Tell me if you've seen this : people in large SUVs, pickups or 4x4s that swerve around potholes and slow to a crawl when turning corner or going up ramps into their driveways or petrol stations. Or this : a V8-badged car doing 25mph in a 40 zone.
It strikes me that a lot of people seem to buy vehicles that are either completely unsuited to them, or they don't understand what their own vehicle's capabilities are. Here in the US there's a very strong stereotype surrounding 'old' car brands and the age of the driver. If you're following a V8 Cadillac-anything, the minimum age of the driver is 70 and the maximum speed is 30mph (although this does go up to 45 when on the motorway). That vehicle could have a single-cylinder engine and it would still be overpowered for how it's used.
The same is true for many people with 4x4's or lifted trucks, pickups or any other vehicle with off-road capability. They really don't need to slow down to walking-pace for corners, or swerve for cracks in the road, or traverse ramps at glacial speeds. I've seen SUVs steer to avoid perfectly flat manhole covers....
The ultimate demonstration of idiocy in this department happened a couple of weeks ago when the truck in front of me braked and swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid a cloud of cherry blossom petals that had been dislodged from a tree in a strong gust of wind....
3 comments:
Actually, the lifted trucks DO need to slow to walking pace for corners, what with their centres of gravity having been raised above head height. They'll cheerfully roll over at the slightest provocation at speed.
I really can't understand the appeal of lifted trucks on the road. You get a ride that's about as planted as a Citroen 2CV, handling that would shame a supertanker, and you need a stepladder to get in the damn thing.
Doesn't happen here in Texas. The people in the lifted trucks seem to have a minimum speed that's above the speed limit! ;-)
And as for the Cadillacs... the CTS-Vs don't have the old people in them :D
Haha I get this one all right. I live in the Highlands about 20 miles from Inverness..... think nessie, you're in spitting distance of my house.
Now I'm not commenting to denounce my own automotive insuitability but I live in the country, single track roads, sheep and deer. I drive into the town/city daily but spend half my driving time on narrow twistys so I've got a mildly lowered,modified street sleeper Avensis if you can picture such a thing 😁😁I though I best own up before criticising others!!
What really gets on my goat are the ones driving brand new Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Land Cruisers etc. Ideal car for that habitat you may say and you'd be right if it was not for the fact when i meet one coming the other way they stop on the road and expect me to drive half onto the grass to let them by. Unless we end up sitting staring at each other at high noon waiting to see who'll make the first move haha.
But, a Land Rover?? what's gonna happen if you drive up over the verge a wee bit, here's a novel and daring thouht...... take it off road even in it's only two foot off road but no they can't do that they may get dirt on their mudflaps lol
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