On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 12:54:16 +0000, Dave Arquati
wrote:

I do understand the argument you're putting across - and it's valid; it
would be silly to target the type of transmission. However, within the
4x4 class, there are a whole set of vehicles that could be classified as
a nuisance - for safety reasons (for the occupants and for other
motorists, cyclists and pedestrians) and environmental reasons. Perhaps
these factors should be concentrated on.

Perhaps so. I would expect to see old brick-style Volvo estates, for
example, being targeted in the same way. These may be lower, but are
just as wide and far longer than most SUVs (which is probably a better
term to describe the vehicles concerned) and probably pollute as much.
I doubt they're all that well-designed in terms of crashworthiness for
pedestrians or cyclists, either.

There are also practical factors - the large Range Rovers etc. seem to
have trouble manoeuvring into parking spaces or around each other in
narrow streets, and that has implications for traffic flow. Other bulky
vehicles like vans tend to be driven by people more experienced with
such manoeuvres.

MX is that dangerous and stupid driving of large vehicles is most
likely to be seen in two types of drivers - white van man and
taxi/minicab drivers. Both of these should act professionally with
their vehicles, but often IMX do not.

It's not just the vertical place - as the Range Rover-type vehicles have
a larger cross-section, you have to keep a greater distance to see
things either side of the car.

I presume you mean "wider", as this is not necessarily the case.
Refer to the figures other posters have contributed.

I find looking through the vehicle ahead gives greater visibility (i.e.
some) of the road ahead than not looking through it (i.e. none).

Each to their own. Even on the rare occasion that I do drive a
normal-height car (not often - only if I'm at my parents' house
without my own car, as I'm still on their insurance for such
situations) I wouldn't say I do to any extent. I'm more likely to
keep sufficient distance to either work with what I can see, or to see
around the sides.

Conversely, drivers of taller vehicles also have worse visibility of
smaller objects like children, especially to the rear. It's said that in
the States (where I accept that SUVs are generally even larger than the
equivalent here), every year around 80 children are killed by parents
who reverse SUVs and hit them because they can't see them.

This is the case with most tall vehicles, not just SUVs. I currently
have two cars, the 88" Landy and a Vauxhall Agila 1.2. The latter is
designed as a city car - short in length, narrow, modern,
low-pollution engine and good lock so it can be parked on a proverbial
postage stamp.

It is, however, about 5' "tall", which means that visibility out of
the rear is pretty poor. A decent driver, however, can adapt to this
by looking before they prepare to reverse (getting out if necessary)
or by the use of the side mirrors[1]. Yes, you have a blind spot, but
you do in a high-backed sports car as well.

You could ask me to drive a low-roofed vehicle, but, at 6'4" or
thereabouts, I would decline as I do not fit the majority of them
sufficiently well to be comfortable. I find this to be getting worse
with most manufacturers as they pursue the mecca of a "sporty driving
position" as well - I'm much more comfortable in a vehicle laid out
with a bus/van-style slanted steering wheel.

Anyway, back to the point, I choose not to drive in London. I would
suggest that driving in general in London (and other big cities with
good public transport) should be discouraged, and the type of vehicle
being driven be rather secondary to that.

[1] Some drivers, for some reason, shy away from these. I commented
to a (somewhat younger than I) friend who had recently passed his test
that I tended to reverse-park the Agila by dropping the left-hand
electric mirror down so I could see the rear wheel and the kerb - and
he called that cheating! I'd call it making use of the vehicle's
features.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
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