I think the SUV is the result of fear.

It’s the escalation of traffic war + road rage.

Give me a tank so I feel safer on the streets. Give me something that protects me from all of the bad drivers out there! Give me something that makes me FEEL safe – even if the SUV sucks gas like no car….even if it cannot break as quickly because of its enormous weight…..even if the safety standarts of SUVs are in reality below car standarts. The Lincoln Navigator is the Urban Assault Vehicle – announced the advertisement on TV. SUVs are NOT fun to drive. I used to own one and I have driven quite a few of them, from the Ford Explorer to the Toyota Landcruiser, from the Range Rover to the Mercedes G-wagen and M class.

Sure, some people need an SUV because of their profession, but most people seems to own one because it makes them feel safer, or they like the elevated view from an SUV. In Santa Fe one sees many SUVs and most of them carry a single person… and when Winter comes SUV drivers feel invincible…..snow and ice won’t bother them…and since nobody reminds them that the weight of the vehicle will make it slide on ice no matter how good the breakes are supposed to be they drive faster than anyone else on the road…..probably driving one handed because they are making a cell phone call……

Maybe a better solution would be better education for drivers. Or maybe one could learn to drive better by taking an evasive driving course for example……