Pickups, side by side

[Bicycle Bill]

-"BB"-

[Jarlaxle]

Well, no...one was designed to tow eight tons while carrying 4 people in comfort.

[BoSoxGal]

SUVs, pickup trucks more likely to hit pedestrians than cars, study finds

Pedestrian deaths have risen 70 percent since 2010. Blame trucks.

[Econoline]

Well, no...one was designed to tow eight tons while carrying 4 people in comfort.

I'm still pissed off—not to mention quite bewildered—at the way "carrying 4 people in comfort" has almost *COMPLETELY* replaced "carrying a load of plywood and/or drywall."



ETA: Also...how often, and how recently, has anyone here seen a pickup truck towing eight tons? (Or driving in conditions that require the use of 4wd?)

[BoSoxGal]

ETA: Also...how often, and how recently, has anyone here seen a pickup truck towing eight tons? (Or driving in conditions that require the use of 4wd?)

I saw that a lot in rural Maine and rural Montana, but not so much anymore. One of the weirdest things about being back in eastern Massachusetts is seeing all the huge shiny trucks and SUVs, behemoths that cost $50k+, driving around with moms and kids packed in them. Meanwhile out in rural Montana I saw so many ranchers making shit happen with trucks still running from the 70s and 80s.

It really is shocking the rise of pedestrian deaths since the introduction of these high profile trucks and SUVs. The articles I posted just scratch the surface. Why do we need vehicles this big in cities and suburbs? Most maddening to me is that these gas guzzlers often are driven by moms and dads with a brood of kiddies packed on board and don’t they give a flying f*** for the environment their kids are inheriting thanks to selfish gits with gas guzzlers like them???

[Scooter]

Whatever happened to station wagons? You could carry a family of six, a couple of dogs, plus their groceries for a month.

[Bicycle Bill]

Whatever happened to station wagons? You could carry a family of six, a couple of dogs, plus their groceries for a month.

Look no further than the first-generation 1984 minivans ... which were basically station wagons on steroids.  Then the minivan developed a glandular disorder, resulting in 'mini-vans' today that are almost the the size and capacity as a Dodge Sportsvan or a Chevy C-10 was back in the late '70s.  And of course the 'full-size' van has also ballooned into the 'Sprinter' vans, which are basically van cabs with a fuckin' straight-truck box welded to its ass.

-"BB"-

[Joe Guy]

I've always thought that the SUV evolved from the station wagon. Just about everyone who has had kids has had an SUV.

Coincidence?

Or evolution?

[Jarlaxle]

Well, no...one was designed to tow eight tons while carrying 4 people in comfort.

I'm still pissed off—not to mention quite bewildered—at the way "carrying 4 people in comfort" has almost *COMPLETELY* replaced "carrying a load of plywood and/or drywall."



ETA: Also...how often, and how recently, has anyone here seen a pickup truck towing eight tons? (Or driving in conditions that require the use of 4wd?)

Last time I saw a pickup towing eight tons was yesterday. Saw one towing probably 4.5 tons (big RV) today.

[Jarlaxle]

ETA: Also...how often, and how recently, has anyone here seen a pickup truck towing eight tons? (Or driving in conditions that require the use of 4wd?)

I saw that a lot in rural Maine and rural Montana, but not so much anymore. One of the weirdest things about being back in eastern Massachusetts is seeing all the huge shiny trucks and SUVs, behemoths that cost $50k+, driving around with moms and kids packed in them. Meanwhile out in rural Montana I saw so many ranchers making shit happen with trucks still running from the 70s and 80s.

Montana is high desert. Little humidity, no road salt, little rust. This area is salt (and rust) central.

It really is shocking the rise of pedestrian deaths since the introduction of these high profile trucks and SUVs. The articles I posted just scratch the surface. Why do we need vehicles this big in cities and suburbs? Most maddening to me is that these gas guzzlers often are driven by moms and dads with a brood of kiddies packed on board and don’t they give a flying f*** for the environment their kids are inheriting thanks to selfish gits with gas guzzlers like them???

And yet...you drive an SUV.

[Econoline]

There's quite a bit of difference between a RAV4—especially an older (smaller) RAV4—and a lifted 4WD F350 crew cab monster.

[Crackpot]

I've always thought that the SUV evolved from the station wagon. Just about everyone who has had kids has had an SUV.

Coincidence?

Or evolution?

THat's pretty much it.

[BoSoxGal]

There's quite a bit of difference between a RAV4—especially an older (smaller) RAV4—and a lifted 4WD F350 crew cab monster.

My RAV4 isn’t much taller than the average sedan. It’s first generation but over the years the RAV has gotten even lower profile as far as I can tell - mine is taller than the 2020s models I often park near there are many in my neighborhood.

That said I have always felt guilty about her mpg, which at 18-22mpg is significantly lower than the Mazda 626 I was driving before which routinely got 28-30mpg. The RAV has continuous AWD which I assume is the primary issue because honestly I can’t see how the RAV is a much more substantial vehicle weight/size wise. The RAV is also terribly un-aerodynamic, a very significant design flaw of the first generation RAV which has been gradually improved over the decades since. The 2023 RAV gets 27/34mpg so clearly they’ve made terrific improvements. I wish I could afford one, or even better the hybrid.

Thanks Jarl for the mansplaining on Montana climate conditions, wherever would I be without your explanation of the climate I lived in for almost a decade? I’m obviously well aware that vehicles which live in the West don’t rust like vehicles that live in New England, that’s why my daily driver is a 24 year old RAV that spent more than a decade in the West.

My point was actually that Montana ranchers in many cases are doing all the things they need to do on a ranch with full size pickups of the 70s/80s/90s so clearly the massive beasts that have become the standard in the last decade or so are entirely unnecessary in terms of fit for purpose. So I don’t know why we are making them when they are killing so many pedestrians.

PS - I bought my RAV because I was moving cross country and shipping my stuff USPS and was only going to be able to keep what I could fit in my vehicle. I also anticipated that I would car camp with her which has been the case numerous times over the years, as well she has been packed full of straw and other gardening supplies on many occasions and almost always full of dogs. In my defense in all the 17 years I’ve driven her I’ve nearly always had a short commute, for several years I walked to work and only used her on weekends and evenings out. That’s why at 24 years she only has 210k miles on the engine. I have tried to minimize my carbon footprint.

[ex-khobar Andy]

Maybe, just fucking maybe, BSG - Jarl was explaining to the rest of us who have not had the benefit of living in Montana. I would not have thought of Montana as desert - I think of it as big sky (yes, yes, I know) with fish-rich rivers etc - but much of the state meets the technical definition of desert which is usually less than 250 mm of rainfall per year.

[BoSoxGal]

Maybe, just fucking maybe, BSG - Jarl was explaining to the rest of us who have not had the benefit of living in Montana. I would not have thought of Montana as desert - I think of it as big sky (yes, yes, I know) with fish-rich rivers etc - but much of the state meets the technical definition of desert which is usually less than 250 mm of rainfall per year.

Well I responded to a reply that was directed at me, so I took it as the same kind of mansplaining that I have frequently experienced from the men on this board.

And yes, I know you are now eternally pissed off at me for pointing out the ugly hypocrisy in your attitude toward sexual assault victims as providers of testimonial evidence sufficient to convict their rapists in court. This fact doesn't upset me. You revealed yourself and I took note. Please, continue with the obvious passive aggressive nasty comments for the cunt who held a mirror up and made you see. I don't let that kind of shit from men upset me anymore, I just consider the source and motivation. I'm making zero apologies for being an angry female who is unrelenting in calling out misogyny.

[eddieq]

I have a small truck (Ford Ranger). Bought it as a fixer upper "needs clutch". It was a rusty hospice case, but I healed him (dubbed Ranger Rick).

That Ford Vulcan 3.0 Liter engine is great. All of the power of the four cylinder and the fuel economy of the V8.

I do use him for hauling and for responding to fire police calls (more cone storage than my CX5) but also just for tooling around when I feel like shifting.

[Econoline]

FWIW my 2019 RAV4 hybrid routinely gets 40-45 mpg at 55-65 mph (on smaller, more interesting country roads where that's a more reasonable speed—though sometimes on the interstate I will get behind a semi going ~65 and just let the adaptive cruise control maintain a comfortable interval). Even at 70-75 it will easily get ~35 mpg. I just wish I could've gotten the RAV4 Prime (the plug-in-hybrid version, which wasn't introduced until a couple of years after I bought mine); then I wouldn't ever need to get gas except when on longer trips, and our rooftop photovoltaic panels could keep the battery charged up enough for shorter trips around town.

[Bicycle Bill]

And yes, I know you are now eternally pissed off at me for pointing out the ugly hypocrisy in your attitude toward sexual assault victims as providers of testimonial evidence sufficient to convict their rapists in court. This fact doesn't upset me. You revealed yourself and I took note. Please, continue with the obvious passive aggressive nasty comments for the cunt who held a mirror up and made you see. I don't let that kind of shit from men upset me anymore, I just consider the source and motivation. I'm making zero apologies for being an angry female who is unrelenting in calling out misogyny.

In words of small syllables — fuck you, and the cunt you came in with.

-"BB"-

[wesw]

neither of those trucks are optimal for carrying a load of plywood or drywall.

six foot beds are kinda lame

[Econoline]