I own a Compact SUV and a Sports Sedan, both have there merits and use. And I would not be with out either. Just like I own Road bikes and Mountain bikes, they all have their time.


I find threads like these funny, So much generalization with no answer being right. Everyone applies there own rational and justifcation on the world as if it's the truth.

Remember it's not so much the SUV, rather the driver. Bad divers exist regardless of what they drive.

If it is a big van, then yes, they have about the same fuel consumpton. Minivans usually consume less gas, unless your talking about something such as a CRV or a Rav4. Minivans are much safer than SUVs and are more efficient people movers/haulers. There's a reason why I take a minivan to the hardware store, there are very few SUVs that can take 4x8 shets of plywood.

If you buy a SUV to just avoid the "soccer mom" or "married man" image, that's sad.

The Dodge Sprinter, a full-size van, gets decent economy: 5 Speed Automatic w/Overdrive Transmission 22 / 24

No worries Tex, drive and/or ride what works for you.

My post said "ADD to the soccer mom image", meaning a lot of people see SUV drivers as soccer moms. So no, assuming that I meant buying a SUV to avoid the image would be wrong.



I think this thread clearly proves that everyone owns a SUV or DIFFERENT reasons. Saying "ALL SUV DRIVERS _____" is just dumb.

WE ARE PEOPLE WHO BREATHE THE CRAPPY AIR POLLUTED BY IGNORANT A-HOLE SUV OWNERS, AND WE ARE PEOPLE WHO REAR-ENDED IN TRAFFIC, SIDE-SWIPED ON BIKES, BLINDED AT NIGHT, BY THESE POORLY DESIGNED, UNSAFE VEHICLES. THIS IS THE POINT. YOU LIVE IN A SOCIETY OF OTHERS, EVEN IN TEXAS. IF YOU WANT TO LIVE LIKE AN A-HOLE, DON'T EXPECT ANY RESPECT. If you have to define yourself to the world by the car you drive, that's just pathetic.

Calling me a tree hugger is pointless, this is a right-wing redneck term applied to anyone who feels that our impact on the earth needs to be considered. There are people who consider others in the world around them without "hugging trees" . And thank god the rest of the world doesn't think like you, or there would be no oil left by now. To put in in your simplistic terms, SUV drivers affect my freedom. Asthma rates in children are reaching epidemic levels in North America -too many trees?

Where do you get these ratings from? I have side impact airbags, front air bags, child safe power windows, and I get a discount on my insurance for the safety rating.
And here is a real news flash for ya....the Ford E series vans all have a 4 star safety rating. The Toyota Sequioa has a 5 star safety rating. And I can have the ply wood delivered.

...relative to other SUVs, maybe...I'd like to see that. Trust me, you need all the airbags you can get. Its a question of mentality, do you want to improve your survival chances in an accident? Or would you rather not have the accident? It's up to you to roll the dice with your kids.

If you think safety tests are meant to protect you, wake up: check this out on the web. The 2004 Saturn Vue SUV was found to have collapsing suspensions on roll-over tests by the NHTSA, Saturn said they could not recall the vehicles, it was too expensive, and would only fix the broken suspensions, NHTSA said ok, and they kept selling the SUVs!

Simple facts, a top-heavy 3+ ton vehicle is not safe; they have 2-3 X the stopping distance of a passenger car (yet they still love to follow too close). Safety ratings are in one driver tests, other countries safety councils have found the risk of flipping is magnified by just having an additional passenger.

But YOU think you are right. Let's hope your not dead right. F*** the environment, burn all the gas you want, get an inhaler.

This is most disturbing and not typical of cyclists I've met around the US. I won't read this thread any further.

The really good news about high gas prices is that there are alot fewer SUV's being sold these days and the ones on the road sometimes seem to be driven more conservatively as a lead foot gets expensive. The other good news would be more bikes being sold.

Who the F***K are you people?!? You are so holy that you should dictate WTF everyone should drive? I'm sick and tired of you suv hating sob's! You blame a class of vehicle and the people driving them for everything. Gas, economy, accidents etc...etc... That is pure ignorance! Why don't you go watch another NASCAR race. What, they run on peanut oil or something? How about all you frequent fliers? Planes got a new fuel? Must be peanut oil too.
No wonder suv drivers cause so much trouble for cyclists, they read crap like whats in this thread and it pisses them off so they go out and cut off a couple of ****** cyclists! Because anyone that doesn't ride knows that all cyclists are gay. That's why they wear the spandex shorts.

Literally laughing out loud.

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Don't forget, mini vans and trucks put out the same amount of polution, but it's "easier" to blame those damn SUV drivers!
http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/c..._emissions.gif

so, you can pollute our air (yours and mine) until it's unliveable? And I don't have the right to question this?

Sometimes, I'm amazed at how some people can even turn on a computer.

Thanks for the true colors. I'm sure those terms roll off your tongue every day.

If there was a reason to cut off a cyclist it would be to tick him off and have him vandalize my vehicle or attempt to cause bodily harm only to be caught on a camera phone, and then appropiate judicial punishment passed against them :p then I could come on here and rant and rave :p.

Getting mad over a few elitists who feel that "their way is the correct way" and that if you don't believe in their way then as somebody put it so politely you are an "IGNORANT A-HOLE" caps and all is a tad silly.

n/a

And of course you tactically ignore the first part of his post and jump to the part where he's being sarcastic. :lol:

n/a

Hey, it's not like I'm defending all SUV drivers. There are tons of drivers driving SUVs, 4 door sedans, sports cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, etc that are horrible drivers. I'm just not going to say "All motorcyclists suck".

And yes, "intended purposes" is the key. :)

Sorry, but politeness sometimes falls short on people, you should know how others feel, you may want to reconsider things (or not, as our kalamazoo militiaman here). I understand that the norm around you is the easiest way to think about things, its up to individuals to think of themselves in the bigger picture. Buy an SUV, but we're not impressed.

I think a big problem in modern society is that people are too tolerant of those that are inconsiderate and self-centered. The guy in the Cadillac Escalade on the cell phone crossing three lanes of traffic needs to be told that this is not right. The guy in the movie theatre taking calls on his cell phone needs to be talked to...but this behaviour is now the norm. ..and SUV owners need to respect others, because currently, they don't.

The best thing written in this thread so far...I'm going for a ride.

Attacking a general class of vehicle drivers will certainly ruffle feathers. Some folks do think about the tradeoffs of their vehicle, some (but few) really do need it, some vehicles in class don't fit the type (i.e. there are a wide range of different sizes and designs of SUV) So generalizations will be insulting to some.

In my case I own a 2dr 4wd Ford Explorer, but drive it only when I need it's utility (cycling is the primary form of transport) or certain pleasures. It is sometimes a guilty want and I have all kinds of excuses - primary one is that I spend lots of time working for the environment (land surveys, soil/water sampling, species surveys, illegal road removal and rebuilding) thru various organizations, many of those activities actually require the use of 4wd vehicle (oh the contradiction). I also use it for pleasure to get to very remote wilderness areas for camping, backpacking, photography - and even those pleasure trips result in information (photographs) I use to advocate for the enviroment.

I've also learned how to drive this Explorer so I can consisently get 23-24mpg. That is well over rated mpg and 20% better than I get with this vehicle when driven without care.

But I think DocRay has a very good point, although poorly said, that many if not most large vehicle purchasers, dont think much about their actions and consequences. This s saddening and reflects bad on the average of society in general. I think of my next door neighbors who own three Expeditions (one for wife, one for husband, one for kid) Unbeliveable. The neighbors across the street have two jacked up pickups with mud tires as their only two vehicles. Both these neighbors excessively speed in my neighborhood streets and jackrabit start and stop in these huge vehicles. That to me is unthinking - unfortuntately there are lots of people like this and I understand the rage Doc expressed.

Al

ooooh Motorcycles. now theres a subject we can hate upon :D. Someims they weav in and out of traffic worse then any soccer mom I've ever seen. Wait I don't think I've ever really seen a Soccer mom weaving in and out of traffic. Ya sometimes see aHonda civic or a mustang weaving in and out. Although Usually its the vehicle you least expected to be speeding and weaving in and out of traffic that is doing it .

Here is the part you forgot Doc.
I tell ya what...I hear your concerns. So this weekend I'll go sell my unsafe, world destroying, gas guzzling suv. So Doc...what can I get that won't kill all of us off? I need something that seats 6 and holds all of my gear so I can take all of my redneck gay bashing friends to the Nascar race next week and then to the monster truck rally afterwards.
With your wiseness you must know whats best for all of us. Forget the fact that we live in a country built on freedom and individuality. By the way, maybe I should tell my wife she has to change churches too. That is unless you say it is ok to stay Baptist. I sure as heck wouldn't want you to be offended. I trust you live in a house that is solar? Or do you have those big wind mills? Which one should I get?

I hate those damn road bikers who weave in and out of traffic, always run red lights, and never stop at stop signs. DAMN ROAD BIKERS! ALL OF THEM! :mad:

It's a shame about Texas.

So............

I cycled 22.5 miles this AM. All of it on roads cohabited by motor vehicles, many SUV. I would guess that during my travels I encountered a conservatively estimated 1500 vehicles. No incidents of rage or other abberant behavior to report. Everything went well. Yesterday was a different story.

I was directly confronted by the operators of 2 different SUV. I had a flat. Both stopped to see if I needed a ride. Guess what. I wasn't at all surprised. It happens around here all the time.

My other vehicle is a Dodge Durango.

There is no such thing as a free source of energy. A bicyclist burns calories and thus eats more. The farmers have to grow more food, so the petrochemical companies make more fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. Trucks have to haul all of this food around. Don't forget waste disposal.
Stop riding your damn bikes, you are killing our planet.

haha, thanks for the new sig!

You've brought this one yourself by making some pretty ridiculous comments. Nobody here really gives a crap about you. If you don't want to be judged for making stupid comments then stay off the site. See ya!

I rarely see them weaving in and out of traffic, myself. But I really don't understand the whole Harley Davidson mystique myself. When did these overpriced, over chromed, heavy, crude, slow and ugly bikes become status symbols? Give me an Italian or Japanese crotch rocket instead.

What stupid comments did he make?