Suzuki Samurai was Re: [geeks] SPARC proprietary (waaaay

[Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez]

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003, Kurt Huhn wrote:
>
> Some vehicles stop *way* more quickly than others, and a variety of
> reasons could prevent you from stopping in time.
>
> The person slamming on their brakes to avoid the tree-rat needs to be
> taken out back and beaten mercilessly.  They're a danger to everyone
> behind them because a) they think a squirrel is more important the
> safety of themselves and anyone behind them, and b) that had no idea
> anyone was behind them and might hit them if they slammed on their
> brakes.

Well the same could be said about the person who is way too close to the
rear bumper of the person in front of them so that they do not have time
nor space to brake when the person in front of them brakes. That is basic
driving skill really. The squirrel itself can do certain damage if for
example gets hit by the front bumper and propelled towards the front
windshield at high enough speeds. Larger animals like a racoon can do
serious damage if hit at relative high speeds....

> > People who drive 15 passenger vans often do so professionally and
> > I haven't noticed any greater tendency to cause accidents.  This
> > is NOT true for SUVs.  In my experience.  YMMV.
> >
>
> Not *really*.  At least not if you watch the media.  According to
> various prime-time magazine shows (dateline, 20/20) here in the states,
> a 15 passenger van is a deadly threat to passengers, driver, and
> surrounding vehicles.  A lot of 15 passenger vans are used
> non-professionally - that is, the driver has not been specifically
> trained in piloting that vehicle.  Such as the ones used as campus
> shuttles, church buses, by people carting around huge familys, etc.

Same can be said about the SUV drivers, a LOT of the drivers I have seen
handling those behemoths are scared little soccer mums. They are already
stressed enough driving a medium sized car, and now you throw at them a 2
ton monster, just becase they believe highways should be some sort of arms
race. I drive a small 2 seat sports car, and I AM TIRED of having to drive
with one of my hands constantly over the horn whenever I pass a SUV becase
I have been cut off and forced out of my lane in so many ocasions it is
not even funny. They just do not see me, as they are a) too high off the
ground to see me through their massive dead spots, or b) too confident in
their safety of their size so that they do not need to bother with mundane
tasks such as looking through your rear view mirror when changing lanes.

A lot of people driving SUVs and Vans are only trained with conventional
car driving skills, when the dynamics of such vehicles are significantly
different.

Another gripe I have with a lot of behemoth SUC owners is that they seem
to think that all terrain == all weather, which is dangerous. Whenever it
rains cars with such large wheel foot print may be more prone to
hydroplane but some drivers of excursions and what not seem to think it is
a green light to drive faster when it rains!

>
> Anyway, where was I going with this...oh yeah!  If you're believing some
> statistic that SUVs are dangerous, or drivers of SUVs are dangerous,
> you've been led down a very wrong path.  Any car is dangerous, and
> you're driving a Honda Civic, and you get hit by a bad driver in a Honda
> Civic - you'll still get injured.  Yes physics plays a small part in
> *how* injured, but in this litiguous society, that matters not.

"small" part? Jeez I guess momentum just somehow is a small detail, as
well as bumper positioning, etc. SUVs tend to give bad drivers an extra
degree of confidence, and that in certain occasions is a very very
dangerous combination.

Again, not implying every SUV driver is dangerous or ill trained. It is
just that in my personal experience, a lot of my friends who happen to be
shitty drivers are the ones driving the larger cars, just because they
knew they were shitty drivers to begin with and they thought of the SUV as
their extra personal safety mechanism.