Soccor moms: A case study

“Upon hearing the controversy on cell phones while driving and the complaints about SUV's and Soccor moms I decided to perform a little study. Last week was spring break which means that I had a whole week of driving around my mom's Explorer. This is what I noticed:

1. The blind spot is huge. It can easily hide a full size car. Even if you look back, it is hard to see traffic next to you, especially on the left side.

2. They are a lot longer then they feel while driving. It's really easy to forget about that massive rear end sticking out behind you.

3. Touchy stearing. At least on this particular car, the stearing is pretty nimble. I took my hand off to change a CD and drifted into the other lane. I din't even notice the drifting either until I looked up.

In conclusion SUV's are fairly difficult to drive safely when you are paying attention. Throw in a cell phone, a crying kid, or any other distraction and it doesn't get much easier.”

“Sounds like you've been listening to Robert D. Raford on the John Boy & Billy Show.”

“SUV's are extremely easy and safe to drive when you realize they are a truck, not a passenger car.

Drive them like a loaded pickup truck and they are perfectly safe. Drive them like a car and you are asking for trouble.”

“suvs+soccer moms=accidents”

“explorers are cake....Expeditions, excursions, suburbans, and chevy's new subdivision are HUUUUUGE”

“DM99...

Your case study is biased at best. You already had a pre-determined conclusion that SUV's are dangerous etc...as evidenced by your prior thread some time ago.

When you removed your hand from the wheel to change CD's you were breaking a basic driving rule (keeping hands on the wheel). The vehicle drifting from lane tolane can be caused by numerous things,uneven slope of road,poor alignment or cross winds. All of these conditions will effect a vehicle to some extent depending on its configuration. My 74 VW Westfalia was like a wild bull in high winds with both hands on the wheel.

Regarding the blind spot... I drive a work van with no side windows and a massive theft cage behind the front seats. Visibilty is terrible. I added some fish eye mirrors to the factory installed mirrors which helped. I know that when I drive my van I must pay more attention because of its design. I must anticipate lane changes far in advance and spend more time checking mirrors. I have yet to hit anyone or come close and I drive it 5 days a weeks in all types of detroit traffic. Its isnt the fault of the vehicle. Its the drivers responsiblity to know their vehicle.

Speaking of responsiblity its good there was no one next to you during your test, you coulda run em off the road and caused quite the mess.”

“That can't be the same for all SUV's or people.

Some people can get throught things like that and others can't.

So its' not the same for everyone.

8|”

“As a Mom who drives a minivan, but used to drive a Camry wagon, I have to agree about the distractions of kids combined with the difficulties inherent in driving SUV's. I have friends who are much shorter than me driving these things. I barely feel comfortable driving a minivan, much less an Explorer or such. The blinds spots cause me to do all kinds of twisting around to spot the tiny sportscars hanging out just out of range of the mirrors. Personally, I think it would help if the other drivers would be careful not to spend a lot of time in an SUV's blind spot. But the distractions of kids are a problem. Now that my kids are older, it is much better, but I used to have to pull over a lot to retrieve dropped bottles, wipe noses after a big sneeze, throw a towel on a kid who is suddenly hurling, etc. All drivers need to give each other some space instead of tailgating and suddenly cutting across lanes. You can't tell everyone with small kids to stay off the road.”

“Based on the study, the only logical conclusion is this:

If women were banned from driving, accidents would decrease 95%.”

“Buddha, you're asking for trouble....”

“Splash made a good point about pulling over to tend to the kids instead of trying to deal them while drving. My friend's wife turned around while driving to pick up a bottle the baby dropped and hit the back of a parked truck. She's lucky they both weren't killed, but the SUV was destroyed.”

“If Bud Bear thought before he posted, his posts would decrease 99%.”

“Of course dm99 mentioned he was on spring break and driving his mom's car.

This suggests dm99 is an inexperienced driver who does not yet possess the skill to make such a determination.”

“The soccer moms I've seen driving SUVs seem to be able to handle these vehicles just fine.

I'm glad I don't drive anywhere near Purdue. deathmarch99 sounds like a menace!”

“I drive an Explorer for work. There is some limited visibility and the steering is very responsive but I don't have to many problems getting around in it. The biggest thing to keep in mind is to be aware of your environment. Freeway or residential, time of day, and things like that. At 8:30 in the morning driving within 3 blocks of a school, you have to be super alert for kids and for parents taking their kids to the school.
I will not disparage drivers of either gender, EVERYONE just needs to drive safely.

And SLOW DOWN when you see me out on the street in my orange vest. LOL!!”

“I want to buy a Honda Insight, but because of these bad drivers in these Tanks, I think I'm going to have to stick to my Jeep, LIKE I WOULD EVER GIVE IT UP!!!”

“You forgot to mention that they are on a power trip and like to drive agressively up my ass!”

“They just released a report over in England, where they found out that being on a cell phone is more dangerous than a few points(?) over the alcohol limit while driving.”

“That does not surprise me.”

“What the hell is a soccer mom?”

“Same as a hockey mom...only she brings her kids to hockey practice, while the soccer mom brings her kids to soccer practice.”

“'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mom wrath's outgrabe.

(sorry, Chuck)


Don't forget your shinguards, and don't wear a BASEBALL cup.”

“I dont understand stanlee. She brings her kids to soccer practice, so shes a soccer mom.

Does she bring her kid to school? Then why not call her a school mom/marm? Does she refuse to bring her kids to hockey practice? If so she's an anti-hocker mom, right?

Does she take a soccer ball square in the face? If not I'll see to it she gets one next week. And a hard bangin' in the back of her SUV while she's still to stunned to protest, "but I'm a soccer mom."”

“"..a hard bangin' in the back of her SUV while she's still to stunned to protest..."

That sounds so kinky!!!”

“What the hey is soccor, any way? Is that one of those new wave, politically corect non-combative sports?”

“It's Football --- not to be confused with American Football.”

“Soccer ball to soccer mom's BOX -- hole in one!”

“I thought soccer mom's drive mini vans, no SUVs.”

“they have to have voted for bill clinton too.”

“Sooooo, just how bored ARE you boys? Open the door and take a hike!”

“"New wave, politically corect non-combative sports? ..."
Shoot mon, soccer is the most bodily contact sport there is for a sport that is supposedly based on no body contact. I've played baseball, football, basketball, and soccer, and soccer's the only sport where I was doubled over from a direct kick to the genitals!
Worse than that, I had the man who did it marked and they took the sonuvabich out before I could repay him!”

“"Does she bring her kid to school? Then why not call her a school mom/marm? Does she refuse to bring her kids to hockey practice?"
UGH

Reminds me of the old joke...

An old timer in Scotland, in a bar, talking to a young man. Old Man: "Lad, look out there to the field. Do ya see that fence? Look how well it's built. I built that fence stone by stone with me own two hands. I piled it for months. I've built more 'an a dozen fences. But do they call me Jack-the-Fence-Builder? Nooo.."
Then the old man gestured at the bar. "Look here at the bar. Do ya see how smooth and just it is? I planed that surface down by me own achin' back. I carved that wood with me own hard labour, for eight days. I musta built 20 bars as fine as this one. But do they call me Jack-the-Bar-builder? Nooo..."
Then the old man points out the window. "Eh, Laddy, look out to sea. Do ya see that pier that stretches out as far as the eye can see? I built that pier with the sweat off me back. I nailed it board by board. And I built three other piers. But do they call me Jack-the-Pier-Builder? Nooo..."
Then the old man looks around nervously, trying to make sure no one is paying attention. "But ya f**k just one goat . . . "”

“Cracks me up man!”

“I too, have played soccer. I was just wondering what the hell 'soccor' was. I played goalie and fullback. I've taken more kicks and balls to the face than I care to recount. But if y'all want to play a real man's game, try rugby.”

“Go eat a quiche.”

“Good one Pedx!

As for soccer: GO USA! BEAT MEXICO!”

“thought you were takin a "marvin gardens" tach on us there for a minute.”

“Depending on who's doing the cookin' I'll eat a quiche.
Oh, yeah. What Artie said. USA! USA! USA!”

“SPOILER Follows...........













MEXICO FALLS TO THE US 2 - 0”

“Next up...

Germany in the Round of 8.”

“(7:30 AM EDT, Friday)”