The SUV’s only ‘crime’ is that it emits as much CO2 as any other large car (and considerably less than a London cab, which seats only five yet has a larger foot print than a Land Rover Discovery.

The entire UK transport sector represents less than 20 per cent of global CO2 emissions. Motor cars and Motorcycles have to share the same sector with unregulated trains, planes and smelly cargo ships. You would have to make allot of trips to Walmart to match the amount of CO2 emitted by the average refrigerated boat importing your coffee beans from Kenya.

But cars are easier targets. Big, bright, beautiful, mobile monuments to their owners’ material success. Odd, that they should inspire such powerful resentment… SUV loathing is a prejudice that dares speak its name.

And it’s such a waste of time and effort. If you want to save the planet, please learn to look beyond the architecture of my car. Next time you go shopping consider how many items you buy come from abroad rather than how much money you can save on your weekly shop. But if you still feel the nead to examine my life style in such a way then maybe you should have a own good look at your own life.

So redeem yourself. Assuming you do believe in personal transport, why not concentrate your energies on making cars more efficient and, ultimately, emissions-free? Petrol-electric hybrid cars are now available and some of the first to be produced are SUVs. Major manufactures are researching hydrogen power and think versions may be as little as 10 years away.

Then what are you going to get worked up about? People with big houses?