulfills the purposes it is wanted for as well as a newer car.

It is a question of priorities, we choose to spend our money on other things.

Romola

PS The richest people I know have the scruffiest cars.

They can afford to abuse them
Or they are too mean to update them

LOL

PS The richest people I know have the scruffiest cars.

The biggest car we ever had was a Volvo estate, which had dickey seats in the back for extra children. I cannot see the point of anything bigger thn that. I now have a nice little 2nd-hand Skoda Fabia and do not wish for anything bigger

Well we have to speak as found but I totally understand the need for SUVs, you are higher up and when transporting 4 children, to and from their sports with large bags, Granny, a dog, shopping, buggy they are much needed. It is also the extra safety they give, each to their own and let them have the choice to drive what they want. I have an 08 mini clubman just coming up to 220000 miles, if I could afford an SUV I would certainly have one for the comfort especially when on long journey's.

LauraNorderr

Our Rolls Royce Silver Shadow does take up an enormous amount of space, which is why we tend to use the Aston Martin DB5 when we need to park in town out of consideration for others.
When no large parking space is available the chauffeur will drive around the block until we are ready.

I hope you are really ashamed of yourself.

LauraNorderr

Our Rolls Royce Silver Shadow does take up an enormous amount of space, which is why we tend to use the Aston Martin DB5 when we need to park in town out of consideration for others.
When no large parking space is available the chauffeur will drive around the block until we are ready.

LaursNorderr love your sense of humour or... do you by any chance live in a much sought after (apparently) edge of the Cotswolds town, name beginning with S, 6 letters, where your post would merely represent reality!
Porsches abound along with Aston Martins, Mercedes, Rolls and of course SUVs and EVs, ostentatious is the word that comes to mind. Or perhaps big bottoms, maybe there's a connection?

Cabbie21

Can anyone recommend a car which is a bit higher than most, so easier to get in/ out, but not a SUV?

I’ve got a Yaris hybrid which is a mini SUV. My 90 yo mum has easy access and as it’s a bit higher , I feel comfortable on motorways . I regularly drive on the M25 and I’m happier in my new Yaris than my old Yaris on a 56 plate .