SUV's and winter driving-

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

I think both Marc and Greg are right. SUVs are safer, but the roads still are too dangerous. If everyone had SUVs things would warm up enough so that it wouldn't snow and then driving would be safer for everyone.

 

[Marc]

I can't be right, CBMP, I haven't offered an opinion yet. I have only posted fact and posited a question.

And I think people here are having a hard time following the directions in the OP:

Q: Are there any conclusions to be drawn from this or was it coincidence? List your reasons (preferably in a coherent manner) with your opinion.

 

[ctenidae]

Driving back from Mt Snow Saturday night, I was in the lead in a TSX, my brother in law behind, driving a Jeep Cherokee, in 4WD. When we made the turn off 100 (or 9, I forget) to get to the onramp for 91, I made the turn no problem, he spun around 180 degrees. It is possible he was hurrying more to beat the oncoming traffic, it is possible I'm a better driver, it is also possible the light front wheel drive did a better job of it than the heavy 4 wheel. Personally, I think that I'm a slightly better driver (I tend to think further ahead than he does), that he was hurrying a bit, and that he figured he could because he was in the Jeep.

I also saw more SUV's on the side of 91 than I did cars (4 vs 0). I would say that there is quite likely a confluence of events that leads to that- mostly related to the perception of safety that SUVs give drivers. Kind of like helmets. Yeah, I went there. Marc, you want to stir a pot, you've got to go all the way with it.

 

[jillybeans]

Yeah we were headed down the Everett Turnpike/93 in the Manchester area last night as well and hit the snow squals further up on 93, then stopped for a quick dinner and hit black ice on 93 (then somehow got disoriented and ended up back on 93 N) and had to turn around and go back thru it but this time took Everett Turnpike instead of 93, much better. Anyways our count (and I was the passenger, so I could count) was in a 2 mile stretch, about 20+ cars total in accidents, 5+ in the ditch just on our side, one rolled over on the other side and the rest all fender benders, like a chain reaction... and about 5 of those from the chain reaction fender benders were all facing the opposite direction into oncoming cars... Most of these were sedans/cars, but the ones in the ditch and flipped over were SUVs.
Then of course you have the idiots that come flying past you as soon as traffic cleared up despite the fact that they just saw 20 cars on the side of the road... RIDICULOUS!!!

 

[Marc]

+1 cookie for ctenidae for being the only poster in the thread thus far to successfully read, understand and follow the directions as posted. Talk about your all time surprises.

 

[bvibert]

+1 cookie for ctenidae for being the only poster in the thread thus far to successfully read, understand and follow the directions as posted. Talk about your all time surprises.

I once ate a cookie while driving a SUV.

 

[Marc]

-1 cookie for Brian. Should be easy enough, PM to Carrie soon...

 

[bvibert]

The SUV I was driving spun 3 times and then did 2 barrel rolls before landing back on it's tires in the woods. I was able to drive away due to the superiority of the 4WD system... Never dropped the cookie either...

 

[ctenidae]

I like cookies.

 

[Paul]

I like cookies.

I like money.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Q: Are there any conclusions to be drawn from this or was it coincidence? List your reasons (preferably in a coherent manner) with your opinion.

Yes: It's not driving an suv in the snow that's a problem it's stopping. Someone who is not used to driving in the snow but is driving in an suv will have a false sense of security. As soon as there is a problem, said driver, will immediately hit the breaks. Inertia on a heavy truck will prevail and....boom.

 

[Marc]

Beano: Thanks for your opinion. Do you or have you owned an SUV?

 

[BeanoNYC]

Beano: Thanks for your opinion. Do you or have you owned an SUV?

Today:

Toyota Corolla

Land Rover Freelander

Tomorrow: Subaru Outback

 

[Brettski]

I take NJ Transit

I win in an accident

 

[andyzee]

Yes: It's not driving an suv in the snow that's a problem it's stopping. Someone who is not used to driving in the snow but is driving in an suv will have a false sense of security. As soon as there is a problem, said driver, will immediately hit the breaks. Inertia on a heavy truck will prevail and....boom.

You think you're smart, doncha? :dunce:

 

[aoneil]

People who own SUVs aren't better drivers or worse. However, worse drivers (who don't realize that being able to get traction and go faster doesn't correspond to an equal ability to stop) have more opportunity to make things bad for others.

I have an older Honda CR-V and I'm able to get where I need to go. I see a lot of people in big SUVs on the side of the road during bad weather - usually plowed into something. Like most other things, I'm most worried about avoiding the other people when driving rather than my ability to start or stop. Yes, it's a lot like going skiing.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I can't wait until gas prices hit like 8 bucks a gallon and then there won't be so many SUV eco-disasters on the road..

 

[Bumpsis]

People who own SUVs aren't better drivers or worse. However, worse drivers (who don't realize that being able to get traction and go faster doesn't correspond to an equal ability to stop) have more opportunity to make things bad for others.

I have an older Honda CR-V and I'm able to get where I need to go. I see a lot of people in big SUVs on the side of the road during bad weather - usually plowed into something. Like most other things, I'm most worried about avoiding the other people when driving rather than my ability to start or stop. Yes, it's a lot like going skiing.

Actually, according to motor industry's internal market research, SUV drivers tend to be worse drivers (vs. sedan, minivan), or at least, as statistical group, they lack confidence in their own driving skills. That's probably one of the reasons why they would surround themselves with a lot of metal and rubber that sits high off the ground. Source: "High and Mighty" by Keith Bradsher. It's great book about how SUVs came to be such a smashing marketing success.

I think that this book ought to be a required reading by anyone who drives or is thinking about getting an SUV, especially one of the truck based creations. To me, an SUV represents an automotive version of "Emperor's new clothes". It promisses many things, the chief among them being safety, yet, in reality it only delivers false sense of security and through that very function, makes the vehicle unsafe,especially in iffy weather conditions.

This is not say that an SUV can not be driven in a safe manner, but it all depends on the driver. Still, I think that everybody's margin of safety on the road would go up by a bit if these automotive abominations would disappear from the roads.

 

[ckofer]

How about a little pot stirring today:

Driving back from VT last night, 91 froze into a skating rink between 93 and approximately exit 3. Also hit a couple very heavy snow squalls and big winds.

We drove by 10 single vehicle MVA's... 6 were SUV's and another 1 was a pickup. And another was a VW van.

Q: Are there any conclusions to be drawn from this or was it coincidence? List your reasons (preferably in a coherent manner) with your opinion.

Obviously they were reading the warning decals on their visors instead of watching the road. Were they wearing helmets?

 

[snoseek]

I can't wait until gas prices hit like 8 bucks a gallon and then there won't be so many SUV eco-disasters on the road..

Me too.