4WDs, SUVs and their ilk under fire in the UK and elsewhere
Saw this article in the Straits Times Interactive (Feb 10th, 2005), 'Keep off-road cars off the road'. The journalist reported on moves in France, Sweden, Italy, California and the UK to curtail the impact of these large, overbearing vehicles in terms of emissions and nuisance value. Such a joy to read this story! The story reported on large 4WD vehicles such as the Land Rovers and Land Cruisers. It is such a welcome relief to learn that there are organistaions that are concerned about the impact of large 4WD recreational off-road vehicles on normal urban environments.
I read that the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s has been established in the UK to combat the menace that is urban 4X4s. They also have the support of Friends of the Earth in the UK and Transport 2000 among many others. There is, of course, New Zealand and Australia's unofficial anti-SUV (4X4) website, noSUV.org.
Cyclists clearly do not like 4WD vehicles either. See forum articles one and two.
Nothing irritates me more than a 4WD on my tail with headlights reminiscent of a semi-trailer boring a hole in the back of my head and searing my eyes with their intensity. Turning at any intersection with a 4WD adjacent to you is a nightmare. They are a nuisance around schools when parents collect their children. They pose visibility problems. They have centre of gravity problems. They roll over easily. The 4WD vehicles equipped with bull-bars are also seemingly guaranteed to kill anything or anyone with which they come into contact.
Some 4WD drivers seem to believe they can break all the road rules by virtue of their "superiority". A large white 4WD with a registration plate reminiscent of PK3O3O recently overtook my vehicle, going up a hill, around a curve and across double yellow lines only to have to brake heavily to miss an elderly pedestrian returning from a shopping trip. Why do urban dwellers buy these off-road vehicles? Spotless 4WD vehicles are a wonder. Do they ever go off road?
What was that line taken from the Gallipoli WW1 movie about military officers on horseback who feel they are more superior to the rest of the troops because their own arses are higher off the ground? Same applies to many 4x4 drivers it seems.
I read that the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s has been established in the UK to combat the menace that is urban 4X4s. They also have the support of Friends of the Earth in the UK and Transport 2000 among many others. There is, of course, New Zealand and Australia's unofficial anti-SUV (4X4) website, noSUV.org.
Cyclists clearly do not like 4WD vehicles either. See forum articles one and two.
Nothing irritates me more than a 4WD on my tail with headlights reminiscent of a semi-trailer boring a hole in the back of my head and searing my eyes with their intensity. Turning at any intersection with a 4WD adjacent to you is a nightmare. They are a nuisance around schools when parents collect their children. They pose visibility problems. They have centre of gravity problems. They roll over easily. The 4WD vehicles equipped with bull-bars are also seemingly guaranteed to kill anything or anyone with which they come into contact.
Some 4WD drivers seem to believe they can break all the road rules by virtue of their "superiority". A large white 4WD with a registration plate reminiscent of PK3O3O recently overtook my vehicle, going up a hill, around a curve and across double yellow lines only to have to brake heavily to miss an elderly pedestrian returning from a shopping trip. Why do urban dwellers buy these off-road vehicles? Spotless 4WD vehicles are a wonder. Do they ever go off road?
What was that line taken from the Gallipoli WW1 movie about military officers on horseback who feel they are more superior to the rest of the troops because their own arses are higher off the ground? Same applies to many 4x4 drivers it seems.
Labels: Rants
posted by john | 9:18 pm
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