Suburban Tractors

[CMF_White Knight]

Anyone else see the report about just how safe those 4WDs are ?? Due to high centre of gravity far more likely to roll and 30% more likelyhood of being killed than in a sedan due to all that weight bearing down on the passanger compartment plus of course the damage they cause when they plow into a normal sedan.
Cant see round them, over them and they cannot see you half the time.I avoid them like the plague and never ever park beside/ behind one in a shopping centre.
Its one type of car I delight in rounding up as quick as I can.May the ever increasing petrol prices mean less on the city roads and they live where they should, on country properties.
Gee sounds like I have a pet hate does it not??

 

[CMF_Brendon]

yeah i saw it. but i have known that for a long time. higher veicle= higher centre of gravity= more likely to roll.

 

[CMF_Chookman]

Gotta love the negative reports on 4wd's. With a bit of luck people will stop buying them to use as a shopping trolley's or running the kids to school and buy something more suitable.
I have owned a modified big 4wd for some years and have never been even close to a roll-over. I drive the vehicle for what its designed and capabale of and are tired of seeing them used as a "Surburban tractors". I'm all for 4wd's but totally agree with Whitey.
The 4wd owners are trying to drive them as a normal car and in most cases are purely ignorant of the dangers as opposed to only looking at the benefits. Unfortunatley you can't control what people are going to use them for but at least an education course should be made compulsary similar to a motorcycle "STAY UPRIGHT" course. That might also discourage people from buying them.

 

[CMF_makes]

Yes, the motoring press are reporting a large drop in the sales of 4WDs & large cars recently due to higher petrol prices. So consumer behaviour, attitudes and priorities are definately changing.

I think I read somewhere that last month the Toyota Corolla was the best selling vehicle in Australia for the first time ever ?. It's usually the commodore or falcon.... the commodore was second.

A fairly big percentage of commodores & falcons have traditionally been purchased for corporate fleets. However, many companies (and their employees on salary packaging deals) are generally buying smaller cars now.

The government's rebate for LPG conversions & LPG equiped new cars might do something to help keep sales strong for 4WDs & larger cars but I guess time will tell....

I agree "White Knight", I also give 4WDs are wide berth... In particular Jeep drivers. For some reason the people driving Jeeps in my area seem to particularly aggressive on the road.... I suspect they have now taken over from "volvo drivers" as the major menace on the road...

 

[CMF_White Knight]

Ahh! forgot about Volvo drivers. They have all but disappeared.THe 4wds I really look out for are the ones where they have monster oversize wheels and the centre of gravity is like twice as high as normal and the wheels protude way out from the body.Most of these dudes have a real attitude problem.
Yep the Govt.rebate on LPG will help save the big bangers to a degree but it will only prolong the the pain.Diesel cars will rule into the future along with small efficent petrol cars. You watch weight become a big issue.

 

[cisco]

Hey guys I just bought a big PRADO.

Nahhhhhh just kidding. As if!!! This thread is right on the mark. Those big things all over the city roads are just hilarious and ridiculous.

 

[CMF_Yom]

White Knight WROTE:

"Ahh! forgot about Volvo drivers. They have all but disappeared.THe 4wds I really look out for are the ones where they have monster oversize wheels and the centre of gravity is like twice as high as normal and the wheels protude way out from the body.Most of these dudes have a real attitude problem.

Yep the Govt.rebate on LPG will help save the big bangers to a degree but it will only prolong the the pain.Diesel cars will rule into the future along with small efficent petrol cars. You watch weight become a big issue.

These c**ts are dangerous. You blow them off at the lights if they want to get past you and then they get stupid and tailgate, swerve, basically act like complete farkheads. Same with ute drivers (although i dont find commodore/falcon ute drivers overly annoying, its usually the ones in the Rodeos, hiluxes, navaras, etc.).

Gawd I hate them. I see them and I steer well clear. Not worth the risk having to deal with a maniac who obviously doesnt give a toss!

Cisco: i was just clicking on the thread expecting you to say you had bought one of these monstrosities!! Lol! Almost wet myself in excitment when I scrolled down and read your post! You devil!

 

[CMF_Toma]

My brother has always had a 4wd. Hes been driving 7 years now and his forst 4wd he rolled his Hilux while going around a corner in the states SW. Young driver, poorly angled road, a little too much speed. I used to own a Sierra and must say, Ive never come close to rolling that.

I think another 'big' issue is the High+Mighty Syndrome that alot of city 4wd'ers suffer from. "Bigger car = More dominance" seems to be the mind-set. I mean, sure, if they were cars without people in them. Every car has a person in it. And that means they are all equal on the road.

On a final note: I always feel just a little better flogging the tits off a LandCruiser from the lights. (Mind you, i could probably accomplish that on my push bike.)

 

[CMF_Yom]

I saw a brand new hilux rolled in a seemling ridiculous situation the other day. A corner I quite happily fang around without fuss and this brand spanker Hilux was sitting with its stupid looking wheels up in the air. This corner had excellent camber, perfectly even surface - I cant see how he might have done it!

Seems toyota still havent fixed that tiny little dynamics problem of preferring to be resting on the roof the hilux has always had... lol

 

[CMF_Blue Monster]

I hate these cars too, always blast past em or keep well clear.

 

[CMF_Toma]

Just drove past a rolled Sierra! How creepy... I post that thread today then i see a rolled sierra... :|

Driver looked ok. Ambo had him sitting up in the back.

Funny thing is it was just after a round-about, so i guess he has goin a little bit silly out of it or around it and rolled the beast. Doh!