How many of you drive SUV's?

Ross_Mahon

Unless the SUV is bullet proof and kitted out with the finest gadgets...:rolleyes:

Or

I could get all my mates to buy black BMW's and drive around like the mafia in suits :cool: *The God Father Theme*

biko

I'll buy a International 7300cxt to take the kids to school. And then complain about diesel prices.

dodgyme

astraboy wrote: »

As for Dodgyme, I was wondering when you would show up. Spouting more drivel about how SUV's are evil/here to destroy the world/kill everyone that goes near one?:rolleyes:

.

Well i am here now! but I havent got the time to listen to the manure spreading you have probably just copied and pasted from all your other petrol inhaled exhausted posts.

Ross_Mahon

biko wrote: »

I'll buy a International 7300cxt to take the kids to school. And then complain about diesel prices.

Nothing can beat people driving miles just to get cheaper petrol prices

workaccount

astraboy wrote: »

She tows horses during the weekend. Read the thread.

As for Dodgyme, I was wondering when you would show up. Spouting more drivel about how SUV's are evil/here to destroy the world/kill everyone that goes near one?:rolleyes:

Those saying "why not buy an MPV instead", well it comes back to personal choice. If a person needs to cart around 3 or 4 kids and does not want to drive a glorified van(I'm taking liberties with the MPVs handling here!) and maybe they want a car to show off in, or is comfortable to drive, or can handle the rough stuff, then an SUV may be perfect. Also, the height might be a help when Putting kids into the back, as bending down to tie in kids in a regular car may be harder,. Of course there are those that are dupped into buying one when a car would handle better. People buying an X3, which I dislike as its a raised up 3 series, when instead a 3 series would be cheaper, look better and handle better are an example. But, each to their own and all that.

I have agreed and been persuaded by many points of yours but you said to me get off your high horse and I have tried and I would like to think suceeded to a certain extent.

I think SUV's should be banned from city centers etc. though that have park and ride facilities. It would be a very logical thing to do.

wildsaffy

Wook,

I think an SUV license is a brilliant idea.

And personally I chose my vehicle because driving is one of my biggest passions - and if I am going to spend 2.5 hrs a day on the road I want it to be a good experience.

I love a car that grips the road.

Stark

wildsaffy wrote: »

Wook,

I think an SUV license is a brilliant idea.

Could you imagine the ego trip some of those people would be on though :eek: Everyone on a lesser license or in a normal car implying a regular license would be like a red rag to a bull.

wildsaffy

Lol Stark.

Well - no-one will be happy on this subject.

Let's just go off and fight some Martians instead.

Bleedin' Martians - zooming all over the place in their souped up
space vehicles.

SUV = Space Utitlity Vehicle ha ha

workaccount

Stark wrote: »

Could you imagine the ego trip some of those people would be on though :eek: Everyone on a lesser license or in a normal car implying a regular license would be like a red rag to a bull.

Well if the regular license was really hard to get as it should be then the the SUV license will not be "so" much better. It will just mean that they will have had strict exams on the dangers of driving SUV's and how they can affect other road users...and of course advanced parking of larger vehicles.

astraboy

Those advocating an SUV license, how are you going to set the parameters for it?! Size, weight, CO2 emissions? Because as you know, laws can't be based on some small minded dislike of what a persons car looks like.

"O, a Merc E class, perfectly fine to drive with a normal license!" "But that Rav4/Range rover sport is obviously going to crush all our children, lets make the driver take another test!" Or are you going to have a Government Committee that decides what an SUV is? What about 4 wheel drive cars, are subaru legacy's SUV's now as well? Or do you just concede that SUV is a stupid American term imported here where it is basically invalid. Banning anything for reasons that you just don't like the look of them has a name. Dictatorship I think its called. :rolleyes:

BTW, I am against bad drivers as much as ye, and if a person cannot handle a range rover, they should be forced to drive a micra until they can handle that! However, I am against punishing the very many 4x4 drivers for the selfish actions of a few.

Not to take too philosophical a view, but its down to personal choice and responsibility for ones actions. For instance, there is nothing stopping me going into a pub tonight, drinking myself stupid and falling out of the place, urinating in public and puking up. People could say "Ban drinking in cork city center" due to my actions, but that is just punishing many many people out for a few beers not causing any trouble!

Anyway, I think I've made my points. At the end of the day people will always buy things that they don't need for reasons like showing off or to feel status. I just never understand why SUV's come in for so much stick when there is so much more wrong with road users(and the roads, public transport!), no matter what they drive. If you dislike SUV's then you must shun living in a house with rooms you do not use, buying more clothes then you need, or other luxuries like holidays that we all enjoy, as we do not "need" these things. Otherwise you are a stuck up hypocrite basically.

stovelid

When I hear people saying that need them for the country, I laugh. If they are needed for work, fair enough, but my wife is from a (outside a) tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and amazingly enough, roads exist in these places. Equally amazingly, I have managed to drive small to medium sized cars on them too.

I'm usually neutral on the pretension factor unless I'm in a foul mood, or I happen to chance upon a load of them outside a school; it's just the sheer size of them that annoys me, especially when you meet them on a small street or road.

The bus/truck thing is a misnomer because at least you can be sure that they have a function related to their size.

workaccount

astraboy wrote: »

BTW, I am against bad drivers as much as ye, and if a person cannot handle a range rover, they should be forced to drive a micra until they can handle that! However, I am against punishing the very many 4x4 drivers for the selfish actions of a few.

Whatever about SUV licensing then how can we stop people from sitting into the drivers seat of machines they cannot drive?

I really think the enviromental issue is not so important as it is far from the biggest cause of emission and most of them are under 2.5L. I would take issue with anybody driving anything over 3.0L as it is just completely unneccesary and completely irresponsible.

Does anybody know if there are motorist lobby groups that you can bring forth this sort of ideas to?

astraboy

Workaccount, The AA are probably the best group to bring this up with, they are fairly good at lobbying for the motorist. However, I would like to see the current driver training system fully over hauled before we rush ahead with new license schemes. Better trained drivers, more aware and preceptive drivers benefits everyone, instead of forcing a minority of people with larger cars to take a test. A bad driver remains so in a small car, and a good driver that can handle the vehicle they bought rarely causes problems. Also, more cops out on the roads patrolling for dangerous driving would make a massive difference. Bullys, be they in SUV's or mondeos, need to be weeded out!

workaccount

astraboy wrote: »

Workaccount, The AA are probably the best group to bring this up with, they are fairly good at lobbying for the motorist. However, I would like to see the current driver training system fully over hauled before we rush ahead with new license schemes. Better trained drivers, more aware and preceptive drivers benefits everyone, instead of forcing a minority of people with larger cars to take a test. A bad driver remains so in a small car, and a good driver that can handle the vehicle they bought rarely causes problems. Also, more cops out on the roads patrolling for dangerous driving would make a massive difference. Bullys, be they in SUV's or mondeos, need to be weeded out!

I think I have always maintained that an overhaul of the driver training system was no. 1 necessity alright.

astraboy

workaccount wrote: »

I think I have always maintained that an overhaul of the driver training system was no. 1 necessity alright.

Its fairly lax at the moment all right, and should be a priority. Of course the Government will loose too many votes by enforcing the provisional licensing laws and making people use them only to LEARN to drive.

wildsaffy

I see things on the road everyday that make me cringe.

The other week when it was foggy and I could barely see 3 feet in front of me - I was driving slowly on account of the visibility - I had a massive van behind me flashing me.

I could not even see the side of the road in order to pull over so I kept on the road for about 5 minutes until I could let him by.

He obviously wanted to belt ahead at the normal 100 kph.

How would you retrain this speed merchant?

This morning I had some boy racer in a low rider sitting so close on my tail I wanted to jump on my brakes to scare him - and I still got to be ahead of him by 10 cars despite his machismo and bullying.

There is a mindset that is very dangerous out there - I think its best to get the kids at school at teach them about road use, courtesy, danger, attitude before they harden.

Too bleedin' fast and too bleedin' furious.

workaccount

wildsaffy wrote: »

I see things on the road everyday that make me cringe.

The other week when it was foggy and I could barely see 3 feet in front of me - I was driving slowly on account of the visibility - I had a massive van behind me flashing me.

I could not even see the side of the road in order to pull over so I kept on the road for about 5 minutes until I could let him by.

He obviously wanted to belt ahead at the normal 100 kph.

How would you retrain this speed merchant?

This morning I had some boy racer in a low rider sitting so close on my tail I wanted to jump on my brakes to scare him - and I still got to be ahead of him by 10 cars despite his machismo and bullying.

There is a mindset that is very dangerous out there - I think its best to get the kids at school at teach them about road use, courtesy, danger, attitude before they harden.

Too bleedin' fast and too bleedin' furious.

Better infrastructure. Like dual carraigeways and motorways.

Dual carraigeways would be just a breeze if people knew the outside line is only for overtaking...not for f*cking cruising.

I mean seriously....there is not even a dual carraigeway all the way from Galway to Dublin....the sheer amount of traffic is unreal.

The N17 sligo to Galway is a disgrace also. This is the road where I always meet flutes doing 45-50mph on 60 roads and they won't move onto the hard shoulder because they are pig ignorant. You might even meet the odd idiot doing 40mph. These are the people that will beep and flash for overtaking. I mean how are you supposed to stop yourself from turning on the road and ramming them?

WhiteWashMan

from AH. if it was moved there originally, apologies, send it back

junkyard

I drive what I want to thanks, I've got four 4x4s in regular use, a BMW X5, a Range Rover, an Audi Q7 and a Mitsubishi Pajero. I really don't know what all the fuss is about really, I've been driving 4x4s for years and never had an accident and I think I read somewhere that 4x4 users are regarded by insurance companies as the safest drivers on the road. Far better visibility from them too. When I see these threads kicking off I can't help thinking that the OP would secretly love one too but uses the excuse of hating them for not getting one.:D They're great, you know you want one!

workaccount

junkyard wrote: »

I drive what I want to thanks, I've got four 4x4s in regular use, a BMW X5, a Range Rover, an Audi Q7 and a Mitsubishi Pajero. I really don't know what all the fuss is about really, I've been driving 4x4s for years and never had an accident and I think I read somewhere that 4x4 users are regarded by insurance companies as the safest drivers on the road. Far better visibility from them too. When I see these threads kicking off I can't help thinking that the OP would secretly love one too but uses the excuse of hating them for not getting one.:D They're great, you know you want one!

Out of interest, why 4?

wildsaffy

Darn it, junk!!! and curses on you - 'cos now I DO want another one!!!

Stark

Why settle for 4x4, when you can 4x4x4?!

Clare_Guy

Rodney Trotter wrote: »

There's so much hyperbole about "SUV" s that it's really become a joke.

For a start, I would confidently say that most SUV-haters cannot come up with a definition of what makes an SUV. In Ireland an SUV is nothing like what originally coined the phrase, in the USA. In Ireland we have everything from small Daihatsu, to Large Toyota, and everything in between.

If road safety was a genuine concern for the anti-SUV people, how come we have never heard anything from them about the vans, trucks, busses etc that clog up our roads day and night, all inherintly more dangerous vehicles than any SUV.

If it's the driving behaviour? Why don't they protest with equal vigour about the other dangerous drivers on our roads, whatever they drive?

If it's about function, why don't they protest about all the large cars with empty seats?

If it's about fashion, then why not protest about Lexus, Mercedes, Audi, BMW, all who produce cars that are functionally no better than another manufacturers' offering for much less a price.

If it's about emissions, why don't we hear protests about India, China and USA production of CO2? Ireland's emissions are negligible in term of the global economy and any reduction in Ireland will have ZERO effect on Global climate.
Why don't we have people pushing to reduce the number of flights from Dublin Airport? (A Ryanair jet produces an average of 6 tonnes of CO2 per hour of it's flying time)

Me? I believe in free choice. I believe one should be allowed purchase a vehicle that one likes, and can use. I don't believe and Dublin 4 cyclist, like John Gormley, knows enough about transportation to tell me what I can buy, or drive.

I drive a large NISSAN SUV. I love it. It's practical, functional and safe. It can ride rough-shod over the worst roads in our country, and there are too many of them.

To the knockers? Get a life and run away with your prejudices. The anti-SUV hysteria is pathetic, from jealous idiots, begrudging others what they have.

Just stop and think, would you be prepared to pay the shortfall in VRT if such vehicles were removed from sale? A typical RangeRover contributes €80k in tax to Revenue in it's Purchase Price. Remove that sale and the money will have to come from somewhere.

Hear Hear!!!

I couldn't agree with you more...

astraboy

Well Junkyard, if I'm not mistaken, uses them for work quite a lot. Anyway, if the guy pays tax on 4 vehicles, thats his business, hes paying enough for the pleasure of using our crappy roads. Maybe we should stop people from buying camera phones unless they are a photographer.:rolleyes:

niceirishfella

After viewing this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXeKSDpFjlg

I think I'll buy a HUMMER.

Gatster

That's it, after reading this, I'm getting one.

Cookie_Monster

ScumLord wrote: »

These are cars. Simple laws of physics will show you that the larger the vehicle the larger the engine needs to be, the more fuel it needs. end of they produce more waste.

A car with a 5l petrol engine will pollute more than an SUV/pickup with a 2.5 deisel. The car may very well be quite a small sports car while a Hilux/Navara/Pathfinder etc are quite big and heavy.

You need to compare like for like and not give sweeping generalisations.

Cookie_Monster

I'd like to be able to afford an suv, (well pickup really) and if I could I would actually use it off-road or for luggin stuff around.

But it would also get used for a lot of town driving, still if I could afford it I want the choice.

On a further note I would be under the impression that the engines in a lot of these vechiles are smaller in Ireland/ Europe than anyway. Don't see too many 5.3l V8 Petrol Grand Cherokees around...

wildsaffy

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I'd like to be able to afford an suv, (well pickup really) and if I could I would actually use it off-road or for luggin stuff around.

But it would also get used for a lot of town driving, still if I could afford it I want the choice.

On a further note I would be under the impression that the engines in a lot of these vechiles are smaller in Ireland/ Europe than anyway. Don't see too many 5.3l V8 Petrol Grand Cherokees around...

Flipping heck - would have to get a map for petrol stations round the country if I drove a 5.3

I would not justify that. It brings up my suspicions about USA and the real reason why they invaded Iraq and why they will not sign up to the Kyoto protocol.

Cookie_Monster

wildsaffy wrote: »

Flipping heck - would have to get a map for petrol stations round the country if I drove a 5.3

I would not justify that. It brings up my suspicions about USA and the real reason why they invaded Iraq and why they will not sign up to the Kyoto protocol.

My friend who lives in Dubai has one of these. Its crazy fast for such a big tank of a yoke. Only €20 to fill tank out there too:mad: