You are totally right about the driver aspect which is the most common cause
of accidents in any type of vehicle. Thanks! Larry.
-----Original Message-----
From: Gary McCormick [mailto:svgkm@halley.ca.essd.northgrum.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 9:37 AM
To: Mark Sedlack; Datsun Roadster List
Subject: Re: purists
Consider the "SUV" button well and truly pushed...
Folks in the rest of the country seem to forget that not all of California
is sunny and
warm all the time - ask the folks who live in the Sierra, or the Trinities
and Siskiyous
about snow and the need for 4-wheel drive; however - driving an over-sized,
unstable,
tarted-up 4-wheel drive (or 2-wheel drive that wants to LOOK like a 4-wheel
drive) as a
primary vehicle in clear conditions on dry pavement is ridiculous. The
safety arguments
for SUVs are spurious at best - they are based upon the "I'm bigger than
you, so if you
hit me (or if I hit you), you'll bounce off" argument - well, folks, don't
look now, but
an 18-wheeler trumps that card, and there are plenty of them around!
The handling characteristics of the typical SUV, including your Durango,
Mark, are abysmal
- they have a much higher rollover accident rate than normal passenger
vehicles, usually
occurring in a rapid lane change or accident avoidance maneuver. The
combination of a high
center of gravity and relatively soft suspension characteristics is
unforgiving - and
dangerous for the unwary or unskilled driver (which includes most of the
people on the
road... )
Gary McCormick
San Jose, CA (it snowed here once... ) ;^)
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