Sam would be proud!!!

[TSchub]

Yesterday I volunteered (with pay) to go up and check on some bank owned properties that are built in a national forest area. Mapped it out and headed on my way. THe software that I was using decided to run me down four miles of seasonal access roads that were mere snowmobile trails in this weather. My trusty, leather interior, running boards, AWD, v8, city guy suv blasted right through it and got me home safe and sound. I was impressed because this SUV, while really nice, didn't seem like something that you would off road in. I won't make a habit of it, but it's nice to know that you've got it if you need it.

[Wambli Ska]

Nice to have the ability to go where most can't!

[samzhere]

Sounds like you had the right vehicle for the job. So I suppose I ought to award you one point on the "guy genes" scorecard. Proud I'm not sure, nor why I was honored to present the accolade.

I never have objections to trucks or SUVs being used as intended or designed. Offroad is why God made the F-150, I think. It's just that yesterday afternoon, driving around on some errands, using dry urban streets that lacked snow, ice, large treetrunks and only a couple of mountains to drive straight up the side of, I had a gazillion lumbering, slooooow, SUVs in front of me, each occupied by only one person, who was so busy on the cellphone that actually driving the behemoth on the street, maintaing one lane, and hewing to a reasonable speed, ran my road rage meter to the high of 9.3 (if I'd been wearing my rage monitor, that is)

Here I was, w. girlfriend in charge of changing out CD from Lou Reed to Dave Alvin to Talking Heads, myself attempting to let the "Great White" '96 T-Bird run its snappy, brisk course, and as soon as I got above 20mph, another blockade of SUVs appeared before my weary eyes, forcing me to use only 3 or 4 of the 8 cylinders available.

I suppose I wouldn't object so much to SUVs or mammoth jacked-up pickups if they'd DRIVE the damn things a bit faster or have the courtesy to pull over to the side to let me slip by. ha ha. And I'd probably have some sort of apoplectic seizure if I saw one of these huge pickups actually carrying useful things in the bed, like tools or camping gear or sporting equipment, or saw an SUV ferrying 4-5 kids to school. You know, the vehicle being used as was designed.

But no, instead, we get pristine truck beds, empty as a Democrat's head, truck bodies never touched by dirt or mud or threatened by a single day's genuine use (hauling, camping, etc). We get equally empty SUVs with lone pilots whose SINGLE purpose in life seems to prevent me from blowing out the dust mites from my V8 engine and cruising a modest 52mph in a 35 zone.

It's unfair to aggressive and fast drivers, I tell you!

(hope you enjoyed the fun rant -- but yesterday afternoon, honestly, about halfway through our errands, my girlfriend remarked "I can understand why you don't like SUVs now. They've been in our way all day." So it was nice to have some backup to your theories, ha ha. Honestly, yesterday it did seem that some secret traffic controller was unleashing a horde of SUVs on dire purpose.



Warning! Not designed to be driven under 45 mph!

[LMLarsen]

So you blame the truck instead of the driver? Isn't that like blaming the gun instead of the shooter?

[Slanteyedshootist]

So you blame the truck instead of the driver? Isn't that like blaming the gun instead of the shooter?

Sam, if you lower the Bird, you could drive under them jacked up pickemups.

[TSchub]

Sam, it was just some friendly elbow nudging amongst friends. Being as I only drive the dirt roads when going to the range, I thought of you and your rant on how most that own them don't use them for what they are designed for. I don't know if my SUV was designed for the stuff I was doing with it yesterday, but it handled it all and was ready for more. Best thing is, SHE'S PAID FOR!!!!!!!!

[5280 shooter II]

Sam, you should come to Denver sometime to see every nincompoop with a jackwagon who thinks they're Tony Stewart or Danica Patrick. They put those V8s to full use like they're late late for an important date, and it's annoying to the rest of us who drive sensibly and safely.

[samzhere]

Sam, it was just some friendly elbow nudging amongst friends. etc

Oh, sure, I picked up on that right away -- I just had some fun blowing off steam.

[samzhere]

So you blame the truck instead of the driver? Isn't that like blaming the gun instead of the shooter?

You'll note that I am not blaming the vehicle -- I'm singling out the driver for not making proper use of the vehicle. And they could own a stretch Hummer for all I care, if they'd just put the pedal down instead of driving like a funeral procession. I mean, look at the commercials -- these immense pickups or SUVs head straight up the North Kol of Everest at top speed, or blast through enough mud to hide Cleveland (narrated of course by Sam Elliott). But after, for some unknown reason, thinking "That's what I need!" they drive like 65-yr old Japanese women.

To link the gun analogy, it's like buying a .338 Lapua w. floating barrel, adjustable cheekplate, special custom trigger, mounting a $1200 scope, and then shooting at 100 ft.

And I'm well aware that plenty of slowpoke drivers are in regular importboxes, too. It's just that I can zip around them more easily than some max-wide peekup or SUV. ha.

[Slanteyedshootist]

But after, for some unknown reason, thinking "That's what I need!" they drive like 65-yr old Japanese women.

True, but wasis anyway.

[samzhere]

Slant, have zero idea what the connection between a screaming Korean (I think) guy "thats walsis" (which I still don't understand, missing apostrophes and bad spelling and all) vs. old Japanese women driving. I, of course, lived in the SF Bay Area many years and was besieged by those drivers daily. All had the same precise posture... hands together at top of steering wheel, gripped white-knuckle, eyes peering out through the steering wheel spokes, rigid straight ahead, never a glance to the side, no use of mirrors, signals, traffic lanes, or other impediments to a 12mph cruise down the middle of the street.

[snake284]

Sam, if you lower the Bird, you could drive under them jacked up pickemups.

Yeah and besides that, can we all help it if granma and granpa like SUVs and Mud trucks too??? Even they gotta have some fun, even if it is in "SLOOOOOOOOW Motion!"

[samzhere]

Sam, if you lower the Bird, you could drive under them jacked up pickemups.

Well, years ago when I was a lot dumber and more drunk, I tried that with my MGA. It wouldn't fit.

[samzhere]

Yeah and besides that, can we all help it if granma and granpa like SUVs and Mud trucks too??? Even they gotta have some fun, even if it is in "SLOOOOOOOOW Motion!"

I keep getting told "slow it down" and I actually have racked it in a bit over the past couple years. I no longer pretend I'm in a McClaren -- now it's just a Porsche 911 Turbo...

Thing is, grandma and grandpa tend to drive mid-size American iron and aren't too bothersome. It's the evil yuppies that are lurking on each street whom I fear.