Big Cars are killing Americans

[big bubba]

i know many here will not agree with this article, but just to stir the pot.... inho increased size of the pickup over the years to the now monstrous has posed safety hazards for pedestrians. add all the small vehicles now on public roads (i hate scooters, etc) only increases risk.
we have a voracious appetite for power/size/creature comfort, which is ok in iteslf. but there are blind spots on these larger trucks, & the increased power & creature comfort sometimes makes us unaware of our surroundings...add our thirst for social media while driving & it makes a recipe for disaster

(this comment is not intended for those who depend on larger pickups for their trade, etc. just for the mall cruisers in crowded areas)
your thoughts? the link should work

 

[Torvy]

i know many here will not agree with this article, but just to stir the pot.... inho increased size of the pickup over the years to the now monstrous has posed safety hazards for pedestrians. add all the small vehicles now on public roads (i hate scooters, etc) only increases risk.
we have a voracious appetite for power/size/creature comfort, which is ok in iteslf. but there are blind spots on these larger trucks, & the increased power & creature comfort sometimes makes us unaware of our surroundings...add our thirst for social media while driving & it makes a recipe for disaster

(this comment is not intended for those who depend on larger pickups for their trade, etc. just for the mall cruisers in crowded areas)
your thoughts? the link should work

This thread can only devolve into the political as it is based upon an article pushing a particular political agenda. It is also in the wrong section as this is about tractor safety, not pickup trucks.

 

[Bird]

i know many here will not agree with this article

You're right there. Enough said.

 

[RickB]

Not sure it's gonna matter if someone in a wheelchair gets hit by a Smart Car or an F250 at 20-30 mph. Maybe the author and OP can do some research and get back to us. Scrolling on now.

 

[RjCorazza]

Rediculous. My large pickup truck has better visibility than ANY vehicle I have ever owned.

 

[the old grind]

My political agenda is that even small cars like mine come at me with fog lights on in perfectly clear weather.

 

[RalphVa]

Rediculous. My large pickup truck has better visibility than ANY vehicle I have ever owned.

Get a convertible, even better.

 

[big bubba]

last thing i intended was the thread to devolve into politics. apologize to those who may take it that way. just an observation on highway safety. happy new year to you all

 

[RalphVa]

My political agenda is that even small cars like mine come at me with fog lights on in perfectly clear weather.

The wife used to run her 1983 240D Benz with the fogs on. BIG fogs on that car, only ones that work. Ones today are a joke.

 

[RandyT]

This same argument was made when cars started getting smaller and people were worried about the larger full size cars doing excessive damage and causing deaths because the smaller cars couldn't withstand the impacts.

 

[MossRoad]

Rediculous. My large pickup truck has better visibility than ANY vehicle I have ever owned.

First purchase, eh?

 

[MossRoad]

I'm gonna also guess that since I was a kid, the number of vehicles on the road has doubled. That leads to my second guess that the number of car/pedestrian accidents has also grown, given the numbers. I'd like to see what the numbers are per capita of car/pedestrian fatalities has been since 1961 before I make any decisions for myself.

The article does bring up a good point that new pickups are stupid tall. I'm sure all of you recalling being able to reach over the side of a truck bed and grab something out. That's about impossible today. Why are they so high?

As I ride around in my 2003 Suburban, which used to be one of the largest vehicles on the road, I'm dwarfed by the new pickups. Sitting at a stop light next to one, the top of their hood is about level with my eye height. There's no way in heck they have good visibility in front of them, or to the right side while sitting at a crosswalk. It's just not possible. Especially with the larger windshield posts that house today's airbags.

Anyhow, to each their own. Pedestrians, be careful. They can't see you.

 

[Hay Dude]

More worried about people getting hit by silent EVs than big SUVs.

 

[big bubba]

More worried about people getting hit by silent EVs than big SUVs.

agree on that. i no longer run/bike on public roads that i can't hear EV's behind me

 

[ruffdog]

Remember when trucks would fit through all the drive-throughs? Remember when the window sill was low enough it was comfortable to have your arm resting there? Hoods are taller, windows are smaller, A-B-C pillars are larger, tints are darker, making it harder to see like we use to years ago. We now have info-tainment screens, smart phones, and blu-tooth to distract us when many years ago it was just a AM-FM radio doing that (if we had it turned on). Many of the design changes make the cab stronger in a crash but compared to the old days, it's like driving a plush high-rise apartment.

 

[Hay Dude]

Remember when trucks would fit through all the drive-throughs? Remember when the window sill was low enough it was comfortable to have your arm resting there? Hoods are taller, windows are smaller, A-B-C pillars are larger, tints are darker, making it harder to see like we use to years ago. We now have info-tainment screens, smart phones, and blu-tooth to distract us when many years ago it was just a AM-FM radio doing that (if we had it turned on). Many of the design changes make the cab stronger in a crash but compared to the old days, it's like driving a plush high-rise apartment.

To counter that, we have lane departure warning systems, back up cameras, and back up alarms. There’s even forward crash automatic braking.
I‘ll take today’s over yesterday’s trucks.

 

[LouNY]

It's all just BULL PUCKY.
Drive what you want, let the others drive what they want.
Pedestrians, use the damned crosswalks and signals if they are available,
otherwise open your eyes and watch what you are doing.

 

[Hemihup27]

Well, here’s my 2cents worth. I’ve been working in the automotive collision industry for about 40 years and have more certifications than I can count.
This article is very biased to say the least, if not completely misleading. I agree that trucks are getting a bit on the tall side, but the whole gaining weight is not at all correct. For several years now manufacturers have been working to lighten up all vehicles . Through the use of aluminum, composites, plastics, and advanced steels,they have gotten lighter. Through the use of breakaway and collapsing mounts on critical front end parts, they’re reducing potential injuries to pedestrians. Passenger car’s use this technology as well. Plus you add in the ADAS ( advanced driver assistance systems) vehicles are becoming much safer for other drivers and pedestrians.
The real problem that I see is the loss of situational awareness of the driver. Most accidents that I’ve seen in the last 5 to 10 years are caused by the driver paying attention to their phone or other entertainment devices while driving. It doesn’t matter what size the vehicle is, it’s the operators skill and attention that should be of concern.
Just my opinion based on what I have seen and had to repair over the last 40 years of my life.

 

[Tomtint]

We have a dozen or so vehicles..The best visibility is the F450 DRW Crew Cab.. No blind spots and a high seating position for a full panoramic view of the road ahead. ..The worst car we have is a 911 Cab...cant see **** over your right shoulder or behind you. ..So your article is BS

 

[big bubba]

"The real problem that I see is the loss of situational awareness of the driver. Most accidents that I’ve seen in the last 5 to 10 years are caused by the driver paying attention to their phone or other entertainment devices while driving. It doesn’t matter what size the vehicle is, it’s the operators skill and attention that should be of concern.
Just my opinion based on what I have seen and had to repair over the last 40 years of my life." Hemihup27
agreed