•  SenorBolsa   ( @SenorBolsa@beehaw.org ) 
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1
    edit-2
    11 months ago

    Yeah but on the flip side isn’t this really driver Ed problem? I drove a semi truck, which you can hide an entire car in the frontal blindspot of, and I never hit anything (well not with the front of it, backing is hard okay!)

    Visibility should always be a consideration in vehicle safety but I feel the bigger problem is people who don’t know how to handle that. If you have limited frontal visibility you should always be paying attention at lights to be sure no one has walked in front of your vehicle, simply doing this almost entirely eliminates the risk. Sadly people are too impatient to wait to get where they are going to fuck around with their phones.

    Always the same, self absorbed people causing havoc for everyone else.

    Though I also agree that Americans are way too obsessed with trucks but I think that’s a tougher change than long term improvements in drivers education and safety culture. Full size pickup trucks just won’t die, even though they have taken the place of things like minivans and SUVs they don’t have any of the stigma wagons or minivans and SUVs built up with the same trend/bust cycle. My parents think SUVs are cool, I think they are lame family cars or yuppie mobiles.

    Also have you seen a new escalade in person? It’s offensive.

    The quality of driving on American roads has continually gotten worse year over year from my subjective point of view. It really needs to be turned around if we want to make any progress on road safety for everyone.

    •  Hlast   ( @Hlast@beehaw.org ) 
      link
      fedilink
      English
      211 months ago

      A large issue is that SUVs and pickup trucks are classified as light trucks, which means they don’t have to meet the same emission standards as cars. That incentivized manufacturers and sellers to push them in the US, which as led to the situation we’re in now.

      •  SenorBolsa   ( @SenorBolsa@beehaw.org ) 
        link
        fedilink
        English
        1
        edit-2
        11 months ago

        Yes that is also a serious problem CAFE categories destroyed the American sedan. Though I think as CUVs became more fuel efficient this was going to happen anyways, tall hatchback is the ideal for a car in a lot of ways as much as I hate them.