SUV versus Sedan
Can Sertel
ILAC
SUV vs Sedan
In the 21st century, there are too many vehicles on the highway and most people drive a vehicle all around the world. According to Tencer, ‘’The global number of cars exceeded 1.015 billion in 2010, jumping from 980 million the year before’’ (2013). If a person is thinking about driving a vehicle, there are two options that can bring different experiences. SUVs are 4x4, strong, big, and more dangerous than sedans. While, sedans are fast, small, and the more popular choice. Driving a SUV and sedan are different in terms of safety, power and comfortable. Firstly, one of the differences between SUVs and sedan is safety. When we drive a SUV, we probably feel safer than sedan. On the
Andrew Simms, a policy director and head of the Climate Change Program for the New Economics Foundation in England, presents his argument about the impact SUV’s have on our roadways, and the air we breathe. “Would You Buy a Car That Looked like This? “. The title alone gives great insight on what the article is going to be about, (vehicles). “They clog the streets and litter the pages of weekend colour *supplements. Sport utility vehicles or SUV’s have become badges of middle class aspiration” (Simms 542). Simms opening statement not only gives his opinion on how SUV’s are the new trend, but he also paints a picture of what we see every day driving down our roadways. Simms also compares the tobacco industry’s gap between image and reality to that of SUV’s; stating that the cause and consequences of climate change resemble smoking and cancer. Simms comparison between SUV’s and cigarettes shows how dangerous he believes SUV’s are.
Automobiles play an essential role in American society. As if being the major means of transportation was not impressive enough, automotives can be seen on T.V., in movies, in magazines, and can sometimes be indicative of a person’s wealth and social status. On average, Americans drive nearly 40 miles and drive for just over 50 minutes driving per person per day (http://www.bts.gov). That means a person spends roughly one-sixteenth of a day driving. It would make sense, then, to make such an essential part of society as efficient, cost effective, and clean as possible. However, that is not the case. As the years have passed cars have actually begun to move away from efficiency. Hawken writes, “[The automobile] design process has made cars ever heavier, more complex, and usually costlier. These are all unmistakable signs that automaking has beco...
They have taken America by storm. Defined as “rugged automotive vehicles similar to a station wagon but built on a light truck chassis” (Gurlanik 723), Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) have taken over the roads. The automobile industry is full of them and nearly every automaker has its own version of the vehicle. Drivers like the roominess, the comfort and the status they provide and SUVs are springing up across suburbs and cities like mushrooms (Davidson 1). Americans are in love with the luxuries involved with SUVs: the 4x4 capabilities, being able to sit higher on the road and the sense of control.
Since the early 1990s, the car market has become saturated with sport utility vehicles. While SUV’s have been enthusiastically received by a wide spectrum of the demographic – everyone from teenagers to soccer moms -- not all are excited by its arrival. Some of the current complaints with SUVs have to do with their ridiculous size and relative fuel inefficiency. Others criticize the vehicles as being unsafe, and certainly unnecessary, for the tasks for which they are commonly used. But even with the recent campaigns to educate the public on the possible physical and environmental risks posed by the automobiles, SUV purchases continue to be on the rise. Indeed, with car sales on the decline, and the SUV being seen as a possible savior -- or at least band-aid -- for the struggling motor industry, any movement to ban SUVs in the near future is unlikely.
Why are automobiles so dangerous? Automobiles are so dangerous because, there are a lot of impaired drivers, teens, and careless people out there driving.
"Why Are American Cars Considered so Bad When Compared to European Ones? - Page 2 – Anthrocivitas." Why Are American Cars Considered so Bad When Compared to European Ones? - Page 2 - Anthrocivitas. N.p., n.d. Web.
...ture a risk-taking species. In ancient times we took risks just to eat. Later we took huge risks by setting out in little wooden ships to explore the earth's surface. We continued as we sought to fly, travel faster than the speed of sound and to head off into space. We rely on increasingly more complex equipment and constantly strive to design and manufacture faster and even more elaborate devices. It goes without saying that every effort is made to ensure our "safety"; to keep us from harm or danger. Every time you slide behind the wheel of your vehicle you are taking a risk. Driving is the riskiest activity in our lives. It is an inherently "unsafe" environment. The most perfect vehicles on the best designed highways on beautiful sunny days driven by fallible human beings crash into each other. The only way to drive "safely" (as we are all admonished to do!) is to learn more about the process. Learn more about your vehicle and how to maintain it; learn how to use your eyes to look far down the road; learn to spot problems before they happen; and also learn to deal with emergency situations. In most cases it's the human element that fails. After all, safe is only as safe does.
There are many different automobile companies providing buyers with many styles of cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles. Toronto Star January 14, 2005 present ways to approach the automotive buying process. There are many different surveys, crash reports, and rating systems comparing different companies and their vehicles. Things you should look for when reading these published articles are who conducted the study? Who paid for it? Who gains from it? Who loses? These are all things to keep eye on as some automotive companies will run their own surveys making their products seem overpowering against the competition. Some prove their products are safer then the competition where the competition has been proven time and time again to make that survey seem inaccurate.
initial availability. The price for the X5 is $49, 400, $44,620 for the dealer invoice, and
Many people take a lot of pride in their vehicle and personalize it to their liking with decorations, custom designs or auto bodywork, and some cars may have sentimental value. The occupation of driving and the physical environment of the car can be very meaningful to a person. The physical environment can also be a barrier for a person with a disability. Cars are often very compact and can be very hard to maneuver, although adaptions for cars are available. The natural environment of driving is also imperative. The natural environment can significantly impact the occupation of driving and how hard or easy it is to participate. Driving in a windy snow storm is going to look a lot different than on a beautiful sunny day. The natural environment of the road is also very impacting when thinking about how one drives on a rocky, curvy back road versus a smooth, straight
One of the very first things a buyer should consider when looking for a car is what kind of car he/she wants. Many different factors can affect the car buying process. For one, the buyer must consider how big of a vehicle he/she wants and safety features like airbags, seatbelts, and working brakes. Itemizing a list of accessories can also help narrow down what kind of car to buy. While some people might prefer a Sedan with a large back seat and seat warmers, others may prefer an extreme luxury car with full stereo systems and miniature televisions. Every person has different tastes in accessories; luckily, there is a vehicle that can fit almost every personality. Most new models have the latest technology installed, although some of the “newer” used cars have the option of adding in those accessories. Once the...
Safe and efficient driving is Òa matter of perceptual-motor sensitivity to perceptual laws of locomotion in a spatiotemporal fieldÓ (Fox, 1997). Specifically, the driver must be aware of two fields: (1) the field of safe travel and (2) the minimum stopping zone. The field of safe travel refers to a field surrounded by actual and potential obstacles to locomotion. The minimum stopping zone refers to a field that is determined by variables like speed, visual/road conditions, etc. Car crashes occur when another car or stationary object is not perceived accurately. In order to guide a vehicle, the driver must (1) abstract important sensory information from the environment, (2) process this information accordingly to complete visuospatial tasks and (3) act accordingly to achieve task goals.
Today, people use their own personal vehicles to travel more than ever before. Personal transportation is no longer considered a luxury; it is now considered a necessity. The number of cars in the United States has been growing steadily since the 1970s. The number of miles traveled by cars has risen nearly 150 percent, yet the United States population has only grown roughly 40 percent during that time (hybridcars.com, Driving Trends). Although it may seem like we are advancing into the future, in reality, we are moving backwards from the effects these vehicles have on our bodies and the environment. The pollution produced by these vehicles has brought us to the day where we must find other modes of transportation that cause less harm to the world in which we live. Advances in technology have developed hybrid vehicles to try and slow down the amount of pollution. Driving a hybrid vehicle, instead of a conventional gas powered vehicle, can reduce the amount of pollution that affects our lives and the environment around us.
Driving is an essential activity in living a fulfilling lifestyle. Older adults, like the rest of the population, require a means of transportation to participate in important lifestyle choices; however, declines in their sensory, motor, perceptual, and cognitive abilities limit their driving capabilities. Consequently, older adult drivers are more likely to incur fatal injuries than younger drivers. This high crash fatality rate motivated this study to investigate older adult drivers’ perceptions regarding driving challenges and in-vehicle technologies that are designed to mitigate these challenges. Having more information about these drivers’ perceptions can help engineers better understand the factors that make technologies useful to older
As Americans we love our cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorbikes for many different reasons. One major reason is that they are an easy and convenient mobility; a personal mode of transportation. It is rather hard to imagine what this county would be like without all the roads and vehicles on them. This is abundantly evident in Arizona, where the majority of us drive to most all of our activities from going to work or taking the kids for an ice cream. We jump into our vehicle and go. However, a curious thing often happens when we get in our car, truck and SUVs. We sometimes change turning into someone different when behind the wheel of our vehicle. We can become inconsiderate and aggressive to other drivers; at times even becoming rude, crude, and dangerous when behind the steering wheel of a motor vehicle. We start acting crazily because we are behind the steering wheel of a large powerful machine. This is what When this happens, drivers become a danger to themselves and others. Hopefully this will plant a seed of commonsense that causes us to think before turning into a dangerous monster behind the steering wheel.