I drive a Toyota RAV-4 which gives me a top rated vehicle with room to haul a new dryer home and not pay the $50 delivery fee, or room for my two big dogs and camping equipment and it still gets better gas mileage than Ford's hybrid.

We bought our first SUV about a year and a half ago. We bought a used (2003) from a car lot. Prior to owning this one we had aan older minivan...I can't believe I dont remember which one now...I'll have to ask my husband LOL.

Anyhow, our reason for buying the SUV was passenger seating. We are a family of 5, and I run a home daycare in which I have 5 extra children in. The SUV seats 8, which was perfect. My husband and my teenage son rarely want to come to the zoo or the pumpkin patch with us LOL

I will say that I'm still a nervous nelly when driving, but I didn't get my license until I was in my 30's and every day I gain more confidence.

We were very concerned about gas consumption as the price of gas was just starting to rise into the outrageous zone, but were pleasantly surprised that we actually spend less in the newer SUV than we did in the clunker minivan.

We camp religiously, and have a trailer in a seasonal trailer park that when needs moving requires a heavy duty vehicle to pull it. An SUV offers us that. I won't speak for my husband, but I'm pretty secure with my marriage and myself. If McDonald's is considered fine dining, then we're all over that!

Honestly, I'd never have considered an SUV if passengers weren't an issue. I could have cared less what the vehicle looked like as long as I didn't have to cart 7 kids (2 of them in a double stroller) around the city on foot or on the bus in cold, snowy, rainy, or hot weather every day.

We did briefly consider one of those van/bus type concoctions, and I probably would've been all over it had there been a used one at any of the carlots we went to.

Michelle

I drive a Tahoe. I am not insecure. I am a pretty big guy, and have two boys. Both play tennis, and we spend a lot of time on the road going to tournaments. Vans look unstable and cheap. The Tahoe looks like it is made better, so i went with it. I love driving it because there is plenty of room, which is a hug plus for a big guy.

One more characteristic of SUV owners that the article didn't mention is the refusal to admit the truth or reality.

"I bought my SUV so I can load groceries easier". Give me a break . Geez.

I immediately thought of my insecure, in-debt, SUV owning brother-in-law while reading the post. It's soooo true.

Put in a resonant energy reflux generator and you'll double your gas mileage on your SUV!!!!

although too get this resonant energy reflug generator, we'd have to ask for the patents, and our government isnt very nice

No disrespect to any of you in this thread who drive SUV's... there are some instances where I can find their uses in society completely acceptable, but they are few and far between. From my personal experience with most SUV owners/driver's the article/ original post explains it perfectly.

It's selfish to put huge vehicles on the road that hinder other driver's ability to see well.

It's selfish to use gas guzzling, environment destroying house size vehicles on the road so that you can carry more crap you don't need.

It's selfish to use something that consumes so much gas that it helps to keep gas prices high for the rest of us, by increasing the demand 100 fold.

The list goes on and on.... I'm not poking at any of you as people... but the decision to purchase or own an SUV for any other reason other than camping or perhaps using it in some type of construction related capacity is wrong in my opinion.

I believe that all evil in the world is based on selfishness, and SUV's are the most socially acceptable form of selfish, self absorbed behavior. Frankly I don't understand it. I won't ever understand it, and I think we are doing the world a major disservice by condoning their use in our society.

[edit on 29-2-2008 by Osiris1953]

Ehhhhhhhhhh, Everyone can smog all they want. The Carbon Dioxide isn't what did it this world needs carbon dioxide too live, plants breathe it just like we breath oxygen, so if you were to drive the most bio hazard vehicle through the amazon you wouldn't smell any of the biproduct 1 minute later.


It don't matter, Nukes are what messed up our climate, You can't put the heat of the sun on this earth for 10 seconds and then expect all that heat to just dissappear.

Heat rises, and it rose too the OZone, and now it's stuck there.


Booya, thanks Russia for blowin up that 57megaton nuke in Siberia.


Yipeeeeeee!!!!
don't matter, we'll all be floating in a few years if this world wants to evolve anyways....

[edit on 29-2-2008 by Prophet-Ezekiel]

Originally posted by Tuebor
One more characteristic of SUV owners that the article didn't mention is the refusal to admit the truth or reality.

"I bought my SUV so I can load groceries easier". Give me a break . Geez.

Actually this made me laugh because if anything our SUV sucks for storage space and loading ease. My husband drives a wee little Saturn and there is probably twice the storage room in the trunk than in my Tahoe. The only way to get any half decent storage room is to fold down the back seats (which then limits us to only 5 passengers therefore totally voiding the reason we bought the darn thing in the first place

There are a ton of things I hate about our Tahoe. I don't know if they addressed them in the newer models, or if it's just my quirky particular dislikes that noone else seems to mind.

Michelle

I can't help but notice all the SUV drivers ranting about how secure they are. Reeks of irony to me. Seeing farther down the road is hogwash, and the rest of the amenities are available in any size sedan today.

I wonder how many will change to smaller more fuel efficient vehicles now that the price of gas is at $4 and will continue to only go up from here...

Part of being selfish is that you have no idea that you are selfish, even when you blatantly make statements that are self-serving. Let's analyze some of the statements made by the "selfless" SUV drivers.

"I feel safer, can see farther, don't have to bust my back putting the gigantic 20 month old in his car seat, and I have heated seats now!"

YOU feel safer, while the rest of us on the road are crapping our pants every time we see you coming. Automobiles in general are more than a means of transportation, they are the most deadly weapon man has
ever created. I would feel much safer if I could carry around a loaded M-16 wherever I go, but everyone else would run for the hills, yet SUVs kill far more people every year than M-16s. If you can't get your kid into the carseat of your car, quit overfeeding your "gigantic" child and get some exercise, not a SUV. What makes you think you have the right to impose on everyone else just to make your life easier? I am glad you have heated seats though, cause ONLY SUVs have heated seats.

"I chose this vehicle because as the previous poster graciously pointed out it suites my lifestyle. I want to be able to see traffic further, especially when turning at lights. I also want to be able to load my youngster in with ease and be able to handle inclement weather. I pay dearly at the gas pump but I don't care its what I want."

The most selfish people often use the word "want" and "need" interchangably. They really have no concept that the two words don't mean the same thing. When it comes to something they want, it MUST
also be a need, because they are the most important people on the planet. These vehicles suit your lifestyle because you have a completely self-serving lifestyle.

"It has nothing to do with status, or anything, just convienence."

Another of the favorites in the vocabulary of selfish people, "convenience". I'm so glad life is easier for you while you make it harder for everyone else.

"I drive a Toyota RAV-4 which gives me a top rated vehicle with room to haul a new dryer home and not pay the $50 delivery fee, or room for my two big dogs and camping equipment"

You're awesome for saving that 50 bucks on that dryer delivery. Unfortunately, you're spending at least that much more on gas every month than I do in my Civic. Unless you're buying a new dryer every month, you're not saving anything. I've camped in both SUVs and mini-vans, and I will tell you there is nothing better for car camping than a Dodge Caravan with the back seats taken out and a futon in the back. If you look at the "useable" square footage in any SUV compared to a mini-van with removeable or stow-and-go seats, you completely lose the "more room" argument.

Curious as to the demographics of population that they sampled. I also wonder if they came up with any other profiles. If the majority of SUV drivers are insecure, vain, not religious, nervous about their marriage, uncomfortable about parenthood, like fine restaurants, and don’t like off road driving then what does that make us sedan drivers? I guess we’re confident, altruistic, religious, have strong marriages, comfortable at parenthood, love Burger King, and prefer to hike.

We will see how selfish and ignorant we are for driving SUV's and trucks when you get into an accident in your little 'roller-skate' of a car and it's totally trashed because it buckles like an accordian. If you are lucky, you might survive but I don't it. Meanwhile, I will be jumping out of my SUV or truck to go see if you are ok. Darn, you're dead. Sorry.

After the accident, if you survive, you will have to buy a new car because your little go-cart was destroyed. So actually, your two cars cost more to build and produce than my 1 SUV. Don't get into more than 1 accident because then it will cost more than my 1 vehicle.

Really, its nobody's business what anyone drives. I don't have to give any reasons why I would want to drive any vehicle. Everyone, get over yourself and drive what you like and mind your own business.

[edit on 4-6-2008 by WhatTheory]

Im wondering if this has anything to do with them discontinuing SUV models...

Can we get a link to the original article?
I saw an unusual amount of "he was like, ....."
Using "like" for "said" or "asserted" is unusual for a journalist.

I hate SUV's, always have, even when gas was under a buck a gallon. I'm sick of seeing the average SUV driver, who is always on her cell phone, disobeying every traffic law possible. While you may be safer, the rest of the world is at a greater risk. Who cares about those other people though? As long as you can sit up high and look down upon everyone else.

It is penis envy. That is what it boils down to. People who are small in the mind and in the pants need a big SUV.

Back to cell phones while driving. I know you must call your bf/gf or husband/wife 800 times a day. If you don't they may find a 7 second chance to sleep with someone else. This goes back to being insecure.

Now for people who work in a trade, I understand fully the need for a large PICKUP or VAN. For people who live far from paved roads, I understand the need for a 4X4, like a Jeep. For people who have a large family, I can see a minivan being handy. SUV's, don't see the use besides showing off your "bling" like you were some rap star.

Another thing I have againts suv owners is that not one of them understands the simple law of supply and demand. Or they are just too selfish to care.

/rant off

I remember an editorial a few years back by some woman SUV owner who said “I like to have a big SUV so when I hit something, I know I’ll win”. I have an idea. Try paying attention to the road! In my 20+ years of driving cars, I have never been in an accident! It may have something to do with the fact that I pay attention. I don’t drive with one hand holding a coffee and the other holding a cell phone.

I stop at red lights also. This is a hard concept for many. I guess when you are better and more important than everyone else you don’t have to though.