22nd Feb 2007, 22:16

Comment 18:47 shows that there are at least a few intelligent young people left in America.

22nd Feb 2007, 22:42

Yeah... you're definatly safer in a vehicle that weighs more, stops in a further distance, has a higher center of gravity, rolls over easier, and has very very poor handling characteristics.

Go figure...

22nd Feb 2007, 23:02

Yes, actually you are. You roll, so what. That's what the steel structure is for. If the occupants are wearing their seatbelts, AS THEY SHOULD, you're fine. I've been in 4 (FOUR) roll over accidents, 2 in cars, and 2 in SUV's. Both the accidents in cars were results of being hit by other vehicles and flipped over. BOTH. One of the SUV roll overs was from driving down a mountain road waaaaaay too fast and sliding over the egde and rolling down the side. We were BOTH fine. FINE. The other was in a ditch, very slow, and just barely rolling it over on its top.

YES, It weighs more, that's the point here. MORE WEIGHT EQUALS MORE METAL. MORE METAL EQUALS STRONGER BODY. STRONGER BODY MEANS THAT YOU ARE SAFER IN AN IMPACT THAN A POP CAN.

And you don't seem to be following the conversation here, talking mostly about small car vs. SUV IMPACT. Not AVOIDING impact. Were talking about WHEN THE TWO VEHICLES MEET.

WHEN the two vehicles meet, the larger SUV or Truck will win, ALWAYS.

22nd Feb 2007, 23:22

You want to rollover? There is no need to argue with you if you're going to say "rolling over is normal and okay"...

22nd Feb 2007, 23:35

You took my point wrong. if I were to roll over in any vehicle, I would much rather do it in an SUV because they are so strong. sorry, but rolling over and having the car crumple up on me isn't exactly what I'm looking for.

23rd Feb 2007, 05:15

I don't quite understand the argument here. SUV's have been clearly proven to be way more unsafe than cars on average. That's a fact, so what's the argument? If you like your SUV better, that's fine with me, but they're not safer to drive than a car. Sorry.

23rd Feb 2007, 05:36

No, the larger truck and SUV will not always "win" in an accident.

I was broadsided by a BMW that ran a stop sign. I was going about 50, and the other driver was going about 50 right through a stop sign. The front of her car hit my Dakota right where the space is between the extended cab and the bed on the driver's side. She basically put the hood of her car UNDER my truck, causing my back wheels, one at least on that side, to actually drive OVER the hood of her car. She stopped finally, and that was the end of the accident for her. I, however, was just beginning.

When I finished running over her car, I came down bouncing and sliding all over the road; couldn't get control of the truck, and went over a small embankment on the passenger side of the road into a field. As soon as the front tire bit into the soft field, the truck went into a roll. I barrel rolled 3 times by my best guess and luckily was o.k. The cab of my truck was practically touching the steering wheel (I also had a cap on this truck by the way).

The lady in the little beemer probably had enough time to fully stop and watch all of this. I would much rather have been the driver of the car in this instance. Her air bag went off, she stayed on all 4 wheels, and her car didn't appear to me to be totalled, while my lovingly cared for Dakota didn't have a straight panel left anywhere on it. My cap disintegrated, my tailgate was about 60 yards from the truck when the dust settled, and EVERY panel was smashed.

The point is; do not discredit cars when it comes to safety issues, they are actually most often safer than trucks and SUV's.

23rd Feb 2007, 06:06

Everyone arguing that a SUV is safer than say a Renault Laguna is disputing decades of research by the motoring industry.

BIG DOES NOT MEAN SAFE!!!

23rd Feb 2007, 07:20

I am a Volvo driver and one of the reasons that I trust these cars so much is because of the safety. A company like Volvo is one of the safest out there. However, even though the XC90 (SUV) will be excellent in an accident such as a rollover situation - a majority of SUV's are awful and not safe. I have recently been driving a late 90's Jeep Grand Cherokee and even though it is solid, I always felt that if I were to steer quickly to avoid something, the car wouldn't react well at all and probably result in a roll over - in which I am not sure the top of the body would hold with the weight of the drivetrain. This would apply too many SUV's out there (XC90, etc being the exception. I once herd an expression; 'by sticking 100 airbags into a cardboard box won't make it any safer'...how true. Safety needs to be built in.

23rd Feb 2007, 07:59

<<Comment 18:47 shows that there are at least a few intelligent young people left in America.>.

No, it just proves young Americans still REFUSE to look at the facts.

24th Feb 2007, 09:00

20:20 actually respects the law of physics? If that was the case why did he buy a Ford Explorer? That vehicle has design defects that have resulted in thousands of deaths, and it is not due to driver error. I mean, the engineer that built the thing sent a memo to Ford management saying there were design defects and physics would take over and roll the vehicle. But, as usual, Ford put profits before people.

24th Feb 2007, 11:10

I simply drive my SUV a lot different than my sports car. I have a 2 seater and then a vehicle that carries people etc. Its common sense you just do not drive a SUV like a sports car.

25th Feb 2007, 17:36

I bought an Explorer because I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE. As I clearly stated, I am a former stunt driver and make it a point to know the handling characteristics of ALL my vehicles. I KNEW how far the Explorer could be pushed, just as I knew how far my classic Duster and my H.O. Mustang could be pushed. All vehicles have different handling characteristics, and a COMPETENT driver can drive ANY of them. I once was forced into a sloping grass median on an interstate by a tractor trailer rig who just veered into my lane without looking. I was doing 115mph at the time. I DID NOT roll over. I let off the gas, DID NOT BRAKE (NEVER do that in such cases), and did NOT yank the steering wheel, but rather eased the car back onto the pavement very gently. I chose the Explorer because 1) It was a Ford and I require RELIABLE vehicles 2) It was the BEST-SELLING SUV in the WORLD 3) It offered great performance at a very reasonable price, and 4) It was the perfect size for my needs. I also bought it because I knew it would be SAFER than a car for my family. Scream all you want about tests and "statistics". You STILL can't change the laws of physics.