Quote:
Originally Posted by Ecky
Agree 100%. I had an F150 and a smaller Honda both for a while. It wasn't terribly important what fuel economy the F150 got as a solo commuter, as when I was commuting, it was the vehicle left sitting in the driveway. The F150 was only used to move things around I couldn't fit in my car, and it was far better at moving those things around more safely, quickly and easily.
Eventually I got a trailer to pull behind my car, and it allowed my car to do 98% of what I might use a pickup truck for. Not 98% of what a pickup is capable of, mind you, but I didn't need a truck sitting in my driveway anymore. For those who move thousands of pounds of bricks, horse trailers, farm equipment and large quantities of construction materials, a pickup truck is a no-brainer, but it's very seldom I ever need to move something I can't comfortably pull behind my car so I have no business owning a pickup.
As for the "pickups are safer because they're heavier", it irks me that it's true, but it's only true to an extent. Hit a tractor trailer or immovable barrier and a pickup fares no better than a car. Hit someone else in a smaller vehicle and you're likely safer in a pickup. So, unfortunately, there's a lot of incentive for people to buy bigger and heavier vehicles, to out-compete in mass for accident safety. If there weren't so many people commuting in trucks, there would be less reason to buy a truck, at least from a safety perspective.
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If:
1). It weighs more than 4K, it’s a detriment to safety.
2). If wheelbase is above 122”; same.
3). Live axle? Either end?; same
4). High center of gravity?; same
Trucks roll. Trip hazards aren’t even considered, yet account for the majority of single vehicle SERIOUS accidents (potholes, curbs, camber changes; trailer sway, etc). The list isn’t short. Staying upright isn’t a given.
Size is like believing a dually is more stable. Ha! They’re even worse.
Tall & Heavy is a problem. There’s almost nothing a semi-tractor can do per accident avoidance, for example. It isn’t ever safer except in a limited number of situations. And only then if the driver doesn’t screw up. I’ve seen men with forty years experience lose control and roll when tires on the edge dropped 2” to the dirt.
That people buy pickups “reason” that cars ain’t so comfortable any more. And Americans are plain fat.
Their driving already tells you they don’t care about their own health, much less anyone else’s. So what they buy isn’t any trustworthy marker.
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