Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Pittsburgh
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:11 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,660,570 times
Reputation: 5164

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by Copanut View Post
How would all you tree huggers feel if Escalades got 80 miles per gallon?
To me it's back to vehicle dynamics. The best thing you can do on the road is AVOID an accident. A big-ass SUV is not as capable of doing that as a small car from a handling perspective (in general; there can be some exceptions). Why does that affect me if I'm not driving one? Well, maybe one in front of me won't be able to avoid an accident, which would affect me. Or maybe they would not be capable of avoiding me if they veered off course or whatever other situation could arise where they had to make an avoidance maneuver near me. This is a big part of why I don't care for them. And why it doesn't help if I instead choose a vehicle just as large.

Obviously there are a bunch of sweeping generalizations floating around in here about SUVs and their drivers, etc. I know a few people who drove very large SUVs (Ford Excursion, for example, what a big ugly thing) because it was truly the only thing that fit everyone in the car at one time in their big family, at least at the time they bought it. Got no particular qualm with that, although I think it's funny when stretched to a family with just 2 kids "needing" an SUV, minivan, etc. It's easier, hell yeah, but it's not needing. Anyway, they exist, they're going to exist and there isn't really any getting around that.

But to relate back to my first paragraph, I worry for the people who are driving SUVs because they like to be up high and it "feels safer". Well, regardless of what they feel, that being high comes precisely at the expense of NOT being safer, at least in terms of accident avoidance. And wouldn't we all rather avoid an accident rather than be relying instead on the mass equation of being in one (where, I know, one could argue that the mass of such a vehicle is in favor)? Of course, this assume that the driver will be paying enough attention to avoid an accident. One generalization about big SUV drivers is that they often do not appear to be paying enough attention, so if that's true giving them a better handling vehicle may not make any difference in that respect.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:14 PM
 
1,344 posts, read 3,406,106 times
Reputation: 2487
Quote:
Originally Posted by SammyKhalifa View Post
Depends on if they keep veering left of center because the driver bought a vehicle beyond his/her skill to control
Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner.

That statement has nothing to do with the size of the vehicle. Regardless of a vehicles size, some people drive beyond their skills. I can back up a 24' enclosed trailer into a building with only 3" clearance on either side using only my mirrors but some people can't back out of a driveway.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
12,526 posts, read 17,549,480 times
Reputation: 10634
That's it, I'm getting a Vespa.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:22 PM
 
1,714 posts, read 2,359,577 times
Reputation: 1261
Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanR View Post
Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner.

That statement has nothing to do with the size of the vehicle. Regardless of a vehicles size, some people drive beyond their skills. I can back up a 24' enclosed trailer into a building with only 3" clearance on either side using only my mirrors but some people can't back out of a driveway.

I can't, or at least I don't feel comfortable doing so: that's why I drive a compact. When I had to rent a moving van I made my brother drive it.

What's that giant Lincoln thing? I swear that they make people take a driving test to be allowed to buy one of those, and they don't let anyone with a high score purchase.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:41 PM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
12,526 posts, read 17,549,480 times
Reputation: 10634
Gotta admit, I like a small car. Too cheap to pay for gas, plus about a million years ago I bought my sister's company car, it was a Buick LeSabre. Man, did I get grief about driving an Old Man's Car. Plus, I kept hitting the curbs way before my time.

Give me a 4 cyclinder that gets 30 mpg, but I still gotta have leather seats. Otherwise, my car smells like yesterday's lunch.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:50 PM
 
632 posts, read 1,071,258 times
Reputation: 414
Mazda 3. Small, 30+mpg and still a wicked blast to drive, especially on these curvy hills.

I get crap for driving a standard transmission in Pittsburgh...its really not that bad.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:52 PM
 
1,714 posts, read 2,359,577 times
Reputation: 1261
Quote:
Originally Posted by dtrtrggr13 View Post
Mazda 3. Small, 30+mpg and still a wicked blast to drive, especially on these curvy hills.

I get crap for driving a standard transmission in Pittsburgh...its really not that bad.

That's exactly what I have! 2005 hatchback. Love it. It's starting to get a lot of rust over the rear wheels though, wondering how much longer she's got.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:53 PM
 
Location: ɥbɹnqsʇʇıd
4,599 posts, read 6,720,168 times
Reputation: 3521
Quote:
Originally Posted by dtrtrggr13 View Post
Mazda 3. Small, 30+mpg and still a wicked blast to drive, especially on these curvy hills.

I get crap for driving a standard transmission in Pittsburgh...its really not that bad.
Just out of curiosity, where did you learn to drive a manual? I've been wanting to learn to drive one for years now and it's impossible to find anywhere that will teach.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 12:57 PM
 
Location: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
2,109 posts, read 2,160,214 times
Reputation: 1845
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl View Post
Just out of curiosity, where did you learn to drive a manual? I've been wanting to learn to drive one for years now and it's impossible to find anywhere that will teach.

I drive one and just taught my younger brother on Saturday, after he's been looking for at least 3 years to learn. Since I just moved back to the area, it was his first opportunity to learn.

I know, this isn't helpful. I wonder if I could make a buck teaching lessons in some $500 beater.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2012, 01:01 PM
 
632 posts, read 1,071,258 times
Reputation: 414
2010 Sedan...leased it. Should be up next summer some time...probably going to switch to a Subie Impreza hatchback.

I learned to drive manual from my dad back in Michigan when I was first going through Drivers Ed. Every car I've owned has been manual...thats why I stuck with it moving here. Its a pain sometimes like when traffic sucks on Bates heading up into Oakland from the Hot Metal..but I just like the control it gives.

I've had people ask me to teach them multiple times but I'm wary of letting them learn in my car...just a confidence thing I guess. You could get a $500 beater somewhere with a half burnt out clutch and teach yourself in a parking lot. Its better to learn on a half worn clutch anwyay then jump up to a nice quick throw
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Pittsburgh

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:25 PM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top