ChattyCathy wrote:
>
> I often see those those huge 4x4's (that probably
> haven't seen a 'dirt road' since they were bought), often with just the
> driver, driving around the dense city/suburban streets (while usually
> yakking on a cell phone too). If you live in the 'boonies' - fine, or you
> use them for what they were intended, but for city driving from
> meeting to meeting? Pure 'show off', IMHO.

Folks who assume other folks are showing off are usually envious.

You're entitled to your opinion but your assumption is not necessarily
true. And what does the cell phone have to do with it.. are you also
assuming that folks driving small vehicles don't use cell phones, and
how does the use of a phone affect gas mileage... sounds more like you
have a problem with cell phone use than gas mileage. I've driven a 4
X 4 for the past 20 years and I don't own a cell phone. I don't see
the connection between cell phones and vehicle size... care to clue me
in.

Like with everything else of course there are exceptions, but the
truth is that most folks who drive larger vehicles have legitimate
reasons... by your assumptions folks who don't cook have no business
having fancy schmancy designer kitchens, they're just showing off...
and maybe they are but why should it bother you. Many folks who drive
large vehicles do so because they are supplied by their employer
because they need to carry/tow stuff for their jobs. Most SUVs and
large pick ups aren't used to drive long distances, so they probably
don't consume any more fuel than those mini death trap **** pots used
for commuting over a hundred miles each day. Many larger vehicles are
used primarilly as recreational vehicles; towing travel trailers/boats/
ski mobiles/motor cycles, a plethera of fun things, but not every day
(perhaps you don't believe in people having fun). And according to my
lifetime friend since kindergarten who has owned a large Jeep
dealership all his life folks who drive any brand of larger vehicle
do so for exactly the same reasons clothing comes in different
sizes... a lot of folks don't fit into a tiny vehicle... just like
women with C & D cups can't wear your bras... it's as simple as that,
do you expect people with size ten feet to wear size six shoes...
naturally some guys who wear size ten are buying size twelve, they're
just showing off. hehe Vehicles can only be made so small before
only the ematiated twiggies can drive them. I'm not exceptionally
large but I don't fit into a mid sized car, not comfortably, and
certainly not a compact... and they are so low that I have trouble
entering and especialy exiting... wait about twenty years and you'll
know what I'm talking about. And many folks have physical handicaps
that absolutely prevent them from driving small vehicles, and folks
are living longer nowadays so many more are driving with disabilities
that prevent driving a small vehicle... and todays full sized sedans
are much smaller than those from past eras but don't get any better
gas milage than the typical SUV, in fact most get lower gas mileage.
Money played absolutely no part in my choosing a new vehicle so I was
seriously looking at full size luxury cars before choosing the Toyota
FJ; I looked at the Cadilac, Lincoln, and especially the Crysler 300,
those were gorgeous but still not me (I'd look silly in them with my
farmer outfits), and they are all too low slung for my needs... those
didn't get as good mileage as the FJ and they weren't nearly as
comfortable and the FJ isn't really as large as it seems, I barely fit
in it. I have no idea how they come up with those specs, how do they
measure hip room... how can they say 52 inches hip room when I've
actually used a tape meaure and the seat on the FJ is only 18 inches
across... my Land Cruiser seat measures 22 inches across, a huge
difference in comfort... I barely fit in the FJ but none of the full
size sedans have seats any larger. I still have my old Land Cruiser,
may come in handy for hauling messy gardening stuff, and I no longer
worry about where I park it, plus it's made stronger than the new
ones. Even full size pick up trucks have no more than a 20 inch wide
seat, but they all have a 20 inch wide center console, what a waste of
space, wtf needs a steamer trunk between the front seats... I guess
one stupid plastic center console costs less than two larger seats.

Most drivers these days are at the older end of the spectrum so they
have special needs, and they have the most disposable income... so
don't assume.... hopefully one day you'll get there, then perhaps
you'll comprehend.

And another thing, those who choose to drive mini vehicles and claim
the behemoths intimidate them simply don't have good driving skills...
whatever vehicle one chooses they must learn to drive it
accordingly... the smaller the vehicle the more defensivly and *alert*
one must drive... I've driven some very small vehicles when the common
car on the road was tantamount to a tank, I drove two seater ragtop
sports cars, VW beetles, and I even owned a Ford Pinto... and I spent
many years riding motorcycles, only the most ignorant motorcyle rider
bitches about the vehicles with whom they share the road, those with
an IQ ride intelligently, which means defensively. Btw, the vast
number of motorcycle fatalities don't involve another vehicle.

And anyone who takes even very occasional plane flights has no right
to complain about any SUV fuel use.