% of trucks and SUVs in Pittsburgh (Trooper, Penn: rent, new home, DMV)

[SorryIMovedBack]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I disagree. Americans in general cannot drive, nor should they be driving fast. People pass on the right, middle and sometimes left and just drive all over the place without any idea what is going on. Most are texting and on the phone and are driving big SUVs and Pickups that are very dangerous to begin with. ...

SUVs and well-built pickups dangerous to whom? In what way? Compared to what? Are you off your rocker? How well do you drive?

I own a diesel truck, which I freely admit I have no legitimate crying need for at present, but it's paid off, and I own it, and I like owning it. It's a 3/4T HD and it has a very solid frame. And 4WD.

I also own a RWD car that is built on a FRAME. I like frames. They hold up well in collisions.

As at least 2 people on here pointed out, men need a vehicle that's roomy enough and tall enough to seat them comfortably. I'm female so I have freedom to pick and choose, lol.

Many people who are seen driving in Pittsbugh commute there from outside the city. I live in Mercer County and there are people up here who commute daily to PB for work. Many people commute from Cranberry Twp, too. Or from Butler itself. People who live in suburbs or rural areas and commute long distances at Interstate speeds (which are officially 65 MPH but 70 is more the norm out in rural noplace) often have safety and durability in mind when they choose a vehicle. Most won't pick a Neon or a Prius, Curtis. When I evaluate a vehicle, safely and reliability are the 2 things I look at first. Operating costs are third. Fuel is what it is. I buy only larger vehicles that will hold up well in a collision.

Now, if I lived right in town, I would own a smaller car that is fits in tight spaces and is adequate for local commutes. But for long distance and highways, I bought bigger and more durable vehicles. Nobody is making tractor-trailers any smaller or lighter, are they?

[Scott2187]

Since I've lived in the city, I traded my small car for one of those "super huge, un-maneuverable, un-stoppable, annoyingly inefficient, un-parkable" pick-up trucks.

If you know how to drive, they're really not that hard to drive and maneuver. And, my brakes work just as well as any mid-size vehicle on the road. These aren't the same pick-ups from the 80's anymore.

As far as the currupt inspections go, if I have one more mechanic tell me brand new brake pads need changed after an inspection, I'm jumping the counter.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Bigger is always better. Murica'.

[Copanut]

Why is it that the bigger the truck, the smaller the driver?

[phlinak]

Originally Posted by AnneWest

A lot. Especially apparent in parking lots, where they hem in smaller cars who cannot see to back out of their spaces safely. I vote for segregated parking.

Cars here<------------------------------------->Trucks, Vans and SUVs over there

I agree except for minivans. I drive an Saturn Relay 3 AWD because:

1) I live in Alaska and there is snow and ice on the road 6 months out of the year, and

2) I have four kids and it's more practical and gets better gas mileage than a pickup or an SUV.

So I'm petitoning for us minivan drivers to be allowed to park with the cars.

[trackstar13]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Please give me a name of one of them, come October I know I'll need new brakes and tires to pass.

I know you are probably just being difficult, but if you really are looking for a cash for stickers mechanic you need to get to know someone with a clunker that has shiny new stickers and find out who their connection is and be introduced. I have all of my vehicles legitimately inspected, but I know and have known people who drive clunkers for years yet they always seem to "pass" inspection. Next time you are in a parking lot and see a car with bald tires, no muffler, a cracked windshield, a missing bumper, etc. and shiny new inspection stickers introduce yourself and ask the people for the hook up.

[phlinak]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Honestly, last time I was in Pittsburgh, I was struck by the lack of pickup trucks and SUVs compared to where I live now. I also noticed how much better the average condition of older cars was. On that note, don't complain about the mandatory annual car inspections in Pennsylvania. They force people to take care of their cars in exchange for the privilege of driving. In Georgia, there are no mandatory inspections, and it shows. There are lots of older vehicles that look like death traps, plus a lot more dead cars at the sides of the roads.

Another thing I noticed in Pittsburgh: there are still lots of GM vehicles, and Honda and Volkswagen both have a much larger share of the market than average. The preferred luxury automaker seems to be Audi. Where I live now, the only automakers that stand out to me with a disproportionately large share are Chrysler and BMW.




No Interstate should have a speed limit of 55, except for those that are pathetically short of modern Interstate standards (I-376).

You just described a good percentage of the vehicles here in Alaska as well. Rolling and smoking disasters, some of which have obviously starred in or caused many accidents.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by trackstar13

I know you are probably just being difficult, but if you really are looking for a cash for stickers mechanic you need to get to know someone with a clunker that has shiny new stickers and find out who their connection is and be introduced. I have all of my vehicles legitimately inspected, but I know and have known people who drive clunkers for years yet they always seem to "pass" inspection. Next time you are in a parking lot and see a car with bald tires, no muffler, a cracked windshield, a missing bumper, etc. and shiny new inspection stickers introduce yourself and ask the people for the hook up.

Years ago a gentleman wrote a letter to the editor stating that he knew for a fact that he could go to a garage and get a sticker whether his car passed inspection or not. A week later a PA State Trooper had a letter published saying that he contacted the first letter writer and wanted details so he could investigate. The letter writer admitted that he had only "heard" about those places and couldn't give a definite address.

So, ya got one?

[AnneWest]

Originally Posted by phlinak

I agree except for minivans. I drive an Saturn Relay 3 AWD because:

1) I live in Alaska and there is snow and ice on the road 6 months out of the year, and

2) I have four kids and it's more practical and gets better gas mileage than a pickup or an SUV.

So I'm petitoning for us minivan drivers to be allowed to park with the cars.

Please don't get me wrong, lol... I have nothing against larger vehicles except the fact that they are larger. Picture yourself in a Nissan Altima (my car) trying to back out of a parking space with your vision blocked on each side by a truck or van (or mini-van).
It's their height that precludes my backing out of there safely, because I'm so much lower.

[RyanR]

Originally Posted by trackstar13

Next time you are in a parking lot and see a car with bald tires, no muffler, a cracked windshield, a missing bumper, etc. and shiny new inspection stickers introduce yourself and ask the people for the hook up.

The next time a Trooper finds that vehicle, he'll get the inspection station number off the sticker, go to the place and pull that inspection license. A shop without that license is going to lose a lot of business.