Yes, weight is important in an accident. The heavier car will have an advantage and there is nothing that can be done.

However, having so many really high vehicles share the road with low vehicles creates numerous problems that are completely independent of weight or size. The different heights will cause one of the vehicles to ride over the crumple zones of the other, causing severe damage to occupants. This is absolutely, completely unnecessary. The only purpose it serves in 99% of cases is to boost the ego of the person driving the higher vehicle. The other reason is that most of SUVs are crude devices made as cheaply as possible, which leads to their suspensions being too high. Sophisticated SUVs like ML350 and X5 pose much lower risk to surrounding cars because their crumple zones are low to the ground and are compatible with other types of vehicles.

Other problems caused by increased height are inherent instability due to high center of gravity, incompatibility with current highways (guardrails, curbs, curves) and decreased visibility to others. There are many other problems.

Imagine if cars have dangerous superstructures that would injure or kill anybody sitting above certain level. If such a car had a collision with another car like it, nothing bad would happen because the two vehicles would be compatible. The superstructures would simply strike each other or glide over the roof of the other car. If the collision would happen between a car and a high-riding SUV or pickup, the car's superstructure would pierce the higher-riding occupants of the SUV/pickup, severely injuring or killing them while the car passengers would be safe (since corresponding SUV superstructure would simply pass overhead without striking anything.) Does this sound fair? It sounds horrible, right? So why does this sound horrible and the opposite situation does not? Why are SUV and pickup drivers allowed to injure or kill car drivers when there is no practical reason for this being so? Weight difference aside (some cars are quite heavy,) why not make SUVs and pickups compatible with cars? Why are they ALLOWED to be so incompatible?

Same goes for heavy trucks. The first thing that jumps out to me when I visit Europe is how low their heavy trucks are compared to the US. US heavy trucks are many times higher off the ground than European trucks. This is ridiculous! Why not make them compatible with cars like Europeans do?


posted by 63.117.104...

• Do drivers of a given make or type of car typically, Noel, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 15:29:00
  • new category: 16-18 yr olds in WRX's, KL, Wed, 22 Dec 2004 05:54:07
    • They are all former Honda drivers (+), Vlad, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 07:01:12
    • Actually you just described the STi....., Chad, Wed, 22 Dec 2004 07:30:45
  • back in TN..., t_mokes, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 15:31:52
  • Want those jerks to move out of the fast lane?, Rafe, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:56:59
    • I get a little respect on the RT...., Mike Lynch , Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:06:59
  • trucks/SUVs do my dirty work...., isobel, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:25:15
    • Re: trucks/SUVs do my dirty work...., Rafe, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:53:10
  • Generalizations, Erik A., Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:48:24
  • I second BMW drivers (esp. 3 series) being the rudest, Patrick008, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:58:36
  • BMW drivers are the rudest and most likely to cut, JTMav, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:07:58
    • Ja. nm, Rafe, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:49:27
  • VW drivers look out for each other, McTeague, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 06:30:42
    • Ok - I'll bite...what's the beef with height & trucks?, JDSaab, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:16:08
      • My only beef with SUV's and trucks..., cryptical, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:28:01
      • the beef with height & trucks is that, Noel, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:11:51
      • Uhm, leisure boating = "necessary tool"..., Craig, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:21:59
        • Re: Uhm, leisure boating = "necessary tool"..., JDSaab, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:07:48
          • But what do you say to height incompatibility? (+), Vlad, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:59:19 <-- Viewing This Message
            • Vlad, good point, dan , Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:12:10
          • But have trucks and SUVs gotten TOO big?, Noel, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:28:37
            • Good Question Noel. More food for thoughts., JDSaab, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:39:10
              • Of course we agree on that part. The hard part is..., JDSaab, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 14:44:34
                • We agree on a lot, JD. Especially the cigarette boat, Noel, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 18:16:51
              • Re: Good Question Noel. More food for thoughts., Noel, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:29:53
              • what I see (p,o,v. from the centre lane), dan , Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:57:29
            • Its not more than you need,, dan , Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:16:40
    • Lexus drivers here in NM>>>>anecdote>>, Robert, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:06:31
      • Boy we could sure, Rafe, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:01:49
      • Re: Lexus drivers here in NM>>>>anecdote>>, JBack, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:55:02
  • Saab's used to be fastest..., Eric Law, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 05:55:08
  • Cars are sold by psychological marketing, so, DER, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 20:30:41
  • Perhaps but drivers of different cars, saw, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 19:17:43
  • 4 door Corollas - CAA and baby on board stickers,..., dparadis , Mon, 20 Dec 2004 18:28:22
  • Chevy Cavalier drivers - the worst!, Greg Abbott , Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:44:00
  • Re: Do drivers of a given make or type of car typically, Lawrence, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:22:21
  • Honda drivers are the slowest...., Mike Lynch , Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:15:10
    • I give the slow prize to Avalon & Camry drivers, Saabio, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 05:31:14
      • Ditto - Avalon & Camry, John J, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:45:22
        • The ricers can, Rafe, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:00:11
          • Re: The ricers can, Joe D., Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:33:39
    • Always thought Saturn drivers were slowest..., dparadis , Mon, 20 Dec 2004 18:32:57
      • Re: Always thought Saturn drivers were slowest..., Erik W, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 17:24:58
      • Not anymore, Schu, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 05:53:32
        • Agreed..., turrbo , Tue, 21 Dec 2004 22:39:38
    • Re: Honda drivers are the slowest...., Yaofeng, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:45:38
  • Re: Do drivers of a given make or type of car typically, Yaofeng, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 16:28:01
  • Yeah, I think so..., turrbo , Mon, 20 Dec 2004 16:13:28
  • Re: Do drivers of a given make or type of car typically, Randy Thatcher , Mon, 20 Dec 2004 15:43:10
    • Subarus and the fast lane, Rafe, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 16:18:39
      • Re: Subarus and the fast lane, Ari2, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:47:18
        • Re: Subarus and the fast lane, jonathan, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 19:51:55
          • Re: Subarus and the fast lane, NDGSAAB, Mon, 20 Dec 2004 20:40:05
            • Re: Subarus and the fast lane, Rafe, Tue, 21 Dec 2004 06:52:09

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