Let's be sensible to our environment and stop using 4x4s as urban vehicles, who agrees?

Question

http://www.stopurban4x4s.org.uk/

Saftey in a 4x4 is a myth, offical insurance statistics show people are more likey to get injured when a 4x4 is in a collision, and they hit kids right at head height.

Answer 1

Lets face there is a place for them as work vehicles its not the 4x4s that frighten me its some of the morons who do not know how to drive them.I believe you can now buy anything army surplus,perhaps the next status symbol will be a Tank its not the ppl that make 4x4s its the ones that drive them on school runs and to commute on motorways and as soon as it gets a tiny bit dirty run off to the car wash.

Answer 2

You miss informed do gooders seem to target 4x4`s just as the speed cameras do nothing but persecute people going a little too quickly and whilst doing this your attention is drawn away from the real culprits.Nowadays most 4x4s are more enviromentally friendly than many normal saloon cars.People hark on about them being bigger and take up so much road,well try looking at people carriers,vans lorries and even buses...they all pollute and sometimes more than the 4x4s in relativity.Next time you go on holiday on a plane then think of all the pollution thats throwing out,
Also you go on about injuries well yes the bigger the mass of the force hitting the small mass of a person will do more damage,but its also relative to speed as well as mass.There are incidents of people being killed each year being hit by cyclists...shall we ban them too?????Governments go on about a higher tax for 4x4`s,well when you look deeper into it,its ahigher tax on all engines over a certain size,yet this is never mentioned,its all just lumped into a "4x4 tax"
People should be free to choose what car they drive,and its not the car that drives badly,speeds or causes accidents,its the people themselves operating these vehicles.The government says it wants us to save the enviroment by using public transport,well public transport is a joke,and this is from the sort of politician that drives Jaguars and Range Rovers anyway.They are all hypocrites anyway.They dont want to do away with cars,especially 4x4`s...where do you think they get all that fuel duty from??Certainly not a little old lady spending £5-10 a week on fuel in her little Fiesta.We 4x4 drivers pay more for the privelege of owning these vehicles whether we want it or not,with big insurance premiums and higher fuel bills.If you are going to pick on motor vehicles then pick on them all instaed of singling out any 1 group in particular

Answer 3

As much as you may hate the 4x4, you have to remember that we live in a democratic country. In the same was as you are allowed to say whatever you like, you are also allowed to spend your money on what you like, except for banned firearms and classified drugs, of course.

For example, I'm not a big fan of Vauxhall Vectras, yet I don't feel the need to shout abuse at those who choose to buy it.

A common reason some will buy 4x4s, as well as the safety aspect, is becuse they have families and need a practical car capable of carrying luggage and kids, but find an MPV to be ungainly or perhaps a bit 'mumsy'. And some just like the driving position.

Oh, and remember not all 4x4s are the 'planet killling child murderers' they're made out to. A Range Rover may struggle to hit 20MPG, but a Suzuki Grand Vitara should manage around 30, which isn't half bad in anyone's eyes.

However, when all is said and done, I don't think the 'environment' is the main thing motivating the anti-4x4 thing. It's probably a front, used by socialist polticians and the like, and certain middle-class individuals who don't like to se anyone of working-class origin 'having ideas above their own station' so to speak.

Answer 4

Tree hugging pseudo environmentalists like you are TOTALLY out of touch with reality.

Go and do some 'effing research before touting your rubbish.

A modern vehicle...such as most 4x4's and large and luxury saloons have HIGHLY efficient engines and pollute significantly LESS than a clapped out 1.1 Fiesta or that knackered Transit van that the 'greenies' use to turn up to their 'defacing & stickering' campaigns in.

Example: Perth (Scotland), Greenpeace were putting stickers on ALL 4x4 vehicles without even looking at their engine size or fuel type. The put one on a 1.6 litre Suzuki 'jeep', yet left the 4.8 V8 Jag next to it alone....and put one on a 3.0 Landrover that ran of LPG...yet left a 15 year old diesel van alone.

I HATE the stupid environmentalist - their motives ARE good, but their METHODS are juvenile and pointless.

Answer 5

Although I do not drive a 4x4 myself, I don't think the problem lies there. People with this kind of vehicles are just contributing more than the average motorist.
The thing is it's our attitude to life overall that is of a concern, and when I say overall, I really mean it, talk of the amount of energy wasted in every household, the amount of office paper not recycled, the amount food throughn every week (trees had to be cut to produce the staff ...etc), how often do we redocorate the house, renew our things just because it is out of fashion (clothes included) or because he/she's got a new one.
Now please do not misunderstand me, I am probably as guilty as the next on, and I am not saying that you have to wear staff untill it starts to tear apart, or work with a DOS operated computer and black and white tv, but comon, did you really need this or that, did you have to buy that other thing now and could not wait untill it really started going wrong.
...etc.

Answer 6

The only thing that annoys me about this 4x4 thing is that there are some people to whom a 4x4 is necessary. My hubby and I are farmers. Ours is an absolute neccessity. We use it accross fields some of which are on steep inclines that a car would not be able to get up and down on say a wet day. When u a bumping around a field in a car it does serious damage, this from experience. It is also better for towing the cattle trailer and taking beast to market, u need the power and strength of a 4x4. Hubby could tow it using the tractor but how much would this annoy rush hour traffic drivers!
I also choose not to have a second smaller car cos we really cannot justify it, so when I take my children to school and preschool which is 5 miles away - there is no public transport and they are only 5 and 3 - I obviously use 4x4. I have a new Maverick and I believe that this is quite environmentally friendly. It does about 30 to the gallon which is quite good compared to other 4x4's
What I don't agree with and I am with you on this one are the people who buy 4x4's purely for the status they feel that it brings them. They can look down on everyone else and say they are driving a bigger vehicle, which I have heard a lot of people say.
There is no more room in your average 4x4 say a Freelander, Rav 4 etc than in a normal family car. There is a lot more boot space and seating room in a mondeo. We chose ours purely on it's capabilities around the farm, chose a maverick cos it does have a massive boot and I can fit 2 bales of straw in there! Plus it can be a family vehicle as well so we don't have to buy a second car to add to the already excessive amount on the road already.
I say huge road tax for 4x4 users who just use them as a family car and people like us to whom they are essential to our livelihood should be given a break with the tax!!
Sorry to ramble on!!!

Answer 7

I live in the Highlands of Scotland and NEED my 4x4 as, without one, in Winter here I would be virtually housebound. One of the respondents mentioned 22 mpg - crikey I get 47.9 mpg diesel so that squashes the argument about gas guzzling.

I am only 5'4" so appreciate the higher driving position as I feel safer as I can see the road ahead better and also being built like a tank, I am much safer than silly little Nissan Micras which would collapse like a house of cards in an accident.

If people are arrogant and rude, it is the people who are at fault not their vehicles. See reason for Pete's sake!

Most of your respondents seem to assume that these vehicles are used in towns. If you came up here, you would see that 75% of people drive 4x4s and if you can only afford one vehicle to run, then it has to be a 4x4 even for trips into town. I can get so much in mine, I only go into Inverness to the supermarket and cash'n'carry every 3 weeks or so rather than popping out to local shops in the like of your little Micras etc., using expensive fuel. I drive very price efficiently, only long trips with the vehicle warmed up and therefore not using the extra fuel it takes to warm up a vehicle over and over again.

Basically this anti-4x4 thing is born out of ignorance by city dwellers who pick up on something in the media and then follow it like sheep, anything to inject some interest into their dull, boring, urban lives.

I would never drive anything else and am in the process of purchasing a new Nissan X-Trail to replace my Toyota RAV-4.

Whilst talking about environmental pollution, you could also have a go at people who leave house lights on all the time, TVs on standby all the time, mobile phone chargers on all the time when not in use, washing machines, dishwashers and tumble driers used for just a few items etc. All major contributors to greenhouse gases and what a waste.

Answer 8

Safty is a myth in any vechile when you have a moron behind the wheel, you can take the same idiot driving a suv and put him iin a faster better handleing car and instead of smacking a kid in the head with the bumper hell send the kid flying 25 feet in the air cause he hit him doing 50 in a 25 or he was on the phone while driving, put the blame where it belongs ON BAD DRIVERS AND THE RETARDS THAT GAVE THEM A LICENSE, and as far as the enviroment goes thats bull too, my dad has a H2 Hummer that thing sucks on gas milage, but he drives less than 5 miles to work and dosnt really go anywhere else most of the time. He also works with people that drive 50 and 75 miles ONE WAY to work in regular cars. So tell me who really uses the most gas out of the 2???? Yea makes alot of sense huh. Oh and just because we stay in the city dosnt mean we dont need a hummer because we do go hunting and it does get used for off road purposes and towing the camper to and from where we hunt but im sure if you buy my dad a new car thats up to par with his current lifestyle he will be happy to save a few bucks on the gas and have a free car, when you can afford to buy everyone else a extra car to save the world point fingers all you want, until then shut up about telling people what they should and shouldnt drive when you arnt paying for sht.

I dont hear you hollering about everyday cars that are getting shtty gas milage because they need a tune up, rich people driving sports cars that get the same gas milage as suv's, or them using all that fuel to fly their private jets when they can fly united just like everyone else, whats up with that???
And Pancake WTF are you trying to do turn the earth into a giant bomb??? Plug up the volcanos he says HAHA Id like to even see you come up with a workin plan to do that and not blow us up or cause earthquakes everywhere

Answer 9

I completely disagree, there are far worse things effecting our environment than 4x4's. Yes I own one, and 3 cars, I pay for it, its my choice. Is this not America? At this rate were headed straight for communism. I'll make my choices and you worry about yours. What about people who use coal in their fireplaces and heat with oil? I do those things also. I also ride an ATV, that hold on to your pants now, is just for FUN! Im glad I have these rights. No I do not use these things everyday but I do have them. I think if people really want to worry about something look at the amount of trash we make every single day. We are making mountains of trash for what? So our precious Mcdonalds sandwich isnt contaminated w/ the fries.

Answer 10

No modern 4X4 SUVs are ideal in urban environments but too big for country lanes.
The visibility, ability to ride speed bumps or hit kerbs with no ill effects, barely noticing them in fact, makes a 4X4 SUV ideal for the school run. for the country get a Pug 207 or Honda Civic.