Have you ever been in a *SERIOUS* accident? I'll bet not. If you ever had been your choice of vehicles would show it rather quickly! You neglected to mention that SUV *drivers* tend to suffer fewer injuries due to the larger vehicle sustaining less damage. And BTW #3 is a crock. If they seem to be bad at parking that's the drivers fault NOT the SUV.

Yes, I have been in a serious accident. You bet wrong--I hope you don't gamble.

#3 is not a crock. Yes it's the driver's fault but the fact that it's an SUV is the reason the drivers have a harder time parking within the lines. That's why I said that the SUV "drivers" tend to be bad at parking, not SUVs. If a company invented a self-parking vehicle, I'd bite. Anyway, go to a parking lot and check this out. Better yet, come to my local Safeway and check it out. It never fails that the only spot is next to an SUV parked on the line. If I were a worse person, I'd ding their car as i open my door.

My arguments were against SUVs, not for them. I do realize that SUV drivers tend to suffer fewer injuries; however, they are also 40 to 60% more likely to rollover, depending on the model. My friend was killed that way.

-A.

My arguments were against SUVs, not for them. I do realize that SUV drivers tend to suffer fewer injuries; however, they are also 40 to 60% more likely to rollover, depending on the model. My friend was killed that way.

Some are, but most are not.  And consumer reports that the better made ones are the best cars to own and drive from a safety standpoint.

As for the parking, their turning radius beats mine all to hell, so the obvious answer is not the car, but the driver.  I know, my wife owns one and I own a Toyota Tacoma.  Hers is a lot easier to park than mine.

Umm.. id venture not nearly as much energy is used in a month for the internet as is used for a day for the Ford F150s and Explorers and the like.

Computers really don't use very much power at all, especially compared to a F150 or better yet Toyota 4Runner (14mpg). The responsibility factor is going to catch up with everyone once the prices rise or we have to declare yet another war for oil. Couric is pretty dumb though, and not much of a journalist.

Oh silly mortals!! Your computer may not use very much power, but think about all the millions of computers in millions of homes around the world. Then take all the telephone wires, switching stations, microwave towers, satelites, and everything else it takes for our little bits and bytes to Keep On Truckin' down the information super highway. As if that wasn't enough, think of all the energy expended by the ISPs, keeping our servers open and running at ever increasing speeds. Now, try to wrap your minds around all the energy spent on manufacturing, distribution, and retailing of our little PCs and Apples. Those semi trucks, factories, warehouses and stores don't run on hydrogen... right?

The world at the flip of a switch does not come cheap, nor does it run on anything other that the good ol' Corporations that liberals love to hate.

Just because it don't have a tailpipe, doesn't mean it isn't burning fuel!!! ;~D

sqrrldrw - agreed, Couric's prime has passed.

Well, I don't know anything about Couric, but I also hate SUVs. Angloesque already noted many of my gripes against them. Personally, my feeling is that they are so popular, particularly with women, because of the "Napolean complex." Because you sit up higher, you simply feel more powerful. I recently took a trip to California, and basically had to rent an SUV because no one rented wagons and I couldn't get a guarantee that a mini-van would be configured in the manner I required to hold all of my family's luggage, and I can tell you for a fact that sitting up higher absolutely does not give you any better view of what's going on around you. It does, however, nicely block the view of anyone driving behind you. In addition, you absolutely do not have as good a view of what's happening around you from the driving position. Sure, they're safer vehicles from the standpoint of "passive avoidance" (meaning you're less likely to suffer injury due to the sheer size of the thing), but so is a tank (I'm sure we'll be seeing them on the road soon). From the standpoint of "active avoidance" however (the ability to maneuver around trouble), they lose out to most "regular" cars. And I'll tell you another thing while I'm on my soapbox, people who drive the full-sized SUVs like the Suburban, Expedition, and Hummer, should absolutely be required to get a different class of driver's license. There is a huge difference between driving one of those and driving around in your Honda Civic. Most people have no business driving around in something that big with being specifically qualified to do so. To sum it up, SUVs are "me" cars, and mini-vans (and the like) are "we" cars. I'm getting down now.

Bill

It does, however, nicely block the view of anyone driving behind you. In addition, you absolutely do not have as good a view of what's happening around you from the driving position. Sure, they're safer vehicles from the standpoint of "passive avoidance" (meaning you're less likely to suffer injury due to the sheer size of the thing), but so is a tank (I'm sure we'll be seeing them on the road soon). From the standpoint of "active avoidance" however (the ability to maneuver around trouble), they lose out to most "regular" cars.

So I can count on you to sign my petition to ban all those annoying huge (as well as just plain noisy ) ambulances from the road? ;~D

So I can count on you to sign my petition to ban all those annoying huge (as well as just plain noisy ) ambulances from the road? ;~D

How about the Semis?  They block it worse than SUVs and are a lot more dangerous in a crash!

Katie got her job because she is cute, and she still is. But she's been admiring herself in the mirror way too long and has apparently mistaken cuteness for intelligence. She's as transparently vapid as Jessica Simpson, if you ask me. I respect Jessica more, however, because she doesn't take herself so deadly seriously the way Katie does.

Cheers,
Daiwa

Actually, it would be great if we could build a transportation system just for semis. Here in PA, there is a highway that I believe is considered one of the deadliest in the country because of the frequency of car/truck accidents resulting in fatalities. And as for ambulances, well, they're built the way they are because they pretty much have to be to serve the purpose they are meant to serve (did I say that in as confusing a manner as possible). My Taurus wagon seats more passengers than all but the largest SUVs, and is just as capable of hauling as much junk, probably even more than Explorers and the like. Yes, I feel like a complete dweeb riding around in it, but it serves it's purpose well (hauling around 3 kids and their pals). And it doesn't blind you when I'm coming toward you at night, unless I do it on purpose with the high beams because your freakin' SUV has temporarily place me among the non-seeing. So there.

I'll tell you one thing. If I'm going to be in a SERIOUS accident I think I'll follow the CHP advice that was given to me. I'll be the one in the SUV, NOT the Honda Civic or the Kia Sorrento. And just for clarification for ALL those that don't know. A pickup (F-150 ) is NOT even considered an SUV.

Actually, it would be great if we could build a transportation system just for semis.

This kind of reminds me of a time I was home on leave from Ft. Bragg. Me and my brother were stuck behind a convoy of military vehicles on I-15. My brother, being the ever so patient driver he is, starting complaining about how those vehicles shouldn't be on an interstate freeway.

I laughed and reminded him that the nation's freeway system was funded mostly with Department of Defense dollars. The justification being, that with a system of freeways criss-crossing the country, the military could move equipment much faster.

Then I told him, "So I'd thank you to not get in the way of those military vehicles who do OWN THE ROAD!!! ;~D

The only problem I have with SUV's is the tax credits that were given to purchase these gas hogs. Personally, I prefer not to own a vehicle with less than a V8 engine, and it has nothing to do with the environment. It has to do with the safety of being able to accelerate quickly enough to avoid that idiot on the freeway who will run me down if I don't get up to speed quickly enough, and having a vehicle of reasonable carrying capacity to accomplish many of the tasks I need to accomplish.

The thing about semis is that they drive for a living, and with few exceptions I think they're better drivers than anyone on the road. I'm fairly certain that the majority of semi/car accidents are the fault of the car driver or other extenuating circumstances, not the semi. However, I have no evidence to back that up. Just my observations.

BTW Dr. Guy, I used to own a Toyota 4 x 4 (precursor to the Tacomas) and you're right--its turning radius was crap. Nothing like a 7-point U turn in heavy traffic.

-A.

The thing about semis is that they drive for a living, and with few exceptions I think they're better drivers than anyone on the road.

Sadly, that's not true. While legislation has limited the number of hours they can drive, I can assure you most drivers are driving to beat a deadline, and often on the kinds of substances that you wouldn't want to know about. It's all about the carriers trying to squeeze as much production as they can out of the drivers, with profit margins the primary concern, and the drivers trying to make a living.

But I digress.

Reply #28 By: Gideon MacLeish - 2/3/2005 3:40:00 PM The thing about semis is that they drive for a living, and with few exceptions I think they're better drivers than anyone on the road. Sadly, that's not true. While legislation has limited the number of hours they can drive, I can assure you most drivers are driving to beat a deadline, and often on the kinds of substances that you wouldn't want to know about. It's all about the carriers trying to squeeze as much production as they can out of the drivers, with profit margins the primary concern, and the drivers trying to make a living.

Sad to say Gideon is 100% correct. Speaking as a former driver (both my wife and myself) They will push the spit out of you to hurry up and get the load there ahead of schedule. They get a bonus for that. Unfortunatley the driver doesn't see it. An independant faces the same basic problems. The more loads delivered on or ahead of time means more money to pay bills.

Unless Couric is a practicing automotive journalist I suggest she refrain from making gross assumptions. Driving style plays a role too.

My response to Couric is to drive what makes her happy and then apply that same motto to everyone else.

The best advice to her is to drive something that meets your needs. Experience has shown me the only thing better than this year's econo car is next year's econo car. Don't buy cars to make political statements. Don't buy cars and flip them every three years when the warranty expires. Buy cars as transportation. Buy something that has enough ground clearance to meet the winter conditions. Winter cancels out quite a few modern cars, so don't be peeved if you see alot of trucks in the winter.

1) If you have 4wd use it. But if you only use it less than a half dozen times a year do you need it?
2) There is more to a car than just fuel economy. There is good design and bad design. The prius is not a good design. It reminds of the first shoddy attempts at fuel injection - ala '86 chev era stuff.

Her intrepretation of fuel economy is open ended. Relative to what lady?? Personally I wouldn't drive a vehicle under 4000 lbs because I hate choppy ride. To me anything over 14mpg is steller.

I think what bothers me most is that there are uninformed and uneducated people making decisions that only the fda and automotive engineers can make. Everyone is an expert , except the field specific expert these days.