Why does "size matter" in N.America???

[htek]

In the interest of keeping this lame thread alive... I offer this:

I drive a lifted (slightly) diesel F250. By the OP's standards, I'm sure it qualifies as an oversized, loud, obnoxious, and ridiculous fat american truck. When he see's me driving down the road, no doubt he makes some comment about how insecure I am in my "manhood". 90% of the time I use it to drive to town - unloaded, without a trailer. That's right.... I said it - a prius would get the job done for most of the driving I do in my truck. The obvious question is, why?

I respond as follows:

• Because I can. It's what I want to drive. When some idiot on a cell phone plows into me and my family, chances are VERY good that I will walk away. Lug Nut Rule ******.This is still the good ole US of A where I can make my own decisions (for now). If I drive 20 miles, I use more fuel and therefore pay more taxes.
• I work from home. That means I often don't leave my house for week or more at a time. I use less fuel in my vehicle than the VAST majority of people here. So piss off and don't judge me - I use less fuel than you.

With that said, I am not going to defend the moron that has an F350 with a flame job on 40's with fancy 20" chrome wheels. I find this display of excess just retarded. But it's his money, and I would never think to try to impose any sort of rules to prevent him from doing something this lame. You can't legislate stupidity folks....

I respect a lot of what other countries do and wish we could get a lot of there trucks. But for the love of god don't european-ize America.

 

[78Bronco]

The OP has tucked tail and ran. He snickers in the corner of the room without addressing the real issue of this thread which is why his over-burdened vehicle can't keep pace with traffic.

 

[Darwin]

Or why it gets similar mileage with half the power and weight carrying capacity?

 

[XJMurray]

In my opinion the large majority of the US population live in or close to major cities where they have a long highway commute on little streets and small parking garages. for them a small very fuel efficient car is probably the smart choice. Those people are very quick to say you shouldn't drive that gas guzzler or large suv/truck because its bad for the environment and so on. But they fail to see there are many of us that live in the Midwest far away from a city and drive 15 miles to work 1/2 on gravel and half on chip and seal paved roads that don't usually get touched when it snows. We use our vehicle to haul wood groceries and families. I have a F350 CCLB 4x4 diesel that I get 20mpg regularly when I drive nice, I don't need it most of the time but that is why I have a motorcycle to get the good gas mileage. But every time I get on the bike I am risking my safety on the highways driving with anything from a Prius to a semi truck if one of them hits me I am dead. That holds true for that Prius driver versus my truck, it might have a high crash test rating for its class, but its class will get the crap smashed out of it by my class of truck. I don't want to put my family in a small car or SUV for the fuel savings just to get his by some ************ out there in a semi or full size suv, and kill them just to save a little fuel or make the tree huggers a little happy. If everyone drives small cars then the safety risk is a mute point but when you put a 1500lb car up against my 9k truck in any speed accident you made the wrong choice. I work wrecks every day where a 70-80's model 1/2 ton truck made out of metal hits a cobalt/focus and the truck driver walks/drives away while the car driver/passenger is toted off to the ER all for a little fuel savings. There are some things that are just not worth the money savings, and my families safety is the top on that list.

 

[Alaskan1Ton]

In my opinion the large majority of the US population live in or close to major cities where they have a long highway commute on little streets and small parking garages. for them a small very fuel efficient car is probably the smart choice. Those people are very quick to say you shouldn't drive that gas guzzler or large suv/truck because its bad for the environment and so on. But they fail to see there are many of us that live in the Midwest far away from a city and drive 15 miles to work 1/2 on gravel and half on chip and seal paved roads that don't usually get touched when it snows. We use our vehicle to haul wood groceries and families. I have a F350 CCLB 4x4 diesel that I get 20mpg regularly when I drive nice, I don't need it most of the time but that is why I have a motorcycle to get the good gas mileage. But every time I get on the bike I am risking my safety on the highways driving with anything from a Prius to a semi truck if one of them hits me I am dead. That holds true for that Prius driver versus my truck, it might have a high crash test rating for its class, but its class will get the crap smashed out of it by my class of truck. I don't want to put my family in a small car or SUV for the fuel savings just to get his by some ************ out there in a semi or full size suv, and kill them just to save a little fuel or make the tree huggers a little happy. If everyone drives small cars then the safety risk is a mute point but when you put a 1500lb car up against my 9k truck in any speed accident you made the wrong choice. I work wrecks every day where a 70-80's model 1/2 ton truck made out of metal hits a cobalt/focus and the truck driver walks/drives away while the car driver/passenger is toted off to the ER all for a little fuel savings. There are some things that are just not worth the money savings, and my families safety is the top on that list.

Well said and I stand behind this very same thought process. " I saved $3000.00 last year alone in fuel with my Prius, But I had to rent a U-haul truck to haul home the new sofa I bought and the 2x4's I needed form Home Depot, oh yeah I also was in a wreck and I am typing this with a straw from my mouth".....but I saved 3,000 in fuel!!!". See the point.

 

[rwhockey29]

there are tons of "bro trucks" running around dallas. IE; diesels and jeeps with huge lifts(to the point of making the truck impossible to actually ofroad), huge 20-22" chrome wheels, AT tires with minimal sidewall, and a winch, lights etc that they dont use. think of the new jeeps they sell pre lifted, on 20" chrome wheels that have giant "rock crawler" stickers on the side of the truck. these drivers only have the trucks for looks, trying to be cool and look "tough".

im fine with big trucks (i daily drive a quad cab ram 1500, now i drive a lifted ramcharger every day). for me, as a bigger guy; 6'4, 220 its just more comfortable. i like being above other people and able to see more. at the same time, i think making a truck LOOK like you use it is pointless.

 

[craig333]

Hey you gave me an idea for a new line of work. I'll come around and spray mud on your mall crawler and make it look like it actually gets off the pavement :sombrero:

 

[Mc Taco]

Yes, but how "organic" will it be?:cow:

 

[scrubber3]

Yes, but how "organic" will it be?:cow:

LOL

 

[goodtimes]

Hey you gave me an idea for a new line of work. I'll come around and spray mud on your mall crawler and make it look like it actually gets off the pavement :sombrero:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/jun/14/uknews

 

[TangoBlue]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/jun/14/uknews

Sweet! Do you have the desert pin-striping applique as well?

 

[scrubber3]

Hey Tango, what is that Rendezvous conspiracy E all about?

 

[craig333]

Someone beat me to it. Damn.

 

[78Bronco]

I have had four incidents of little vehicles pulling out in front of our fullsize and having to brake suddenly. Without question I have the right of way and these morons in their little cars dont even look or yield as the law requires.

If my wife and kids were not in the vehicle with me I would speed up and wipe these nominees for the darwin award off the road to teach them a lesson.

 

[TxRider]

Well for one I could use a bigger vehicle so I actually fit in it. My head was on the roof of my toyota truck, I have to drive my 4runner with the seat party reclined and my head still hits the roof, and it's even on the roof of my '53 one ton army truck as it is a nowhere near as large as modern trucks..

Despite that I have still never bought a huge truck, but my neck does suffer when I hit a large hole or something and my head gets crammed into the roof.

I too think it's pretty ridiculous though these guys riding around in these huge trucks for no obvious purpose.