SUV Deathtraps

[Motu]

I'm suprised at how that F150 crumpled,I can't see how it could do that with a full chassis.There is the whole kinetic enegy and stuff that people are talking about,but I thought the major reason SUVs faired worse in these tests was because they didn't crumple.Next time I see one of these sitting at the lights I'm going to get out and have a look underneath.

I wonder how the Japanese forward control vans like my Nissan Vanette do in crash tests? I know I never feel safe in mine - if anything happens I'm sitting right out there with nothing around me.I once saw a bike (CB500) hit a C20 van in the drivers door - the bike rode away with no damage,but the van couldn't be moved...the drivers floor had been pushed up and the pedals couldn't be used.I thought that was funny at the time - but now I'm driving one!

[Deano]

Anyone driven round Eastbourne, Lower Hutt?

Probably similar to the 'soccer mum' mentality out there.

Peroxide blonde mum's (wives of Dr's, lawyers and the like) done up to the nines using their big 4WD's to drop the kids at school and do the shopping - seems to be more of some sort of status symbol. What a joke - I hope they are paying through the nose for petrol at the moment.

[Drunken Monkey]

This is changing - this was largely due to 4WD's being built on a ladder chassis - which in an accident transfers most of the force of the accident in to the cabin of the vehicle as it has no crumple zones. HOwever - if you have read the latest mags - most of the SUV's now are going for the monocoque chassis the same as in cars which means they can incorporate crumple zones in to the vehicles with the same dynamics as cars. THis chassis also improves the road holding ability of the vehicles.

Yeah, what he said... Current "SUV's" and their ilk are not the same cars they were 10 or 20 years ago.

[Lou Girardin]

- if you have read the latest mags - most of the SUV's now are going for the monocoque chassis the same as in cars which means they can incorporate crumple zones in to the vehicles with the same dynamics as cars. THis chassis also improves the road holding ability of the vehicles.

Personally - I would always buy an SUV over a car...

True, but our SUV fleet is still almost solely 5 to 10 year old Jap tanks.
They're still the epitome of selfishness.

[Kickaha]

I wonder how the Japanese forward control vans like my Nissan Vanette do in crash tests?

Badly! we wrote a L300 off on a ride one day,although we did throw 3 bikes it to wreck it.

[wkid_one]

Bull bars should be banned. Their sole purpose is to intimidate other road users or maim pedestrians.

Or if you actually use your SUV properly - they protect your headlights and tail-lights from being smashed by branches, fenceposts etc. Bull Bars do in fact serve a purpose...... What are you supposed to do however - stop and unbolt them once you have finished using it to fetch your horse, load your pig from hunting and then throw it in the back.

Bull bars don't intimidate or maim - the fucken driver does.

I have yet to see a stationary bull bar do any of the things you are talking about.

I think I will yell obsenities and kick the next bull bar I see to see if I can provoke it to do the things you mention.

[wkid_one]

I actually remembered someone in the car park downstairs has bull bars. I went down and yelled at it, kicked it, yelled some more and kicked it some more....fuck the thing didn't even move let alone try and maim me. It did intimidate me somewhat tho with its impassiveness to the whole situation.

[Mongoose]

Information I have seen indicates that the SUV hitting a *normal* car hits it so high up, specially in a T-bone situation, that it misses all the safety features of the car, side intrusion bars etc. But then again, the blonde bimbo's you refer to will probabley have a roll over swerving to avoid a fluffy animal.

[Hitcher]

Or if you actually use your SUV properly - they protect your headlights and tail-lights from being smashed by branches, fenceposts etc. Bull Bars do in fact serve a purpose...... What are you supposed to do however - stop and unbolt them once you have finished using it to fetch your horse, load your pig from hunting and then throw it in the back.

Bull bars don't intimidate or maim - the fucken driver does.

I have yet to see a stationary bull bar do any of the things you are talking about.

I think I will yell obsenities and kick the next bull bar I see to see if I can provoke it to do the things you mention.

If you feel compelled to drive into fenceposts and branches then you need more than a bull bar! I reckon less than 5% of SUVs go off road. If the bangs and dings theory holds, then all vehicles should be festooned with aluminium pipe. What the hey, let's all drive tanks!

I defer to the rest of your argument -- "guns don't kill, people kill." [Tui slogan fades to grey]

[Jinx3d]

I dont have them but I have considered fitting them, they arent for intimidating but purely for self defense in car parks.


A large proportion of people just cant park.

[Jackrat]

I dont have them but I have considered fitting them, they arent for intimidating but purely for self defense in car parks.


A large proportion of people just cant park.

Good point,My mrs has a RAV4 that she has had for about two months.
Two car park dings so far.My Nissan none and if any body has hit it I hope they had fun because it don't show on my heavy steel bumpers or the heavy alloy running boards.And as for Lou's comment about selfishness,wellcoming from somebody that owns the most single person vehicule on the roads that's a bloody joke.I can and do fit five people plus gear into my Nissan and transport them anywhere in the country cheaper than a 1200cc bike wiith one on board.
But then some only had one eye right.

[wkid_one]

Good point,My mrs has a RAV4 that she has had for about two months.
Two car park dings so far.My Nissan none and if any body has hit it I hope they had fun because it don't show on my heavy steel bumpers or the heavy alloy running boards.And as for Lou's comment about selfishness,wellcoming from somebody that owns the most single person vehicule on the roads that's a bloody joke.I can and do fit five people plus gear into my Nissan and transport them anywhere in the country cheaper than a 1200cc bike wiith one on board.
But then some only had one eye right.

Well put !!!!

[Motu]

Has anyone driven the first SUVs? - the original army Jeep and the later series 1 Landrover.They are very small and light,you are very connected to what they are doing,like the steering etc.In size they are not very much bigger than the Suzuki SJ410.They were very capable off road and comforts spatan - it's said they made them so uncomfortable to keep the speed down,could be true cause they are worse than a ridgid frame motorcycle to drive in.They have come a long way since then,but so have motorcycles - although no one in their right mind would have got one for driving around town.

The ultimate SUV?....Adams Landscapes in Panmure was a family business and when the old boy finaly gave up and let the kids take over he kept a company vehicle for himself - an Avling Barford front end loader! They took the bucket off it and this was his daily drive,we would see him everwhere in the area,he used to go into Otahuhu and you often saw it angle parked in the main street in Panmure - he must of loved that thing! A selfish single seater,but I wouldn't of liked to take him on Jack!

[wkid_one]

Had a 1983 Mitsi Jeep - styled exactly of the Willy's Jeep. Was great fun. Only four gears so it howled on the Motorway. Soft Top, Roll Bar, Drop Screen etc etc.

Was a hoot.

[DEATH_INC.]

I'm with jack,mine goes offroad,I use the bars for crashing through the bush,as the dents and scrapes along the sides attest too.
As a bonus,they also stop fuckwits in cars from pulling out in front of me,like they do to me on my bike,or in the missus's car.
I don't care what the 'tests' say,talk to Draco,or Rider in black,who scrape up the mess after an accident and see what they say.....and yes,next to motorcycles,vans are the worst.