Originally Posted By: rationull
Sorry, and I have nothing against anyone on BITOG or their vehicle choices but as a small car driver, and just as a person, it rubs me the wrong way to hear people tout their vehicle's mass as a "safety feature" because, essentially, it's more likely to seriously injure the other guy. The logical extension of this is having directed explosive charges mounted on the outside of your vehicle to soften the blow while killing the occupants of the colliding vehicle. Why not, right?
I'm more a fan of safety features like airbags, crumple zones, and same-height bumpers that protect the occupants of one vehicle without overtly hurting the occupants of the other.
I'll rest easy if I ever get hit by a pickup that the other driver was safe and sound in their big steel box.
Like I said, nothing against anyone here. I honestly believe most of us are conscientious drivers who are more likely to be t-boned than to t-bone someone else. I just think it sets a bad precedent. Relying on vehicle size for safety is a wasteful arms race, not a solution.
Just to clarify, I want to repeat that I am not judging anyone's vehicle choices because I acknowledge they are made for a variety of reasons. (Heck, I've got a Suburban in my driveway, too)
***AGREED***
The "mine's bigger" race is a great for the individual but doesn't do "humanity" right. I want my wife and kids to be safe, but also the drivers around them to be safe as well. The competition to get bigger steel for safety is driven by fear of loss, and fear is a dangerous thing. I've often wondered if those of us in bigger cars for "safety" reasons might suffer from less inner-certainty than the guy driving around in a civic who just goes about his business. (My boss years ago was a whip-smart x-farm-boy who did really well, managed huge projects, was built like an iron barrel and drove a tercel...).
Think of all these news articles about the recent surge in Americans' purchases of guns in lieu of the market collapse. Just who are they planning on shooting?? We're not looking at a foreign invasion... And if they get desperate enough while hungry, are they going to shoot me for my food? Fear becomes...._______.
We *IMO* as culture are very vulnerable to fear. I'm no different. We work hard to get what we want but then become very fearful of losing it, and are often (generalization) willing to say "that's his problem, not mine" when we go out and buy a sedan-crushing 9000lb grocery-getter. Our since of civic community goes only skin-deep.
Note: I'm not accusing others without admitting my own weakness.
Mike
