SUVs are worth discussing...

[McLeodWW@xxxxxxx]

hmmm... it might be somewhat trite to dismiss the threads on SUVs as just
bashing. i *think* that there is genuine concern on the part of listers about
what are clearly alarming accident statistics. the simple fact is that you
have a growing number of larger, heavier, and - subsequently - less
controllable trucks being involved in a disproportinately higher number of
accidents. that being said, concern on the part of those that share the road
doesn't seem like a waste of bandwidth... certainly, some folks are careful
drivers - including those in SUVs. and toward that end, some folks have
legitimate uses for SUVs. however, you might not need the mercury navigator to
ford the curb-cut at my pittsburgh neighborhood's starbucks. there is
currently an enormous amount of chic-ness to owning an SUV, plain and simple.
and despite the hype, the winter driving lament used by many (again, read *not
all*) SUV owners is suspect. look at the february issue of motor trend
(pg.113). summarizing: a u.s. auto club test found that a rear-wheel drive bmw
with traction control outperformed several SUVs and front-drivers in the
snow... not trying to be snotty here, just trying to add to the discussion.
for my vote, i would argue for an additional class of driver training,
registration, and licensing for SUV vehicles and usage fees that reflect the
traffic statistics of this type of vehicle...

requisite alfa content - "second gear, why doth thou mock me?"

drive safely,
joe
'87 milano 2.5 (rumored to have a small dune in the trunk)

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