Why isn't this a law?

“Okay, a motorcycle is very different from a car, right? It takes special skills to drive, so it has it's own license that you must get to drive it. Now there is another vehical on the road that is very different from cars, yet you can still drive it with a normal license. Yes, it's the SUV. Look how many accidents there are because people don't know how to properly drive them. Why not make a provision on the normal drivers lincense that allows somebody to drive an SUV? To qualify, the person would have to take a written test specifically centered around the special concerns of driving an SUV and possibly even a driving test. There would be at most a small fee to add it to your current license, but I bet it would reduce accidents. What d' ya say?”

“I don't think so dood. Why is the SUV considered to be so insidious but yet no one b!tches about vans? Hell there's as many mini vans on the road as SUVs and they drive very much the same and weigh the same.”

“I think SUVs are fine if you have a reason to have one. There are far too many soccer/career Moms out here with them. Nothing wrong with soccer/career Moms other than they are often times too distracted by kids/cellphone/groceries/errands/etc. to drive safely. And many times the size of their vehicle makes THEM feel safe, the fact that Ford Explorers roll over from a flat tire doesn't faze them at all. The fact that SUVs are classed as trucks and don't have to pass some of the safety standards cars do is a problem too. I'd still like a Humvee though”

“Then you classify an SUV as being any vehical with a wheelbase over x'x" and a Center of gravity above x'x". So basically all vehicals that behave like an SUV would be covered.”

“heh.. why not consider the difference in how street trucks ride.. shouldn't you have to have a special license to drive a car that hovers about 4 inches off the ground?

And why stop there.. we should force folks who drive big a$$ 4 x 4's to have a special license also.

You know what? Why we are at it, let's make sure all those folks who drive cars that can run faster than 100mph have to have special licenses.”

“How's about just giving everyone an IQ test before they can have kids?”

“exactly.. and those who are too stupid.. just have them fixed!

laws.. we need more control.. way too many idiots out there!”

“well, there is one provision about SUVs at rental places. being under 25, i'm not allowed to drive the one me and Tarpie are getting for our trip to Maine at all! booooo. age discrimination!!”

“Where do you see all these SUV's in accidents? Are there any statistics? I will wager that most SUV accidents involve women. Maybe we need a special license for women.”

“How's about just giving everyone an IQ test before they can have kids?"

Some of the smartest peolpe I know don't havea lick of common sense. I don't think an iq test would do the job alone.”

“the latest statistics state that under 25 girls are having WAY more accidents now than the boys!”

“statistics do not apply to me! ;-)”

“seriously.. i did hear that.. its all this equal opportunity crap.. and letting girls think they are equal to us guys.. now they want to drive like a GUY also!”

“again with the binary oppositions! words will be the undoing of us all, i tell ya! ;-)”

“I think it should be a law that any woman that has more girls than guys doing their childbearing years that they should be sterilized!

(lol.. I know the guy determines sex.. just having fun with this drivel)”

“I hate when I'm eating a good meal in a restaurant and some inconsiderate jerk slurps their soup. There outta be a law!”

“We should make it unlawful for folks with caller ID to call you back when you accidently call a wrong number, and ask you "why did you call me, who is this?"”

“Sassafras--yeah, being in the university I see lots of people who hzve no common sense--can't even figure out how to push the start button on the copier.


As for STATISICS the caveat is often omitted "on average"”

“There outta be a law against posting off topic.”

“mebbe deregulation is a better solution...

How about decriminalizing violent assaults on SUV drivers?”

“Think about it this way. For anybody who is intellegent and can drive safely, the addition is meerly a 20 minute stop in at the licnese branch. Now if you just purchased a brand new SUV and you just figured you could drive it like a car, well then, the test/test booklet would make you realize that there are special concers associtaed with the SUVs. You could hand out pamphlets until you're blue in the face, but until people have to read them, they won't. And so far I have not seen one valid reaon that this would be a bad idea. All I've seen is a bunch of hyperbolic comments that take the nature of the being far beyond it's limits.”

“How about having a passing grade on a spelling test before you can post.”

“Sometimes when I'm driving in another state I'm not sure what the traffic laws are. "Can I turn right on red here?" You should just see out-of-state people trying to get the concept of jughandles in NJ.

How much time would it add to your journey, if you had to take a test before entering another state? I bet it would cut down on accidents.”

“It would either have to be a National thing (like the GVT will remove funding unless the state complies), or there would have to be some provision for driving out of state. This is still just a concept and not ready to be put into law.”

“Somebody passing into a state with the law wouldn't have to pass the test. That would be pretty impractical. Yes this would allow "unlicensed" SUV's on the road, but only a relativly small number.”

“No, I'm not talking SUVs. Everyone should have to know the laws of the state they're passing through, shouldn't they?”

“Deathmarch, most SUV's in Michigan are licensed as station wagons due to the "fifth door". You law is a stupid idea...But if we are going down that road,lets ban rear wheel drive sports cars in the winter,they are very hard to handle in snow ice.”

“Furtunately, there is a natural selection process that removes many stupid drivers from our highways. Unfortunately, many times they remove innocent victims along with them. Generally speaking, accidents are a good thing as they often times remove the dumba$$ from the road, leaving more room for those of us with some common sense and driving skills. (tic)”

“Don't drive your SUV in Chicago with Truck plates. They're not permitted on boulevards which start and stop at somebody's whim.”

“The vans are not the same problem as the SUV's. The SUV's center of gravity is so high because of the mechanicals for 4wd and for the "looks".
What's tall on the vans is all sheet metal. Still a relativly low center of gravity.”

“SUV??? I think cell phone use behind the wheel is more of an issue. What about vehicle safety?

I never understood the states that have laws requireing wearing seatbelts in cars, but then they don't require a helmet for motorcyclists. Remember Gary Busey and how he campaigned against helmet-laws, till he was in a motorcylce accident and banged his head up pretty bad... now he campaignes FOR helmet laws.

Sorry'bout going off-topic!”

“A SUV driver who's speeding, smoking and on the cell phone, is the second most dangerous person on the road.

The most dangerous is someone who's shaving or putting on eye lining, smoking, yapping on the cell and speeding.

A woman (putting on eye lining) did the latter while cutting off cars, 1 bicycle and passing 2 red lights before stopped by police.”

“Birch, who said anything about banning anything. This would just be a way to reduce roll overs caused by excessive speed, or by drivers with false senses of security brought on by 4WD, ect, ect, ect. I mean you couldn't drive a car until you learned how to drive it, right? In my opinion, driving an SUV like a car is not driving it right.”

“SUV's do drive differently than cars. Cars drive differently than vans,which in turn drive differently than pick-ups which drive differently than a compact car which drive differently than a '74 olds delta 88 4 door. The point is ALL cars handle differently,learn to drive what you own. Lets not give the State anymore power...please.

LeSubtil not all SUV's/4x4's are higher(center of gravity) than vans. Ford "F" series pickups are built on identical chassis as Ford "E"series vans.The suspensions are identical unless you pay for an "offroad" package.”

“First, let's demand a reduction in SUV owners' egos by half. Then the driving abilities will improve times two.
We had a call-in program on a local radio station, recently. The subject was driving and one of the guests was a professional truck driver. He, (along with many callers), said the most dangerous thing he encounters on the highways is the SUV driver. I would concur.”

“How many people have experienced a "situation" with a 4wd? How many of you big girls blouses dont like them only beacuse "They're too big and I cant see round them". Secretly you're all jealous and would love to have one.

Now, on the other hand. I cant stand those meathead 4wd enthusiasts who cut up already badly eroded firetracks in the name of fun. Do these Dickheads have any Idea what the erosion and silt run-off does to the creeks. I own a 4wd and I will not take it Off trail! And will not use it make a bad track worse. There is no excuse for using snowchains on a muddy track as I've seen some dickheads do. If they were silly enough to get themselves down there then thats where they should stay!!!”

“Uh... about the cell phone thing; the really dangerous thing about cell phones is when you look away from the road to see the keypad to dial.

Seems that everyone likes to complain about the other driver and blame the cell phone. Shucks, when you are talking on the cell phone, it's just about the same as talking to the person next to you. Or at least it should be. Some stupid idiots get so enamored with the idea that "they are on a cell phone" and that "they have arrived" and aren't "they just the coolest" all because they can talk on a cell phone, that they do become idiots behind the wheel.

I drive one handed all the time (well, most of the time), and I see many drivers that do. It really does not take that much concentration to hold a phone to your ear with your free hand.

Those hands free operations they sell on TV, watch the ad. Watch how easily the driver dials the keypad, by taking their eyes off the road!!! Then they talk effortlessly afterward. I'm telling you, dialing on any kind of cell phone is ten times worse than talking on one.

$.02”

“Here's a worse danger then SUV's idiots who duck in front of big trucks, or trucks pulling horse trailers, or other heavy trailers. People do this all the time not realizing the heart attack their causing the driver of that rig. Why do you think heavy truck drivers leave that space in front of them? because it's not easy stopping that thing! I drive big trucks an horses all the time, does anyone think about how much those things weigh? we gauge speed an stopping ability constantly, an it can get pretty SCARY when some fool in their own little world an hurry duck in to cut you off. Thinking perhaps "I'll get in front of that slow moving truck with all that room in front of it" Not imagining how close they are to being a Hood Ornament. Not to mention when you hit the brakes hard with horses on it throws their weight forward compounding the problem, an even at times causing injury to the animals. Think next time people if you find yourself doing that very thing.”

“let's ban all cars and turn the roads into trails.”

“Funny, when they first paved over roads it was for bicycles...now the cars are forcing bicycles off the roads.”

“No one needs to drive until they are 20, 21. My son was a passenger in a fatal crash, the driver was 18. I'd rather have been "inconvenienced" than live the nightmare I did then.

Women are restricted as to when they are permitted to be "fixed" I had to wait until I was 25 - today you have to have 3 kids or be 21. Fortunatley, the laws that require a husbands permission have been repealed. Also, women on welfare have the same rights as those not on welfare - so a welfare recipient can get state paid fertility drugs, but medicaid and normal health insurance do not cover birth control pills. So who should have IQ tests??? Perhaps the state legislators.

UK, last winter you were complaining about "other drivers," now it's "other cell phone users." Never you.

I've got an SUV. It most definately handles differently than a regular car, I knew it before I bought it and can feel it in the wheel. If I was an agressive driver, I'm sure I'dve flipped it by now as friends warned me. Also I try not to hang out too close behind any big trucks, that truck tail wind makes my buggy do the wiggle wobble big time. On 95 any cross winds mean I have a good grip with both hands on the wheel.

Cell phones - could you pass your driver's exam holding a cell phone, or just driving with one hand? Don't think so, since you're required to have your hands at 10 and 2 at that time, and for good reason. When signalling a turn while talking on a cell phone - do you hold the phone in the right hand, flip the signal with the left, and turn with which hand? Left? If right handed, do you trust your left for that unexpected ememergency? Certainly never putting any hand through the steering wheel spokes, which is illegal, right ?

A friend of mine said she needed to buy a new car - she has a Toyota something - but the issue for her is that there are so many trucks, vans and SUVs out there that she pretty much can't see around them to drive.

I've been rear ended twice in my SUV, by cars both times (my SUV is also considered a car), and both of their grills were smashed, while my babe remainded unscathed.

I'd get another SUV in a sec, but it is a different drive. I had a truck before this, a wagon, and a sedan, so I've driven different vehicles. There is some merit to responsibility before ownership.

And definately stay back from the horse and cow trucks - the ride is stressful enough for any critter in transit, and most get travel sickness. Yukko to those behind!”

“After being 16 once, and now that I am 20 I agree that 16 year olds do not need to drive. I would seriously support raising the age to 18, but not any higher since after that you get into college students, and some of them (especially out of state) really need to have cars.

SUV's are dangerous, only when the driver is ill prepaired to drive it and irresponsible in his actions. It's not the fault of the SUV. I would actually consider buying an SUV (ahhh X-Terra) but for reasons besides the "craze". I would actually have a use for a vehical with that much storage space and that kind of versatility.”

“Hi Twiggy. Just for the record, I don't cause myself any problems. LOL. I do recogonize the bonehead moves I do occasionally make. No body is perfect.

Back to the cell phones. I was just pointing out that dialing the cell phone is the most dangerous part of a cell phone. I really don't believe talking on a cell phone is all that dangerous. Every day, millions of people change a radio station, drink coffee, eat a burger, scratch an itch, look at the field, wave at a friend, etc... Yet everyone wants to blame cell phones for every accident?

You asked how I drive and turn a signal at the same time. Both hands on the wheel (sometimes just the left hand, in proximatey to "10 o'clock" ), left pinky hits the turn signal, lights lite up... Generally pull over to talk, not always, depends on the road and traffic. A few habits are easily learned, hopefully good ones.

Sorry to hear of the accidents, glad you weren't hurt.

Have a good day.”

“They just had on the news that 6 people were killed in a car crash that they think it was caused by a woman that was using a cell phone.


At least make it hands free....”

“Why don't they have tougher driving tests instead of letting someone who's driven a car three times in their life go and drive between a couple of cones and parallel park and get a driver's license. Before someone can get a license to drive on public roads (ESPECIALLY INTERSTATES)they should prove that they can handle whatever vehicle that they will be driving, instead of trying to single out certain groups of drivers. Don't get me wrong, I get really pissed when I finally find a parking space somewhere and realize that I can't park there because some A-Hole has double parked an SUV, that they don't know how to park. I can say this, I used to travel a great deal and I have had as many close calls with other cars as I have with SUVs. I think the problem is that too many distractions are going on; cellphones, putting on make-up, eating, etc.,etc. I think we need to be tougher on those issues instead of demonizing people driving certain vehicles.”

“Hey Twigeater! I heard that Stephan King was pushing for a ban on mini vans up there. Any truth? LOL!



















Bad Nigal! Bad Nigal!”

“TGWS, I completely agree with what you said about SUV's taking up two parking spaces. The Best Buy here has notoriously small parking spaces (I have trouble parking my Volvo in them) and every single time I go to Best Buy, there's an SUV taking up enough of the space I want so that I have to look for another one. As far as a special license or something for SUV drivers, you can't do that without requiring special licenses for ALL types of vehicles. I think that we need to get to the root of the problem. I work for a cell phone company in the billing department. It is absolutely ridiculous that customers will call in while they're driving and expect us to talk intelligently to them about their bills. Obviously they can't have their bills in front of them while they're driving down the freeway, or can they...? Judging by the number of customers that I talk to (many are the 'arrogant doctor' type) and the number of obscenities I hear screamed at other drivers every day, I would say that cell phones are a good portion of the problem. Someone had previously said about the only distraction caused by cell phones is looking at the keypad while dialing. While calling home to say "I'm on the way" may not be very distracting, a heated argument or discussion can be extremely distracting. When you have to think about what to say next, you are taking away valuable time that would be essential should the person you are tailgating slam on their brakes. The same goes for makeup, women (and some men) need to do this before they leave the house, even if it means getting out of bed 10 minutes earlier. I can't say I'm a perfect driver, but I can say that I try to do everything I can to drive safely and I often finding myself wishing others did the same. It upsets me more now when I see someone driving erratically (talking on their cell phone or not), especially when I have my two small children in the car.”

“Tax the feck outta people driving those gas hogging, death causing, door scraping POS!!!!”

“Spoken like a true lib Roseytaxer. LOL!”