Unbelievable "article" in this morning's paper! ... "SUV's time to roam"

[HuckleB]

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1073739930234010.xml

"From politician Arianna Huffington to playwright Tony Kushner to this week's "Doonesbury" comic strip, sport utility vehicles have long been a favorite target: They pollute the air, they guzzle gas, they're a menace to small cars unlucky enough to collide with them, critics say.

But Portland's recent spate of nasty weather had several local SUV owners feeling, if not exactly smug, at least vindicated."

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1073739930234010.xml

This is an opinion piece parading as news. Front-wheel drive vehicles did just as well and were just as prevalent on the roadways around town. I'm always amazed at the baloney being thrown at us, but the Oregonian went overboard with this one.

Sheesh!

[Eric J in MN]

1. if there is a bad weather a few days a year, then people should

If there is a bad weather a few days a year, then people should drive gas-guzzlers every day (sarcasm).

[HuckleB]

2. You hit it on the mark.

[Kolesar]

3. Snow tires are the solution for winter driving, not 4WD or AWD eom

[Hand]

7. Hear, hear...

I drive my ten-year-old Escort with four good snows in the winter and regularly pass assholes in SUVs just a slippin' and a slidin' all over the place. I think they subscribed to the old Volvo fallacy--hey, it's an SUV, I'm supposed to be bulletproof... aaaaaiyeeee.... (crunchalooma).

[HuckleB]

9. Yup. And around here all-season's are really good enough.

[drdigi420]

4. i saw several SUVs in ditches

on my way home from NC after a xmas visit to my father's

4 wheel drive may help you GO, but it won't help you STOP

since SUVs have such poor braking, even on warm dry pavement, it should be no suprise that they have even worse braking on ice

The popularity of the SUV is just another indication of the ever-increasing stupidity of the avg American.

"The TV says it's safe, so it must be"

[HuckleB]

5. Yup. There were far more SUVs and Pick-Ups in ditches and off to the side

of the road than front wheel drive cars, which were just as prevalent on the roads. It's always the same when I go on a Nordic adventure in the Cascades.

[midnight armadillo]

6. No substitute for good driving

Good tires (at the least good all-seasons) are necessary for winter. If the cars tend to use summer tires year-round since snow is rare (I'm not familiar with oregon weather) then an unexpected snowfall would indeed put them in trouble. SUVs are typically sold with all-season knobbly tires for that rugged look. FWD cars are plenty popular in Canada. Subarus are the most popular AWD vehicle in Alaska, and they know something about snow.

I wonder how many Subarus and Audis were doing just fine while getting better mileage and lower emissions during their trips.

Driving in bad weather is first and foremost a function of driving skill, followed by equipment. As much as I love our Subaru wagon and its go-anywhere quality, if given the choice between it with all-season tires and AWD vs. a good FWD drive car with snows, I'd take the FWD. It's more predictable in bad weather.

quote:
And this being the Northwest, their commuting cars do double duty to tow boats and haul skis on vacation.

Last time I checked here in New England, you don't need an SUV to haul skis unless you're not driving on at least occasionally paved roads. Heck, my back works just fine :-)

[HuckleB]

8. Yeah, my skis do just fine on my front wheel drive compact.

As for boats, I'd love to know the percentage of SUV owners who tow boats. That was a bizarre statement.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. A man from Finland told me a couple of years ago

that in that undeniably cold and snowy country, almost no one has an SUV. Instead, they rely on front wheel drive.

It's also worth remembering that before the 1980s, nobody here drove an SUV either.