The downside of heavy, overpowered trucks and SUVs
 

An interesting article from the Atlantic.

January 4, 2023
Electric Vehicles Are Bringing Out the Worst in Us
The downside of heavy, overpowered trucks and SUVs
By David Zipper
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/ar...=pocket-newtab

Reaffirms some of my own observations and concerns.

One of the hotlinks in the above article leads to a possible solution.

Norway Became an EV Paradise, Now It's Imposing a Weight Tax and Bringing Back the VAT
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/n...ding%20hybrids)
I'm good, the electric reverse trike autocycle I've been sketching up for fun lately is near that weight - based on motorcycle axle loading.

Of course. My ranger originally weighed 4800 lbs with the FLA's. It now weighs 600 lbs over empty sticker weights, but only about 400 pounds more than an equivalent ranger with a full tank of gas and assorted fluids. Apparently from your article, we are headed back to the days of 1950's style multi ton cars but with less steel.

downside
 

We would never be allowed to actually talk about the root problems here.

But we can speak of vague and obscure concepts ad nauseam, not easily disproven or even properly understood until the cows come home around 4pm.

Government.

I can't read the article, but I do know that some 7 people here close by have been ran over (most were killed) by big, overpowered SUV's and pickups. I don't know of any that have been ran over by underpowered sedans. This is in a town with a max speed limit of 25mph on all streets except the main drag, which is 35mph (and the 20mph school zone). One was killed in the 15mph town just north of here.

On of the problems with big vehicles is you won't stop for what you cannot see. This is why school buses have cross-over mirrors (halfmoon mirrors) in the front. These should be mandatory on any vehicle that you can't see a toddler in front of you.

Underpowered sedans at speed will kill just as easily. The common issue through is the operator.

I see two problems, one the operator. SUV and pickup drivers seem to be overconfident.

But in most, if not all the accidents I've seen lately, the driver claimed he couldn't see the pedestrian or cyclist. And with hood heights these days, I can see how that's possible.

Automatic braking should just be standard equipment these days. All cars have the necessary control due to the ABS, they just need radar to detect people and vehicles.

Regarding pickups, when there was ice a few weeks back, everyone grabbed them and left their better handling sedans at home. For some reason people think pickups with mud tires and no weight in the back is perfect for an ice rink.

Most people only pay attention to the immediate direction the vehicle is going. On trips I ask my passenger wife if she saw the bear AND she replies "what bear?" If you aint full scanning the environment you missing a lot.

I like driving my 250 on ice as long as I don't have to stop and restart. More than 250lbft torque is difficult to feather for starting traction. It's also big enough to not have people notice it.