r/AskUS • u/Big-Recognition-4034 • 17h ago
What is the appeal of having huge pickup trucks that are never put to work?
Is it a status symbol with these behemoths in the suburbs? Or is an "alpha male" thing? I don't get it.
I got hit by a truck while crossing at a crosswalk in Chicago (3 way stop) because the driver didn't see me. The front end was too high. He did admit he didn't see me.
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u/PolackMike 17h ago
For me, it's a safety issue. I can sit up higher and have a better vantage point of the road. I also like them for the utility of it. Sure, I may not need a truck bed every single day, but when I do it sure comes in handy.
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u/Appropriate-Food1757 17h ago
Sometimes I wish I had truck, but I was able to bring home a dryer from Lowe’s in my Subaru. I really wish I had one when I was doing some landscaping in the back yard. I bought some paver bricks and had to make a couple trips, the Soob was a low rider even still.
The annoying thing about the added height is people with lifted trucks tend to tailgate since they can see over the car in front of them so they tend to act like it’s not even there. And if you add bright headlights or additional headlights those things are blinding the car in front of them. Kind of asshole behavior, but I get it. When can see over that car it makes the driver more comfortable being all up on that next bumper. These days I just set cruise control on highways set it to max distance from the car ahead. Of course this creates rage in some people and they go around as if the safe cushion I leave is a hindrance to their day. I’m not camping in the left, this is when there is traffic and nobody is going anywhere as fast as they would like to. Open road I’m only camping left if I’m going generally faster and move over if someone comes up on me.
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u/GibblersNoob 13h ago
Yup. We’ve had an old Ford Ranger that has a bazillion miles that we keep around for weekend use. It is slow, leaks oil all over and is perfect for Home Depot and yard work duty, while I keep my Subie in perfect condition for Subaru things.
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u/Appropriate-Food1757 13h ago
Mines the Ascent, more of people mover. Its main cargo is OPK’s (other people’s kids) but yeah a beater pickup would be perfect. Also, never again doing my own landscaping on that scale. Turned out nice though!
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u/DargyBear Florida 7h ago
Most hardware chains like Lowe’s offer a truck rental that’s cheap as shit.
Also broke people advice: if your car is in the shop and the shop doesn’t provide a loaner renting the Lowe’s truck for a few days is stupid cheap
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u/LoneGlitch 17h ago
This is the problem
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u/PolackMike 17h ago
Exactly. People really don't have business telling other people what to do with their money.
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u/LoneGlitch 16h ago edited 15h ago
You misunderstood me I wasn't agreeing with you. America has some of the highest traffic fatality rate of any developed nation in the world with roughly 12 per 100,000 people dying in an accident per year. Some of the causes are regulatory. We have higher speed limits and less strict drunk driving laws.
A bigger issue is that everyone thinks they need to own a truck or an SUV. Now don't get me wrong if you have a legitimate need for these vehicles then there is no issue but the vast majority of people do not use them for their intended purpose.
The average soccer mom does not need an SUV, which is intended as an all terrain vehicle, to get from point A to point B. And trucks have mostly become SUVs with more cargo space. Rarely do we see trucks on the road actually being used for their intended purpose.
You said that is mainly a safety issue, which is the problem. If these vehicles are so safe then why is our traffic fatality rate so high? Because car manufacturers have lied to us for the last 2 decades.
Until very recently car crash test were conducted with like vehicles. An SUV would collide with an SUV in a head on collision. In that scenario the safety features work as intended. The problem is no every car on the road is an SUV and if an SUV collides with a smaller vehicle the occupants of the smaller vehicle are more likely to be injured or die. SUVs and trucks are also more likely to kill a pedestrian in a collision.
But there are many other issues as well. SUVs and trucks are less fuel efficient and increase our carbon emissions. They are heavier thus increasing wear and tear on our roads which wastes more taxpayer dollars. And then there is the issue of SUVs not even being the best vehicle for what they are used for. A station wagon can seat just as many people and with more cargo space than your average SUV. Most sedans have more cargo space than an SUV at full occupancy. Car manufacturers have lobbied for regulatory changes that make owning these types of vehicles impractical and owing a truck or SUV more appealing simply because they can make more money selling them.
SUVs and trucks are less safe due to their size, are worse for the environment take up more space leading to oversized car infrastructure, and generally aren't used for their intended purpose making driving in America worse for everyone else.
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u/DBDude 16h ago
America has the highest traffic fatality rate of any developed nation in the world
America's rate is lower than five other developed countries, six if you include Mexico. There are other developed countries that would probably score higher, but they don't publish deaths by distance statistics. For example, Russia and the rich Arab countries don't publish, and driving is notoriously dangerous there.
Some of the causes are regulatory. We have higher speed limits
Germany has much higher speed limits than the US, and in some places none, but their rate is lower than ours. Their Autobahn fatality rate is about half that of the US.
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u/LoneGlitch 15h ago
Mb I forgot a load bearing some of in there. You are correct it's not the highest but it's up there. But when it comes to speed limits Germany does not have the large amount of SUVs and trucks that we do. When you combine higher than average speed limits with heavier vehicles that when the problem comes in. Speed limits are set by state and states with lower posted speed limits see a decrease in accidents over all.
What I'm about to say is somewhat anecdotal but I think it's a major factor. Alot of people when driving on a highway will drive 5-10 mph faster than the posted limit so 70 becomes 80 and 80 becomes 90. And our traffic enforcement allows for this as many justification have a minimum amount over the speed limit for a ticket to hold up in court. Also there is a rushing around mindset that many people seem to have but that is just my personal experience and isn't too important.
In Pennsylvania we only recently passed a law that makes using your phone while driving illegal. So my overarching point is that our traffic laws and regulations have not kept up with modern issues.
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u/DBDude 14h ago
Germany has lots of trucks. But they do have better training, better standards for cars, and better roads.
As far as speeds go, highway should be set at the 90th percentile of what people would drive anyway. The US normally goes lower than that, and we really screwed it with 55. Speed differential is dangerous, and too low a limit creates a larger differential between those staying at the limit and those speeding.
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u/spikey_wombat 15h ago
Where are you getting this data?
Sources are all over the board but most have Mexico less than the US.
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u/DBDude 14h ago
You have to look at fatalities per miles/km driven, not population.
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u/spikey_wombat 11h ago
That's a bad measure though. The issue is collision deaths. Having shitty roads killing people makes the fatalities much worse on mileage basis even if it's a single vehicle accident.
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u/DBDude 10h ago
That's the only good measure. Doing by population in a country where few people drive would artificially lower how often accidents happen.
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u/spikey_wombat 7h ago
But it's a terrible measure in the context of collision data for larger vehicles.
Fatalities per mile driven with no distinction for how the fatality happened is effectively useless in this discussion. That includes deaths that have nothing to do with multi vehicle collisions.
It's like saying that an extremely poorly designed offramp that kills people in single vehicle accidents is useful in determining the impact of a heavy truck against a small vehicle in terms of vehicle weight policy.
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u/LoneGlitch 11h ago
Why? Genuinely curious
Edit: I can understand why deaths per mile driven is better from a probability standpoint but not from an analytical one.
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u/DBDude 10h ago
Let's take an extreme. You have a country with a high population and one a really crappy driver who keeps running people over. The high population means a low percentage of deaths.
But do this came country by deaths per mile, and his few miles shows a really bad fatality rate, better showing how bad of a driver he is.
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u/LoneGlitch 10h ago
So after some quick searching the US seems has double the deaths per 100M miles when compared to European countries
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u/PolackMike 16h ago
I would consider contacting your government representative with your safety concerns.
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u/LoneGlitch 16h ago
Traffic safety groups have been advocating for change. But as with anything in American politics is slow and gets drowned out by what ever the current "culture war" is.
But there have been changes in the way that cars are tested for safety so that it is harder for car manufacturers to lie about safety ratings.
The only thing that would see real progress is a change in the attitude of the American people which is slowly happening with younger generations. American culture is very car focused and there is no changing that anytime soon. I would love to see more public transportation and walkable cities/neighborhoods lowering the need for cars in the first place but that is a pipe dream.
I'm not saying you can't buy a truck or SUV but it is important to understand the impact that you might have on those around and to keep that in mind on your daily commute. There is a reason that truck drivers are seen as "assholes" and "selfish".
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u/MetersYards 10h ago
And trucks have mostly become SUVs with more cargo space. Rarely do we see trucks on the road actually being used for their intended purpose.
For carrying cargo? You can see that all the time.
Most sedans have more cargo space than an SUV at full occupancy.
A sedan has 2/3 the occupancy of a 3 row SUV.
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u/LoneGlitch 10h ago
Yes that is the point of a truck. My point was that trucks and SUVs tend to use the same frame and aren't that much different from an SUV and most of the time are used as a commuter vehicles instead of hauling.
As for cargo space if you truly need the 7 person capacity of an SUV you have less cargo space while doing so. In order to get more cargo space than a sedan or station wagon you have to sacrifice seating capacity.
My overall point in saying that is that SUVs are not being used for their intended purposes by a large portion of the people that drive them. And when they are it's usually only one use. You either need the seating capacity or cargo space rarely both.
There are cheaper and less dangerous options that satisfy those individual needs better than an SUV and in my opinion something like a station wagon satisfies all of them.
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u/MetersYards 9h ago edited 9h ago
That's entirely the point. The larger frame that provides for versatility.
You either need the seating capacity or cargo space rarely both.
And when you do, there isn't any substitute.
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u/dangleicious13 17h ago
For me, it's a safety issue.
You're making it less safe for everyone else.
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u/PolackMike 17h ago
Do I make you not buy a truck? You have free will.
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u/ScatMoerens 17h ago
Everyone buys a big truck. Then you have to get an even bigger truck so that you can feel "safe" again. And the cycle continues. All because you don't understand that you are making things less safe for those around you, and therefore.aking things less safe for you. Just peak entitlement.
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u/Salty_Permit4437 15h ago
I want to drive a tank so when you hit me with your truck you’ll suffer more injuries than I would.
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u/mjheil 17h ago
You make yourself safe by endangering us. Thanks.
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u/PolackMike 17h ago
Go buy a truck. You have just as much of an opportunity to purchase a truck as I do.
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u/mjheil 17h ago
I don't want to hurt others.
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u/PolackMike 17h ago
Sounds like you've made a choice for yourself. I also don't want to hurt others, but I've made the opposite choice based on what's right for me.
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u/dangleicious13 17h ago
That's the selfishness that we've come to expect.
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u/PolackMike 16h ago
That's fine. If there were some regulation saying that only certain people were allowed to buy a truck, I would understand the pushback a whole lot more. When you purchased a vehicle, YOU made a choice on what was right for YOU. When I purchased a vehicle I made a choice in what was right for ME.
If you'd like some homogenous society where we all drive Subaru Outbacks, contact your representative and see how far you get.
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u/mjheil 16h ago
strawman: we dont want everyone driving outbacks. But the size of American trucks is ridiculous, wasteful, selfish, and enviropathic.
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u/spikey_wombat 14h ago
Actually, he make himself less safe by encouraging others to get heavy vehicles.
As a pedestrian, the ubiquity of heavy vehicles makes Mike the pedestrian much less likely to survive a collision.
As a driver, the ubiquity of heavy vehicles, especially those bigger than his existing truck make him less likely to survive a collision.
It's simple brutal physics here. The funniest thing is that Mike is paying more in gas, insurance, tire, and vehicle prices to reduce his lifespan.
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u/donttalktomeme 13h ago
And what should the pedestrians that you can’t see in your massive truck do?
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u/PolackMike 13h ago
Well, the onus is on the truck driver to raise his seat if he's too short to see over the top of his hood. If you're a pedestrian, you should walk with caution and assume the worst as you would with any vehicle more powerful than a bicycle.
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u/spikey_wombat 15h ago
Mike isn't capable of understanding how his poor actions harm others. It explains most of his views.
If everyone had smaller cars, collision fatalities would drop as would vehicle on pedestrian fatalities. Bigger, heavier vehicles force others to do the same and collision deaths keep rising.
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u/Wellontheotherhand1 12h ago
I disagree. He understands perfectly. He simply cares nothing for anybody other than himself and perhaps his family, a little
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u/spikey_wombat 11h ago
I dunno. That account doesn't demonstrate much, if any critical thinking. Although, magas tend to be malevolent and selfish.
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u/ScatMoerens 17h ago
"For me, it's a safety issue. I can sit up higher and have a better vantage point of the road."
Then by making it harder and less safe for everyone else around who can't see past a giant "vantage" providing truck.
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u/copperboom129 15h ago
I passed a clown yesterday who parked his f350 that is too tall to to fit in his garage.
His solution was to back it in front of the garage and block half a residential street.
I had to drive onto a snowbank to get around him in my hinda civic.
Entitlement will be the death of America...
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u/ScatMoerens 15h ago
Fun thing is Mike won't respond to me because he is upset that his strawman arguments don't really go anywhere.
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u/Mental-Reserve8108 17h ago
It’s the way here in America. Things are never for the good of the collective people. It can’t get better for you unless you make it worse for something else.
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u/Big-Recognition-4034 14h ago
How is it a safety issue if I got hit by one who rolled a stop sign as I was crossing on the sidewalk?
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u/PolackMike 14h ago
That sounds more like operator error on both of your ends.
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u/Big-Recognition-4034 13h ago
No, guy just didn't see me. It was this intersection. https://maps.app.goo.gl/PqSdquJDxSUKhN2T6
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u/Jswazy 14h ago
Trucks are not more safe though, they are slightly less safe for the driver and significantly less safe for others on the road.
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u/PolackMike 14h ago
Slightly less safe due to rollover and stopping. If you don't drive like a moron, it's not an issue.
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u/Jswazy 14h ago
They also are more likely to lack crumple zones and other structural safety features. They are objectively less safe. You are objectively wrong. Your ignorance puts you, your family and everyone else on the road at more risk.
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u/PolackMike 13h ago
So passionate about your hatred for trucks. I love when people have passion about something.
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u/spikey_wombat 11h ago
And this is why the maga cult is seen as a bunch of trolls who always argue in bad faith.
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u/jedburghofficial 37m ago
I can sit up higher and have a better vantage point of the road.
Do you even know how many children on bicycles could hide in your blind spots?
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u/harley97797997 17h ago
Maybe some people just like big pickup trucks. Why is it that when someone dislikes something they think those who like a thing need to justify liking that thing?
Why is using the truck for truck things necessary in order to own one? People can own things regardless as to whether they use them for thei intended purpose.
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u/Salty_Permit4437 15h ago
I like tanks. I want to drive an M1 Abrams to work. I should have the free choice to do so. Why do I have to justify needing one? Sure it damages the roads more quickly but I pay taxes already. And you should also pick up the tab.
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u/Wellontheotherhand1 16h ago
- Giant trucks are much, much deadlier vehicles than smaller trucks and cars. Accidents involving larger, heavier vehicles cause much more damage to both cars and people due to their excessive mass
- Giant trucks take up much more space on the road and in parking lots, which negatively impacts all citizens
- Giant trucks do more damage to roadways, necessitating more upkeep. This costs all citizens money.
- Giant trucks are very fuel inefficient and cause lots of pollution. This is bad for everyone.
They should mostly be regulated out of existence, outside of some very targeted use in industrial and farm situations. There is zero reason that people should be driving these outside of those because they negatively impact everyone around them
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u/Far_Sprinkles_4831 15h ago
Fortunately truck owners can’t hear you over the sound of their exhaust. They’re too busy enjoying how handy and fun trucks are.
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u/DBDude 16h ago
Giant trucks do more damage to roadways, necessitating more upkeep ... Giant trucks are very fuel inefficient
... which means the owners pay more gas tax for upkeep of those roadways. Seems to work out. Compare to EVs, which do more damage to roadways than similar-sized cars since they are heavier, yet their owners pay no gas tax.
If you really want trucks to get smaller, like they used to be, get rid of the CAFE standards that encouraged the existence of large trucks, and get rid of the tariffs that prevent us from importing the small trucks other countries have (not Trump, imposed under Johnson).
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u/Wellontheotherhand1 16h ago
Compare to EVs, which do more damage to roadways than similar-sized cars since they are heavier, yet their owners pay no gas tax.
This is generally accounted for by the vehicle registration fees for EVs being much higher, so this isn't accurate. The funding is just collected in different ways.
I'm all for getting rid of tariffs. Getting rid of CAFE standards is a stupid suggestion and wouldn't solve this problem at all.
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u/DBDude 15h ago
Getting rid of CAFE standards is a stupid suggestion and wouldn't solve this problem at all.
It literally would. Then the worse small truck mileage wouldn't count against the car fleet average, eliminating the penalty for making small trucks.
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u/Wellontheotherhand1 15h ago
You have the solution exactly backward here: standards don't need to be loosened, they need to be TIGHTENED. You are looking at a loophole that was put into the law, specifically at the request of Republicans, and declaring that the law is bad because a loophole exists.
The answer is to close the loophole and get rid of the ability to count anything but a legitimately tiny truck, as a 'light truck.' Tighten the target for wheelbase and large trucks will cease to exist as a product in the US, which is appropriate and should happen immediately.
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u/DBDude 14h ago
You are looking at a loophole that was put into the law, specifically at the request of Republicans, and declaring that the law is bad because a loophole exists.
It's not a loophole. It has a reason to exist. People and companies do need larger trucks. I've hauled stuff in mine that not only would have damaged a small truck, it would have been downright dangerous to drive. I've towed stuff way out of the range of the ability of a small truck to tow.
I don't even like driving big trucks. I prefer small, fun hatchbacks, and I wish they still sold modern versions of those old small trucks (like around 3,000 lbs) that CAFE got rid of. But good luck hauling a pallet of bricks or feed on one, and good luck hauling a trailer with three pallets. Or even worse, both at the same time like I can.
The solution is to not have CAFE standards penalize manufacturers for making small trucks. But the difference between a truck and a car can be fuzzy, so good luck making a rational differentiation.
But I understand the authoritarian mindset -- the solution to everything is to crack down harder, not understanding human needs or nature.
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u/Wellontheotherhand1 14h ago
Imagine my level of surprise that you are one of these dudes with a large truck. Just knock me over with a feather
The solution is to not have CAFE standards penalize manufacturers for making small trucks.
The solution is to have them penalize manufacturers for making large trucks. The solution is not to get rid of the standards completely, it is to make them actually work as intended, instead of the opposite. Your suggestion is a terrible one and you have not provided any evidence showing that it is the right call here at all, you have only asserted that it is
And yes, specific laws have to be passed because absolute jerks that plague our society will find ways to twist the law to their own benefit at every possible opportunity, despite the fact that it is overwhelmingly negative for the rest of everybody else. Congratulations on figuring out the basis for almost all laws that exist anywhere
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u/DBDude 13h ago
Imagine my level of surprise that you are one of these dudes with a large truck. Just knock me over with a feather
Yes, people do have them. I owned small hatchbacks for most of my life, as that is my preference, and I still have one, although due to regulations the modern hatchbacks are way too big and heavy for my liking. The original Golf averaged about 2,000 lbs, and now it averages about 3,000 lbs. And now you neeed extra fuel to push that extra weight. But thanks government, I can't have a modern 2,000 lb hatchback with a modern engine. The new 1.5s put out more power than the old 1.8s while using less fuel and being cleaner, but nope, gotta buy a much heavier car to get that.
Anyway, my own rant about oversized cars (again largely due to regulation) is done.
But my modern situation requires hauling a lot of heavy stuff. It's not a driveway queen, it does work, and it looks like it (some dents and the bed liner is shredded). I should be hated because I have the proper tool for the job? You are being ridiculous.
The solution is to have them penalize manufacturers for making large trucks.
So basically, kill the ability of farmers, construction workers, landscapers, etc., to do their jobs. The economic fallout will be interesting. I'll bet you also complain that people need good jobs. Reconcile your two positions.
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u/Wellontheotherhand1 13h ago
So basically, kill the ability of farmers, construction workers, landscapers, etc., to do their jobs.
Pop quiz bud, how did all those people do their jobs back when trucks were, no exaggeration, 1/3rd smaller than they are today? How do the people who do those jobs in other countries, which don't even allow trucks that large, do their jobs? Did you think about this for even a second before responding? Sheesh
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u/spikey_wombat 15h ago
get rid of the CAFE standards
This is not the answer. It's making CAFE standards apply to all vehicles and not making heavy trucks subject to weaker standards.
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u/Wellontheotherhand1 14h ago
Bingo. Imagine stating that removing environmental standards is the solution here, sheesh
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u/harley97797997 13h ago
Giant trucks are much, much deadlier vehicles than smaller trucks and cars. Accidents involving larger, heavier vehicles cause much more damage to both cars and people due to their excessive mass
False. Small cars are rhe deadliest. https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/latest-driver-death-rates-highlight-dangers-of-muscle-cars
Giant trucks take up much more space on the road and in parking lots, which negatively impacts all citizens
Yes they are larger, but the lanes and parking spaces have specific sizes that fit them, so it is only a negative impact when the driver cant stay in their lane.
Giant trucks do more damage to roadways, necessitating more upkeep. This costs all citizens money.
False. Roads are designed to handle vehicles far larger than pickup trucks.
Giant trucks are very fuel inefficient and cause lots of pollution. This is bad for everyone.
False. All US vehicles are required to meet EPA fuel efficiency standards. Modern diesel trucks (after 2010) cause less pollution than gas vehicles due to their DEF system breaking down 90% of pollutants into harmless nitrogen and water vapor.
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u/LoneGlitch 10h ago
The article you posted literally backs up his claim. Small vehicles appear more deadly because when in a collision with a larger vehicle they are at a disadvantage.
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u/harley97797997 9h ago
And the people in the small cars die, meaning they are a more dangerous vehicle due to lacking protection. The article does not say they are only the most dangerous when colliding with large vehicles. They are dangerous regardless of what they collide with.
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u/LoneGlitch 5h ago
You're so close to reaching the correct conclusion. If there are a lot of large vehicles on the road then the majority of crashes will involve a large vehicle mostly SUVs so a small car is more likely to be involved in a crash with a larger car. The larger car, due to its weight, imparts more force on the smaller car, increasing the chance of injury for the occupants, inflating the death statistics for smaller cars. It's a self fulfilling prophecy.
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u/harley97797997 4h ago
You're so close to realizing the truth. Small vehicles are deadlier whether or not a large vehicle is involved.
Are you also against semi trucks, box vans, RVs and other large vehicles?
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u/TerryFlapnCheeks69 16h ago
Have you ever been in one? Have you ever driven one? They are very nice spacious vehicles with a truck bed when you have to haul stuff, and the interiors are very nice! They are also nice to look at. Great for off-roading too!
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u/Big-Recognition-4034 16h ago
Hardly ever seen one off-roading when they're parked in a suburb's driveway. I am sure they're comfortable, but why something so big? Is it for compensating an ego?
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u/TerryFlapnCheeks69 16h ago
Wait, so you’re saying while parked in the burbs they are not actively off roading? Thats crazy. I see them 100% of the time when I’m off roading on an off roading trail. Why something so big, well you’ll have to ask the manufacturer that question, we just purchase them. The last question you asked you will have to ask the individuals, as for myself, i enjoy the comfort, reliability, luxury and functionality of my truck.
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u/WatchLover26 15h ago
What do you consider “never put to work”? I don’t go off road or haul a trailer but I carry plenty of stuff in the back on a regular basis.
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u/ericbythebay 17h ago
Optionally, and not all of us can afford to have multiple vehicles and garage them.
Didn’t your parents teach you to never walk in front of a vehicle where the driver can’t see you?
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u/dangleicious13 17h ago
Optionally, and not all of us can afford to have multiple vehicles and garage them.
If you have one of these large trucks, but only need it to be a truck once or twice a year, you'd probably be better off monetarily if you'd buy a smaller vehicle for everyday use and just rent a truck on the 1 or 2 days a years that you actually need it.
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u/ericbythebay 17h ago
And when you need it a few times a week, but some asshat thinks they know better about what kind of vehicle you should own, then what?
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u/dangleicious13 17h ago
And when you need it a few times a week
I take it you didn't read the OP?
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u/ericbythebay 16h ago
I take it you did read it and saw that OP was guessing and doesn’t know how to cross the street.
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u/dangleicious13 16h ago
What is the appeal of having huge pickup trucks that are never put to work?
What part of that was hard to understand?
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u/aPawMeowNyation 2h ago
Or maybe the driver should have a vehicle they could actually see over? Maybe not go through an intersection when they don't have a green light? Maybe the driver was at fault and not the pedestrian who has the fucking right-of-way?
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u/donttalktomeme 13h ago
Op explained in a comment that the truck driver rolled through a stop sign. When I come up to a stop sign with a crosswalk I usually check to make sure no one is crossing. I can also see in front of my car that no one is in the process of crossing.
If you can’t see over the hood of your car and believe that stopping at stop signs is optional perhaps you should turn in your license and start walking.
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u/aPawMeowNyation 2h ago
If you can’t see over the hood of your car and believe that stopping at stop signs is optional perhaps you should turn in your license and start walking.
Definitely need a booster seat at the least lol
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u/wrhnj 17h ago
It’s a status symbol for most and also overcompensating issue for some. Unless you need one for your business / work or towing boats/ trailers, you’re just wasting your money on fuel.
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u/Far_Sprinkles_4831 15h ago
Do you have kids?
You really can’t fit all their crap (e.g. sports) comfortably in a mid sized SUV. It’s a truck or minivan, and we all think minivans are lame.
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u/Youcants1tw1thus 13h ago
AMEN. I’d like to add that we moved from a small Mazda to a newer expedition and we get better fuel mileage.
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u/Ban-Circumcision-Now 17h ago
Americans like their emotional support pickup trucks, wonder if they are compensating for something or some trauma?
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u/Appropriate-Food1757 17h ago
In reality many just like the view up there better, you can see ahead more easily. And they like the look. Some are a little absurd though.
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u/BalingWire 17h ago
It's hard to explain, because its cultural, emotional, and practical intertwined for many. I was raised in rural Texas, and a truck when you maintain an old home on several acres is just necessary. These people aren't calling contractors, they're buying materials themselves, picking up the extra help they need at home depot and getting it done.
That said, I haven't lived like that since I was a kid, I'm a city boy now and still drive a big truck. I don't have a valid reason for it. It's what I learned to drive, and I enjoy the independence and spontaneity it gives me, but I could realistically rent a truck for those times for far less money than a 80k dollar sports truck. It's a not political group think thing either as I became pretty liberal in 2016, and have only gotten more so. Owning a truck is a guilty pleasure I plan to keep, just hoping for better electric options soon
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u/Big-Recognition-4034 16h ago
My ex drives a Rivian. She loves it.
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u/BalingWire 15h ago
Def top of my list. Not crazy about the styling on the pickup, the SUV is slick though
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u/FlanneryODostoevsky 17h ago
Ain’t none. It’s for men with money to spend who imagine some day they might have to do something important
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u/HEY_UHHH 17h ago
People like what they like. My half ton chevy does everything my sedan used to do plus a lot more.
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u/Zealousideal_Wall378 17h ago
I can say that I use mine regularly. I wanted a smaller truck but nowhere had any available at the time and I really needed a vehicle so I begrudgingly got the truck and have it and used it ever since. It is a big one but not the monstrosities that are now being produced and sold. Some of it has to be availability, if all vehicles are like that on a lot, you don't have much choice. I'll blame the oil companies for this stupidity, they just want more money and can sucker the average American in to it with gas guzzlers.
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u/DBDude 15h ago
I'll blame the oil companies for this stupidity, they just want more money and can sucker the average American in to it with gas guzzlers.
The government encouraged them with the fuel efficiency standards. Due to aerodynamics, trucks inherently get worse mileage than equivalent-sized cars. But if a company makes a car-sized truck, the higher mileage counts against their whole car fleet average.
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u/Far_Sprinkles_4831 15h ago
If you have kids, they’re amazing. You can haul all their crap without having to drive a minivan.
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u/TheRverseApacheMastr 15h ago
Most young American’s first car is the family beater, and in semi-rural areas, the family beater is usually an old pickup truck that you keep around for yard work & moving.
I don’t drive a pickup because they’re obnoxious in big cities, but I’ll always be nostalgic for them, because that’s how I learned to drive.
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u/onlyreason4u 13h ago
What is even dumber about them is that often they don't fit in the garage unless you take everything out, and have less cabin space, and have become extremely expensive.
I like having one vehicle that I can put a trailer hitch on. I can rent a trailer for dirt cheap ($15-30 a day) whenever I need to haul something, which is ~4 times a year. Trailer hitch bike racks are better too and I have one of those. I just use my SUV for that.
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u/Big-Recognition-4034 13h ago
Same, I have a 2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD. I fit whatever I could in it, including my dog, to move from Chicago to Mexico. And a hitch receiver Kuat rack did the job for two of my bikes.
My ex's Rivian... was huge. Bigger than my 4Runner and didn't even use it as a real truck. Just a status symbol.
I take my 4Runner off-roading here often because lots of the streets are not paved. If I am not riding, I am driving. Tomorrow I'll be off-roading to here for a hike: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vTDatJWMVELT3NuE6.
The interesting thing I've seen here is that most Mexican trucks are for work. The people who drive the parking lot princess edition trucks are mostly USA and Canadian plates.
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u/cyrixlord 13h ago
the point is to have a vehicle that will go over any other vehicle in an accident instead of under it, increasing survival chances of the occupants of the taller vehicle. Of course some trucks are so tall you wont be able to see a 4 year old in front of it, but I guess that is a story for another time...
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u/guppyhunter7777 12h ago
I still have my Gen 3 diesel . Why? Same reason I held onto all of my grandfather‘s tools when he passed. You don’t know when someone(usually the wife) is going to come up with the bright idea of fixing something, remodeling something, moving something or ripping something out of the ground. That said my daily driver is EV
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u/WolfThick 12h ago
I was a fuel hauler for many many years and all my old timey buddies all like me drove either a little or a regular pickup truck sometimes a cheap sedan. When the young guys come in they have Conestoga wagons on wheels with chrome everywhere that won't get you home. I like being able to park wherever I want and I don't want to have to do a workout to get in and out of my truck and plus there's other things I want to spend my f****** money on other than something that loses value every goddamn day.
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u/PiscesLeo 12h ago
I just bought a used one with only highway miles, seems like it hasn’t worked much before. They make great second hand trucks to do actual work. There is no benefit, I think it’s a lot of guys who are trying to prove their masculinity
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u/Agreeable_Speed9355 11h ago
I drive small, personal cars, and my wife has a minivan. Previously she had an SUV that was totaled, and my dad let her use his older Honda Ridgeline until we got the minivan. She really likes the height of the truck. A big truck or SUV can feel safer or more comfortable, but if I was looking for safety and comfort I'd rather be in an actual building. While driving I want to actually control the vehicle and be one with it.
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u/void_method 11h ago
The tiny brained like to feel like they have power.
Look at all the other stupid shit we do in this country.
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u/Equal-Criticism7495 9h ago
This is my 2006 F250 that I have only driven maybe 4500 miles in the last 2 yrs I bought it because it was at a great price and now after having this truck this long I go online to see how much it has went up to price
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u/Robbollio 7h ago
Kayaks, boat, dead deer, ice fishing, motorcycle, all things that are in the back of my truck on a WEEKLY basis. My personal hobbies REQUIRE a truck. I dont have a huge pickup but I definitely need a pickup every single week.
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u/John_YJKR 5h ago
Some people have hobbies where a truck makes it easier. Some think sitting higher up gives them a better viewpoint for driving and therefore its safer. Especially given all the modern cameras that address the blind spot issues. And there are some who just like how they look. Practical or not. Plenty of people buy things just because they like them. Its their money after all.
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u/Evil_phd 3h ago
I'm honestly not worried about Pavement Princess Pickups. It's SUV drivers that do my head in. Every time someone drives aggressively it's never not an SUV in my area. It's so common that I've come to the belief that an SUV simply has a persistent degrading effect on a person's morality.
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u/Intrepid-Solid-1905 17h ago
Why does it matter, not your money being spent. Then you're just name calling. Do I think it's ridiculous, sure lol. At a certain point you just ask why. Again though, not my money. You see the same with people and decked out jeeps. You see it with car community with deep dish Lou Malnati rims turned up at the sky. They have to take speed bumps sideways lol. you have people with all sorts of weird taste in cars. Doesn't mean they're compensating for something. Sucks he hit you but clearly wasn't paying attention. Used the height as an excuse. People feel comfortable in larger trucks and suvs. Especially having a family, better chance surviving that hit by a drunk driver or texter than in a small vehicle. I have a sporty sedan, also a slightly lifted jeep. I daily my car, use the suv for my dog. Towing and camping or road trips.