These Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us
These Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us
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Engineers, planners, politicians, and advocates all around the world are trying to improve their cities and build more great walkable places with viable alternatives to driving. But there’s a looming trend that could undo all of that hard work: the growth of SUVs and light trucks.
This could all be solved if these pathetic suburbanites could just buy small cars, station wagons, or minivans instead.
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Script by Nicole Conlan and Jason Slaughter
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References and Further Reading
Tell Automakers: Fix front-end blind zones - Consumer Reports Petition
https://action.consumerreports.org/20…
CityNerd: Problems with Pickup Trucks (Nebula)
https://nebula.tv/videos/citynerd-pro…
New Car Assessment Program
https://www.federalregister.gov/docum…
SUVs, pickup trucks more likely to hit pedestrians than cars, study finds
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/2…
The Ultimate List of Driving Statistics for 2023
https://driving-tests.org/driving-sta…
All history (including auto industry research of SUV buyers) is from:
High and Mighty: SUVs-the World’s Most Dangerous Vehicles and How They Got That Way
Keith Bradsher
[ISBN 9781586481230]
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/sho…
Trucks And SUVs Are Now Over 80 Percent Of New Car Sales In The U.S.
https://jalopnik.com/trucks-and-suvs-…
Mindgames on wheels - How advertising sold false promises of safety and superiority with SUVs
https://static1.squarespace.com/stati…
Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer 1997 (modified)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/juanelo…
Sherman tank by Nyttend - Own work, Public Domain
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index…
Carsized.com
https://carsized.com
Global SUV sales set another record in 2021, setting back efforts to reduce emissions
https://www.iea.org/data-and-statisti…
Kids and Cars
https://www.kidsandcars.org/
https://www.kidsandcars.org/how-kids-…
Experiment involving SUV reveals hidden danger for small children
https://www.kmbc.com/article/experime…
SUVs second biggest cause of emissions rise, figures reveal
https://www.theguardian.com/environme…
U.S. Pedestrian Fatalities Rise, While European Pedestrian Fatalities Fall
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2019/…
Cyclist and Pedestrian Deaths Skyrocket in 2018 as Motorists Stay Safe
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/06/1…
Why are US drivers killing so many pedestrians?
https://cityobservatory.org/why-are-u…
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/suvs…
National Survey on Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov…
The Car Cushion Hypothesis: Bigger Cars Lead to More Risk Taking—Evidence from Behavioural Data
https://link.springer.com/article/10…
You Don’t Need A Full-Size Pickup Truck, You Need a Cowboy Costume
https://www.thedrive.com/news/26907/y…
City drivers ‘should think twice’ before buying SUVs
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-566…
Pickup Trucks - From Workhorse to Joyride
https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-tru…
Transportation Alternatives - The Problem with Bigger Cars
https://www.transalt.org/newsletter/s…
Unlicensed Driver Is Charged in Death of Baby in Stroller
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/17/ny…
Tyre Extinguishers
https://www.tyreextinguishers.com/
EUROPEAN VEHICLE MARKET STATISTICS
https://eupocketbook.org/wp-content/u…
European new car market starts 2021 with record market share for SUVs
https://www.jato.com/european-new-car…
Safety consequences of vehicle size \u0026 weight
• Safety consequences of vehicle size a…
This video contains content licensed from Getty Images
Content
0 -> I make videos about how walkable cities
2.28 -> are more efficient more environmentally
4.08 -> friendly more financially sustainable
6.12 -> and just better places to live
8.82 -> so given these benefits it's not
10.5 -> surprising that cities all around the
12.179 -> world are trying to build more mixed-use
14.099 -> walkable neighborhoods and viable
16.199 -> alternatives to driving
18.48 -> unfortunately as Engineers planners and
20.699 -> Advocates try to repair the mistakes of
22.619 -> the 1960s and build the cities of the
24.84 -> future there's a growing Trend that
26.64 -> could undo all of that hard work the
29.279 -> growth of SUVs and light trucks
33 -> I really don't think it's an
34.26 -> exaggeration to say that if there's a
36.18 -> positive goal that cities have for the
38.04 -> future SUVs fight against that they're
40.44 -> just bad for cities really bad
44.46 -> if you're walking and you get hit by an
46.26 -> SUV you're three times more likely to
48.12 -> die than if you've been hit by a regular
49.739 -> car and if you're in that regular car
51.719 -> you're more likely to die in a crash if
53.76 -> it's with an SUV SUVs are more likely to
56.879 -> hit people in the first place because
58.379 -> they're big unwieldy and have poor
60.239 -> visibility SUV drivers themselves are
63 -> twice as likely to be killed in a
64.68 -> rollover than car drivers SUVs make
67.26 -> congestion worse because they take up
68.7 -> more space on the roads they have
69.9 -> terrible fuel economy too and the list
71.82 -> goes on and on and to be completely
74.28 -> honest I'm making this video because I'm
76.32 -> absolutely fed up with the conversation
78.36 -> around SUVs and light trucks we're
80.64 -> constantly being told that doing
82.68 -> anything about the astronomical growth
84.84 -> and the average size of Motor Vehicles
86.46 -> would infringe on the freedoms of people
88.92 -> to do whatever they want but your
91.14 -> freedom to swing your arm ends where my
93.18 -> face begins and SUVs are a giant punch
95.7 -> in the face to everyone who doesn't
97.32 -> drive one in short SUVs are oversized
100.68 -> ridiculous unnecessary death machines
102.659 -> that are literally killing people even
104.64 -> their own drivers so let's look at why
106.86 -> they're so popular
115.2 -> in time about 40 years you wouldn't
117.119 -> really see any SUVs if you lived in a
120.06 -> rural area you might see a small pickup
122.1 -> truck or a Bare Bones Jeep used for
123.899 -> hunting or farming
125.46 -> but until fairly recently pretty much
127.68 -> everybody drove a car or maybe a van
131.58 -> but today light trucks and SUVs make up
134.34 -> almost 80 percent of all new car sales
136.98 -> in the U.S 80 percent
140.4 -> the Auto industry has been heavily
142.319 -> pushing these vehicles for years and
144.12 -> it's been done to avoid regulations
145.68 -> meaning more profit for car
147.239 -> manufacturers this is possible because
149.879 -> in America SUVs are classified as light
152.64 -> trucks which aren't subject to the same
154.92 -> safety and emission standards as cars
157.8 -> light trucks originally referred to
159.9 -> commercial vehicles that needed to carry
161.76 -> or tow heavy loads or Traverse difficult
163.92 -> terrain to facilitate this light trucks
166.86 -> have large engines and stiff frames both
169.019 -> of which are disastrous for fuel economy
171.18 -> and safety but more on that in a second
173.819 -> and it all started because of these ink
176.34 -> chickens
177.599 -> in 1962 Europe placed a heavy import tax
180.66 -> on American chickens in retaliation
182.879 -> America levied import taxes of their own
185.099 -> they specifically targeted European
187.8 -> light trucks that were typically used by
189.72 -> small businesses and since foreign
191.819 -> automakers were already producing better
193.86 -> and cheaper cars the declining American
196.319 -> Auto industry really wanted to shift to
198.599 -> a vehicle where they didn't have to
200.099 -> compete because like competition is for
202.379 -> suckers
203.459 -> so that carved out light trucks as its
205.56 -> own category in America but what really
207.54 -> kicked off the explosion of SUVs was
209.64 -> ironically fuel efficiency regulations
213.3 -> the corporate average fuel economy or
215.519 -> Cafe standards required all automobile
217.739 -> manufacturers in the U.S to improve the
220.08 -> average fuel economy of their entire
221.819 -> fleet or face Financial penalties
224.34 -> but here's the catch American automakers
227.04 -> lobbied hard so that a light trucks were
229.5 -> classified differently than Passenger
231.48 -> cars this was necessary they argued
234.42 -> because unlike cars light trucks were
236.7 -> used by honest hard-working red-blooded
238.98 -> American Patriots like this guy
242.04 -> I asked an AI art program to make this
244.26 -> picture for me which is why he has this
246.12 -> dead look on his face and his pickup has
248.28 -> an extra door hanging off the side
252.299 -> so rather than build cars that met Cafe
254.459 -> Standards auto manufacturers were
256.32 -> incentivized to get as many people to
258.18 -> buy light trucks as possible
260.28 -> the first SUVs could be classified as
262.44 -> light trucks because they were built in
264.06 -> the same factories and using the same
266.04 -> body on frame construction as
267.84 -> traditional pickup trucks these SUVs
270.66 -> were basically pickup trucks with a
272.58 -> longer roof
274.02 -> this allowed American car manufacturers
276.3 -> to save a lot of money by using existing
278.639 -> design parts and factories and of course
280.74 -> it also allowed them to avoid any
282.54 -> regulations for passenger vehicles
284.22 -> including safety regulations because
286.139 -> these were after all light trucks
290.16 -> so this saved the auto manufacturers a
292.62 -> lot of money and avoided regulations but
294.6 -> there was a problem how are they going
296.759 -> to convince people to buy a vehicle that
299.04 -> was Impractical uncomfortable ugly and
301.86 -> dangerous
303.479 -> the book high and mighty written by a
305.58 -> Detroit automobile journalist and
307.139 -> published in 2002 documents the history
309.18 -> of how SUVs came to be and it was one of
311.82 -> the books that helped radicalize me
313.32 -> against our dependency
315.9 -> and while this book is rather out of
318.06 -> date today the history of the SUV is
320.4 -> still very relevant
322.68 -> the earliest SUVs were Jeeps marketed to
325.199 -> Rich guys who went hunting on the
326.58 -> weekends marketers use this outdoorsy
328.8 -> image to lure people who wanted to be
330.72 -> cool hey you might live in Suburbia and
333.36 -> work a super lame desk job in a business
335.28 -> park but you're still the kind of guy
337.5 -> who might maybe someday go on a camping
339.9 -> trip and this is the car to do it in no
342.419 -> no don't look at that significantly more
344.039 -> practical car over there station wagons
345.9 -> are for losers and Boomers
348.3 -> and this marketing approach saw some
350.1 -> modest success but the real winning
351.539 -> strategy was to make scared people feel
353.759 -> safe
355.38 -> early focus groups showed that Americans
357.539 -> were obsessed with crime and violence so
359.82 -> automobile manufacturers took advantage
361.86 -> of that the city is a big scary place
364.62 -> protect yourself with a big stupid car
367.68 -> that's how we got ads that say think of
369.9 -> it as a 4 000 pound Guardian Angel and
372.9 -> this one that says let nature worry
374.699 -> about you for a change which addresses
376.44 -> the incredibly common Suburban Eye
378.18 -> problem of crocodiles attacking you from
380.34 -> trees
381.36 -> this also turned Road Safety into an
383.58 -> arms race Whoever has the biggest
385.38 -> vehicle wins and so Vehicles became
387.419 -> bigger and more aggressive every year
390.24 -> it's got to the point where you can't
392.16 -> even buy a small practical
393.96 -> fuel-efficient car in America anymore
395.699 -> even if you wanted to
397.86 -> when we lived in Brussels for example we
400.08 -> owned a Toyota iGo which was perfect for
402.6 -> our family but Toyota doesn't even sell
404.88 -> this model in America hmm
407.28 -> I wonder why
409.919 -> so where does it all end when everyone
411.479 -> is driving tanks
413.66 -> tanks what a funny joke right
417 -> except that this is one of the largest
419.039 -> Sherman tanks from World War II
421.38 -> and this is a Cadillac Escalade
424.08 -> yeah
426 -> incidentally the website where I got
427.62 -> these images of cars SUVs and trucks but
429.96 -> not tanks is carsides.com an excellent
432.9 -> and addictive site that lets you easily
434.88 -> compare the sizes of many different
436.44 -> kinds of vehicles they were also nice
438.539 -> enough to let me use their vehicle
439.86 -> photos in this video so check them out I
442.199 -> put a link in the description but like
443.759 -> just type in carsized.com yourself it's
447.3 -> really not that hard
449.039 -> it's incredibly depressing that SUVs
451.5 -> were marketed as being safer because
453 -> their classification as light trucks has
454.919 -> been disastrous for actual safety
458.28 -> one of the most dangerous things about
459.9 -> SUVs is their bumper height American
461.88 -> cars are required to have bumpers
463.319 -> between 16 to 20 inches off the ground
465.419 -> but surprise light trucks don't have to
467.819 -> deal with that regulation so they can
469.319 -> have their bumpers pretty much as high
470.819 -> as they want
472.319 -> SUVs were also stiffer Than Cars the
474.66 -> original light trucks were built to haul
476.22 -> or tow heavy weights which means they
478.02 -> needed a heavier stiffer chassis rather
480.72 -> than crumpling in a crash like a car
482.58 -> frame which distributes energy and acts
484.44 -> as a protective cushion the chassis on a
486.66 -> light truck acted like a battering ram
488.52 -> and the people inside became the crumple
490.62 -> Zone combine that with a high bumper and
493.199 -> you run into a problem known as crash
495.24 -> compatibility when two normal sized cars
498.3 -> crash into each other they are
499.74 -> compatible in that their safety features
501.599 -> are pretty much aligned and designed to
503.34 -> work together which provides more
505.259 -> protection to the drivers of both cars
507.72 -> but when a regular car in an SUV crash
510 -> into each other the bigger higher
511.8 -> stiffer vehicle doesn't line up with the
513.719 -> smaller car's safety features which can
515.52 -> make the crash more deadly of course
517.8 -> it's even worse for anyone outside of a
520.08 -> car
520.86 -> when a person gets hit by a car they're
522.839 -> typically thrown onto the hood this can
525.3 -> cause injury to the lower legs which
526.92 -> sucks but generally doesn't kill you at
529.019 -> low speeds but the higher front end of
531.48 -> an SUV means the impact is centered near
533.339 -> the Torso and head which is much more
535.44 -> deadly
536.399 -> people hit by SUVs are also more likely
538.86 -> to hit their head on the ground or go
540.54 -> under the vehicle thanks to their High
542.279 -> ground clearance and in case it isn't
544.14 -> obvious it's a bad thing to be
546.24 -> underneath a gigantic heavy light truck
549.779 -> and what makes this all even more insane
551.88 -> is that most of the features that make
553.62 -> SUV drivers feel safe actually make them
557.339 -> or dangerous
559.2 -> many buyers say they wanted an SUV
561.36 -> because you sit up high while driving
563.1 -> them which gives better visibility but
565.14 -> that's not really true it might make it
568.019 -> easier to see farther down the road but
570.06 -> it's actually harder to see stuff right
571.98 -> in front of you
573.42 -> the advocacy group kids and cars put 17
576.3 -> children in front of an SUV and they
578.64 -> couldn't see any of them from the
580.38 -> driver's seat since the introduction of
582.779 -> SUVs there has been a massive increase
584.519 -> in what are called front overs a person
587.04 -> usually a child getting run over by an
589.56 -> SUV by a driver who can't even see them
592.44 -> kids and cars have been documenting the
594.54 -> rise of front overs in America and the
596.58 -> results are shocking
598.92 -> but before we move on I want you to look
601.26 -> at this chart and understand what you're
603.18 -> seeing this is saying that over a
605.64 -> 10-year period over 500 American
607.98 -> children were killed by being run over
610.08 -> by SUVs usually by their own parents in
613.86 -> their own driveways
616.14 -> this is insane this is legitimately
619.08 -> insane in any civilized society this
622.14 -> information alone would be enough to
623.76 -> regulate the hood design of SUVs and
625.74 -> light trucks but instead the industry
628.44 -> solution for this is proximity sensors
631.68 -> and front-facing cameras because car
633.959 -> companies are happy for any regulations
636.12 -> that means they can sell you more stuff
638.94 -> now I personally believe that drivers
641.64 -> should be looking at the road and not a
643.44 -> screen inside their SUV but hey what do
645.72 -> I know I'm just a weirdo who objects to
647.7 -> children being run over by trucks
650.399 -> if you agree with me then you can sign
652.38 -> the consumer reports petition Link in
654.6 -> the description
656.1 -> light trucks are usually four-wheel
657.6 -> drive as well which is pitched as
659.279 -> another safety feature four-wheel drive
661.56 -> is great for accelerating in Slippery
663.42 -> conditions like mud but what four-wheel
665.16 -> drive doesn't do is help you slow down
667.74 -> that means overconfident SUV drivers can
670.2 -> go as fast as they want in bad
671.519 -> conditions as long as they're not
673.5 -> planning on stopping
675.24 -> maybe that's fine in a rural setting but
677.339 -> these lanyards are all over American
679.26 -> cities
680.64 -> I once drove across Texas in the middle
682.62 -> of a once in a decade snowstorm and
684.839 -> there was literally a light truck in the
686.7 -> ditch every few miles while my
688.62 -> rear-wheel drive Oldsmobile push through
690.48 -> without any issues
692.82 -> though part of this is because SUV
694.62 -> owners are more likely to be bad drivers
696.959 -> that's not just my opinion car companies
698.94 -> paid millions of dollars for market
700.44 -> research to find this out people who
703.2 -> gravitate toward SUVs tend to be less
705.3 -> confident in their driving abilities and
707.16 -> rely on the large size of the vehicle to
709.32 -> keep them quote unquote safe at the
712.44 -> expense of everyone else
714.48 -> what made this even worse is that in the
716.64 -> early days most SUV buyers were [ __ ]
719.82 -> I'm not being flippant and suggesting
721.98 -> that all SUV drivers were [ __ ] but
724.019 -> [ __ ] were literally the primary
725.94 -> target market when automakers wanted to
728.04 -> make SUVs mainstream Auto industry
730.74 -> research determined that the average
732.18 -> Light Truck purchaser was obsessed with
734.279 -> status less likely to volunteer or feel
736.92 -> a strong connection to their communities
738.42 -> less giving less oriented toward others
741.54 -> more afraid of crime more likely to text
744 -> and drive more likely to take risks
745.98 -> while driving and more likely to think
747.839 -> stuff like this looks cool what thought
750.5 -> ten years ago a baby-faced Mark Rober
753.36 -> put plastic animals on the side of the
755.16 -> road to see which ones were most likely
757.019 -> to get hit
758.339 -> he found that some drivers would
760.26 -> purposefully swerve to run over the
762.24 -> animals and 89 of those people who tried
765.42 -> to murder animals were driving SUVs
768.54 -> yep the market research is correct these
771.3 -> people are [ __ ]
773.04 -> but you know what SUV drivers are
774.779 -> typically not outdoorsy SUVs are
778.2 -> marketed for going off-road towing a
780.24 -> boat or for going camping but in reality
782.6 -> 75 percent of light truck owners tow
785.04 -> something once a year or less and 70 go
787.68 -> off-road once a year or less in fact the
791.04 -> vast majority of SUVs are driven in
793.139 -> cities and will never go off-road they
795.839 -> are just used for everyday tasks like
797.82 -> commuting and buying groceries well I
800.7 -> guess they go off-road when the driver
802.139 -> is texting and plows into a building or
804.06 -> something
805.68 -> the most outdoorsy people I've met those
807.959 -> who regularly go hiking or camping Drive
810.06 -> something like a Subaru Outback wagon
812.22 -> because their actual adventurous people
814.44 -> not just a bunch of posers and SUVs
817.74 -> and Americans seem to think you need
819.36 -> some giant truck to tow anything but you
821.579 -> see all kinds of regular cars with
823.5 -> trailers in Europe and the Dutch in
825.959 -> particular are famous for vacationing
827.88 -> with their Caravans pulled by normal
830.1 -> cars
831.24 -> though this recent example was extreme
833.459 -> even by Dutch standards and the
835.98 -> reactions to this video will be
837.48 -> extremely predictable people will
839.639 -> inevitably claim that these SUVs and
841.74 -> pickup drivers need that space for all
844.079 -> the stuff they're hauling that somehow
846.3 -> SUVs and pickup trucks went from Niche
848.7 -> rural vehicles to literally the most
851.16 -> popular vehicles on the road because of
853.32 -> some magical demographic shift that
855.66 -> turned every American suburbanite into
857.639 -> this guy
859.2 -> wait why does he have six fingers
862.8 -> and if you do live in a rural area you
864.899 -> might need to drive a light truck and
866.399 -> obviously that's fine and I don't care
868.019 -> but we're talking about Suburbia here
870.48 -> and come on you know as well as I do
873.18 -> that the vast vast vast majority of
876.24 -> drivers in these light trucks are
877.86 -> carrying exactly two things their
880.079 -> briefcase and their fat ass and most
882 -> people don't use a briefcase anymore
883.579 -> this is particularly true with so-called
886.38 -> luxury SUVs we all know these aren't
889.32 -> hauling [ __ ] right
891.06 -> and the Mercedes G Wagon has to be the
893.639 -> absolute dumbest luxury vehicle ever
896.339 -> made
900.42 -> I can just imagine the conference room
902.22 -> at Mercedes when these were designed how
905.399 -> ugly uncomfortable and inefficient Kevin
907.38 -> makes this sing and still have these
909.42 -> rich fault will buy it
912.72 -> we can't just ignore this and say it's
915 -> personal choice because SUVs are a huge
917.639 -> problem for cities
919.04 -> oversized SUVs take up more space and
921.66 -> make congestion worse longer Vehicles
924.18 -> mean fewer cars get through a light
925.8 -> which means more people gunning it to
927.48 -> get through a yellow or red and
928.92 -> subsequently slamming into more people
930.72 -> trying to cross the street
932.579 -> and parking which is already disastrous
935.04 -> in cities is even worse because of SUVs
937.56 -> which take up more space at the curb
940.199 -> London that's real London is having
942.66 -> problems with street parking because
944.22 -> SUVs are getting longer so fewer parked
946.68 -> Vehicles can fit on a street hell even
949.38 -> in Fake London these stupid things don't
951.3 -> even fit in the giant parking spaces so
954 -> new parking spots in new developments
956.04 -> are being made bigger which means bigger
958.32 -> parking lots and even more paved
960.12 -> surfaces in our cities and you'll often
962.82 -> find light trucks parked in driveways
964.8 -> because they don't fit in a typical
967.079 -> garage
968.72 -> SUVs are wider too look at how much less
972.18 -> space a cyclist has in a world full of
974.399 -> light trucks
975.66 -> and the cyclist can't see or be seen
978.18 -> over the roof of the truck either
981 -> these vehicles make the streets more
982.86 -> dangerous for everyone outside of a car
984.899 -> and put even more pressure on already
986.82 -> crowded city streets
989.399 -> of course SUVs don't just hit people in
991.92 -> bike Lanes or crosswalks their off-road
994.019 -> capability means it's easier for them to
996.18 -> jump the curb and hit people on the
998.759 -> sidewalk where they're supposed to be
1000.92 -> safe
1003.079 -> it's very likely that more SUVs on the
1005.48 -> road is a significant factor in the
1007.279 -> recent increase in pedestrian deaths in
1009.079 -> the USA a trend that's not being seen in
1012.079 -> countries with sane vehicle sizes
1014.779 -> and SUVs aren't just killing the people
1016.519 -> they run into they're also doing it
1018.32 -> through pollution the Auto industry
1020.6 -> specifically promoted SUVs to avoid Cafe
1023.24 -> emission standards it's so bad that SUVs
1026.6 -> are the second largest factor in the
1028.64 -> rise in emissions from 2010 to 2018 and
1032.48 -> if SUVs were a country they would rank
1034.88 -> 7th in the world for carbon emissions
1037.1 -> which is more than the Netherlands and
1038.9 -> UK combined
1040.699 -> okay I really don't want to think about
1042.319 -> the Netherlands in the UK combined
1044.48 -> SUV apologists like to point out that
1046.699 -> modern SUVs are more fuel efficient than
1048.799 -> early models but that comes from overall
1051.5 -> improvements in technology thanks to
1053.54 -> advancements in materials and
1055.28 -> Manufacturing
1056.78 -> but a big heavy SUV is always going to
1059.48 -> use more fuel and have higher emissions
1061.46 -> than the same technology applied to a
1064.34 -> lighter car
1065.9 -> this is just basic physics it takes more
1068.419 -> work to move something heavier
1070.4 -> this is going to cause a huge problem
1071.9 -> with the necessary transition to
1073.64 -> electric vehicles too because the
1075.98 -> heavier the vehicle the more batteries
1077.72 -> are required to move it and the bigger
1079.28 -> and heavier those batteries need to be
1081.919 -> for the electric Hummer the batteries
1084.26 -> alone weigh more than an entire typical
1086.66 -> European car
1088.76 -> a few years ago I made a video about the
1091.34 -> adoption of electric micro cars here in
1093.62 -> the Netherlands
1094.88 -> and I often see light electric trucks
1096.86 -> like these on the streets as well
1099.919 -> but the gut reaction from many North
1101.6 -> Americans is to call these death
1103.76 -> machines but why
1106.22 -> it's because North Americans have been
1108.14 -> conditioned to believe that you need a
1110.299 -> large heavy vehicle in order to be safe
1112.52 -> on the roads
1114.14 -> we should be moving to lighter electric
1116.48 -> vehicles that require smaller batteries
1118.76 -> with better range lower cost and fewer
1121.58 -> resources needed to make them but we're
1123.32 -> going in exactly the opposite direction
1125.799 -> where even the smallest Tesla has a curb
1129.2 -> weight of over 1600 kilograms
1131.14 -> significantly more than a similarly
1133.34 -> sized Toyota Yaris sedan
1136.1 -> and okay I gotta say what the hell is up
1138.86 -> with a sport in sport utility vehicle
1141.74 -> are we really that stupid there is
1143.78 -> absolutely nothing sporty about any of
1146.539 -> this
1147.86 -> oh yeah feel the burn
1151.7 -> so at this point in the video I've
1153.32 -> likely pissed off every truck owner and
1155.059 -> they're furiously writing long angry
1156.679 -> comments about how they absolutely
1158.299 -> require an SUV for whatever reason
1161.9 -> so let's say you live somewhere car
1164.059 -> dependent you have 2.3 kids routinely
1166.88 -> need to stop by Home Depot and you want
1169.1 -> to head out into the Wilderness more
1170.539 -> than once a decade well I've got good
1173.299 -> news because I've got the perfect
1174.919 -> vehicle for you a station wagon the
1177.86 -> thing that literally every family use
1179.66 -> before auto manufacturers convince
1181.52 -> people to buy the light trucks that made
1183.44 -> them more money uh that's an estate car
1186.62 -> for all you Brits out there
1189.2 -> station wagons are more useful than SUVs
1192.02 -> for almost everyone in a city they're
1194.48 -> easier to get in and out of they're more
1196.28 -> maneuverable and much easier to park in
1198.26 -> cities where again almost all SUV
1200.48 -> driving takes place SUVs are built to be
1203.66 -> cool and curvy so that aging gen xers
1206.059 -> can pretend they never became parents
1208.039 -> but this means that the actual usable
1210.5 -> space inside is shockingly low
1213.62 -> the monstrously large Cadillac Escalade
1216.32 -> has 25.5 cubic feet of carrying space
1218.84 -> behind the last row of seats which is
1220.88 -> less than something like a Subaru
1222.5 -> Outback or Audi A6 Allroad both of which
1225.32 -> have over 30. but the numbers are
1227.66 -> deceiving because the fancy design means
1229.88 -> the usable space in an Escalade is
1232.16 -> surprisingly small of course you can
1234.98 -> take out the rear seats of an Escalade
1236.9 -> but you can fold down the seats of a
1238.58 -> station wagon too
1240.38 -> SUVs hold much less than you'd think
1242.6 -> because so much space is wasted by fancy
1245.299 -> styling unnecessarily High ground
1247.22 -> clearance car smashing bumpers and
1249.44 -> pedestrian killing hoods and of course
1251.84 -> I'm not saying that you can't carry
1253.82 -> stuff in an Escalade only that you don't
1256.22 -> need an Escalade to carry stuff
1259.22 -> have you ever tried to move a bunch of
1261.08 -> stuff with a station wagon I have many
1263.419 -> times it's a wide open rectangular
1265.94 -> cuboid of spacious goodness a station
1269.059 -> wagon is a superior vehicle for families
1271.46 -> more storage space better fuel
1273.32 -> efficiency and plenty of room for kids
1275.24 -> which is why they're still very common
1277.88 -> in Europe
1279.679 -> the reason you don't see station wagons
1281.96 -> in the US anymore is because automakers
1284.179 -> could make more money convincing
1285.679 -> Jennifer Mike Dave Amy and Kimberly that
1288.62 -> station wagons were uncool because
1290.48 -> apparently this is cool
1293.659 -> and if you really need a lot of space or
1295.4 -> extra seating on a regular basis a
1297.32 -> minivan beats an SUV every time
1300.559 -> I've seen this myself when we once
1302.48 -> booked a large taxi to the airport and
1304.4 -> they sent a Suburban
1306.2 -> our luggage wouldn't even fit in the
1308.179 -> back and we had to put some of it on our
1309.74 -> laps
1310.76 -> but when we got to our destination our
1313.22 -> taxi was a minivan and everything fit
1315.5 -> comfortably in the back
1317.24 -> a minivan will hold more stuff and it's
1319.88 -> easier for passengers to get in and out
1321.5 -> of too because the doors are bigger and
1323.299 -> it's lower to the ground
1326.24 -> but after a few decades Americans are
1328.46 -> getting bored of SUVs so automakers are
1330.679 -> trying to promote pickup trucks as the
1333.02 -> new family vehicle which is even more
1335.659 -> ridiculous at least SUVs had a cover
1338.419 -> over your cargo
1340.159 -> of course Ford knows this is ridiculous
1342.62 -> too
1343.58 -> while they were promoting the F-150
1345.559 -> pickup to Americans as the perfect
1347.72 -> family vehicle they use the exact same
1350.419 -> marketing language to market the seven
1352.52 -> seat s Max to Europeans because European
1355.88 -> regulations make it harder to profit
1357.919 -> from upselling people to light trucks
1360.02 -> let's be really clear here American
1362.48 -> automakers are not promoting SUVs and
1364.94 -> pickup trucks because they're practical
1366.679 -> they do it because it makes them more
1368.78 -> money
1370.1 -> it's very apparent in Europe that actual
1373.1 -> trades people you know the people who
1375.32 -> actually need a vehicle with lots of
1377.24 -> space on a regular basis almost
1379.24 -> universally choose vans
1382.64 -> a typical European van will easily carry
1385.34 -> more than a pickup truck and certainly
1386.9 -> more than an SUV and the lower bed is
1389.419 -> easier to load too
1391.34 -> I really struggle to understand how a
1393.86 -> DHL delivery driver can do his job with
1396.38 -> a Kangoo van
1397.94 -> but a middle-aged suburbanite thinks
1400.039 -> they need a Chevy Silverado to buy
1402.38 -> groceries
1404.6 -> and to be fair these Vans can get quite
1407 -> big but that space is used to make it
1409.1 -> efficiently carry lots of stuff
1411.38 -> and they still have a design that is
1413.659 -> safer in a crash and gives the driver
1415.28 -> good visibility
1416.9 -> proving that it is possible to provide
1419.12 -> all the goods and services the city
1420.5 -> needs without needlessly murdering
1422.6 -> people
1423.919 -> one of these vehicles is designed to
1426.08 -> efficiently carry lots of useful stuff
1428.12 -> while the other is designed to carry
1430.34 -> fragile egos
1432.44 -> and I'm not even gonna go into the fact
1435.02 -> that so many professionals here in the
1437 -> Netherlands whether they're a handyman
1438.799 -> or doing package delivery can do their
1441.98 -> job just fine using cargo bikes
1445.039 -> a pickup truck is mostly useful if
1447.44 -> you're loading heavy dirty items into
1449.24 -> the bed like on a farm or construction
1451.34 -> sites so outside of the US that's
1454.039 -> usually the only place you'll find them
1456.86 -> for almost any other use case for moving
1459.32 -> people or cargo a van or minivan is a
1462.02 -> better option
1464.12 -> frustrates me the most about all this is
1466.1 -> that when City Advocates complain about
1468.08 -> the insane growth in oversized trucks in
1470.72 -> our cities a bunch of people come out of
1473 -> the woodwork claiming that those drivers
1474.86 -> really need that cargo space but
1477.44 -> consider that the Ford F-150 was the
1480.32 -> single most popular vehicle sold in
1482.6 -> America in 2022 literally number one
1488.48 -> yet 40 years ago in 1982 the number one
1492.44 -> vehicle was the Ford Escort
1495.38 -> Are you seriously telling me the cargo
1497.72 -> hauling behavior of Americans has
1499.22 -> changed that much in 40 years
1501.679 -> are you really proposing that all of
1504.26 -> these empty pickup trucks you see all
1506.059 -> over the U.S and Canada with pristine
1508.46 -> shiny tailgates are just extremely
1511.1 -> careful construction workers that just
1512.96 -> happen to be between loads
1515.36 -> or is it the much more likely
1517.1 -> explanation that these people have been
1518.84 -> up sold on these vehicles by automakers
1520.82 -> looking to skirt regulations to make
1522.74 -> higher profits
1524.779 -> in fact these pickup trucks have become
1526.94 -> heavier and less practical over the past
1529.1 -> 40 years
1530.72 -> this axios article is a great read Link
1533.48 -> in the description but the best part is
1535.52 -> this graphic showing how the size of the
1537.98 -> truck bed has changed over the years
1539.48 -> these are clearly morphing from
1541.7 -> practical Farm Vehicles into status
1543.919 -> symbols for insecure suburbanites with a
1546.38 -> cargo fetish and to be perfectly blunt
1548.6 -> it's pretty insulting to our
1549.98 -> intelligence to suggest that all these
1551.6 -> new pickup trucks are really needed for
1553.46 -> hauling
1554.48 -> but as extended cab pickups become the
1556.76 -> new Suburban assault vehicles to Wine
1558.799 -> moms everywhere there's been a surge in
1561.26 -> interest in older pickup models as
1563.36 -> actual contractors seek vehicles that
1565.58 -> are more practical
1566.9 -> they are easier to load because they're
1568.58 -> lower to the ground easier to maneuver
1570.44 -> and park at job sites and the size of
1572.6 -> the bed is usually larger too
1575.24 -> you can still order a new pickup with a
1577.4 -> longer bed but they're a special order
1579.14 -> that can take months to arrive well you
1581.779 -> can drive an extended cab pickup off the
1583.82 -> lot today
1585.02 -> the only guy who shows up on the job
1587 -> site in the shiny new F-150 Raptor Super
1590.679 -> Crew is the owner's son whose cosplaying
1594.14 -> is a blue-collar laborer
1595.94 -> so SUVs and light trucks are oversized
1598.4 -> in Practical Vehicles which were heavily
1600.14 -> marketed to impressionable people
1601.52 -> because they make more money for
1602.9 -> automakers by skirting regulations and
1605.659 -> while the average SUV buyer in the early
1607.52 -> 2000s was likely a sociopath and or
1610.46 -> easily manipulated by marketing nowadays
1613.58 -> it's not so clear
1615.919 -> American automakers have literally
1618.02 -> turned off the production of station
1619.76 -> wagon sedans and smaller vehicles to
1622.039 -> focus almost exclusively on the more
1623.779 -> lucrative market for light trucks
1626.779 -> people argue that consumers prefer SUVs
1629.539 -> and automakers are just responding to
1631.46 -> demand but that demand is coming off the
1633.679 -> back of billions of dollars in
1635.659 -> advertising and marketing pushed because
1637.88 -> SUVs are artificially cheaper than they
1640.039 -> should be thanks to the light truck
1641.72 -> exemption
1643.22 -> and as the road safety arm race makes
1645.32 -> Vehicles bigger people aren't rationally
1647.36 -> concerned about their safety and
1648.98 -> gravitate toward larger vehicles to
1650.96 -> protect themselves
1652.7 -> so a new class of vehicle has emerged
1654.799 -> the crossover which is an SUV built on a
1657.919 -> car frame instead of a truck frame
1660.38 -> but fundamentally these are just cars
1662.9 -> that are bigger than they need to be
1664.159 -> cars with more ground clearance than is
1666.44 -> necessary cars with a higher bumper than
1668.6 -> is safe cars with lower fuel economy
1670.88 -> than if they were lighter but they're
1673.22 -> popular because people are rightfully
1675.32 -> scared about sharing the road with giant
1677.36 -> SUVs and pickup trucks so I can't really
1680.84 -> blame Americans for wanting to buy SUVs
1683.12 -> and crossovers today I would probably do
1685.76 -> the same thing if I were forced to live
1687.74 -> somewhere like this
1690.44 -> of course the most vulnerable people are
1692.659 -> those who can't participate in the arms
1694.52 -> race everyone who's not in a car
1698.96 -> so what are we gonna do about it
1703.039 -> the first solution is to close the light
1704.96 -> truck loophole that allows these
1706.58 -> ridiculous vehicles on the road in the
1708.2 -> first place light trucks should be
1710.059 -> required to meet all the same safety
1711.799 -> standards as every other passenger
1713.539 -> vehicle and they need to be safer in
1715.4 -> crashes a lighter and have much better
1717.2 -> fuel economy unfortunately the recent
1720.2 -> changes to the cafe standards in 2021
1722.6 -> still have the light truck exemption in
1724.94 -> place and even some crossovers like the
1727.58 -> Honda CRV and Toyota RAV4 can be put in
1730.58 -> the light truck category depending on
1732.86 -> how they're configured the us could also
1735.26 -> remove the import restrictions and
1736.82 -> duties on light trucks that are still
1738.679 -> around today
1739.94 -> they're the reason why you won't see
1741.98 -> smaller more practical foreign-built
1744.26 -> trucks like these in American cities
1747.08 -> and you won't see these small electric
1748.64 -> trucks coming to Market there either
1751.7 -> what's also desperately needed for all
1753.86 -> vehicles is for pedestrian crash tests
1755.96 -> and crash compatibility to have a more
1758 -> prominent role in determining safety
1759.799 -> ratings
1761.84 -> and now that light trucks are mainstream
1763.88 -> Vehicles they should be tested for
1765.44 -> safety and fuel efficiency the exact
1767.48 -> same way that other vehicles are for
1770.179 -> example in the US the frontal crash test
1772.399 -> done by the nhtsa are only done with
1775.46 -> vehicles in the same weight class why do
1778.52 -> we accept this it's not like SUVs have
1780.559 -> their own class of roads all vehicles
1782.779 -> share the same roads so they should all
1784.64 -> be crash compatible with one another
1787.159 -> I'd like to see different classes of
1788.96 -> vehicles tested against each other and
1790.88 -> to dock points if a vehicle caused a
1792.799 -> significant damage to vehicles of
1794.299 -> another class
1796.58 -> cities in particular should be doing a
1798.559 -> lot more to regulate SUVs they go
1800.779 -> against every goal that cities have to
1803.059 -> reduce the effects of climate change to
1804.679 -> reduce pedestrian deaths to reduce
1806.12 -> traffic to maintain roads and to make
1808.1 -> best use of The Limited space available
1811.039 -> City should tax Vehicles by weight and
1813.38 -> limit vehicles with bumpers that are too
1815.179 -> high or require commercial driver's
1817.159 -> licenses to operate them parking permits
1819.62 -> for longer Vehicles should be more
1821.059 -> expensive to compensate for the Lost
1822.919 -> space licensing and ensuring SUVs should
1825.98 -> be more expensive too and since a big
1828.5 -> part of road safety is the kinetic
1830.419 -> energy of the crash which comes from
1832.34 -> mass and velocity than if the weight
1834.74 -> keeps increasing we should be decreasing
1836.96 -> the speed in other words cities can and
1839.96 -> should be lowering speed limits in
1842.24 -> response to heavier vehicles
1844.88 -> these are all great ideas but right now
1846.86 -> cities are doing basically nothing to
1849.14 -> stop the spread of SUVs and pickup
1850.7 -> trucks
1851.659 -> here in the Netherlands cars are taxed
1853.58 -> more depending on their weight but the
1855.38 -> increase is minimal
1857.24 -> and North American cities are doing even
1859.1 -> less Washington DC will introduce a
1861.799 -> higher vehicle registration fee for
1863.539 -> heavier vehicles but this only applies
1865.7 -> to the absolute highest weight class of
1868.039 -> over 6 000 pounds
1871.22 -> so with effectively nothing being done
1873.26 -> to slow the adoption of heavier Vehicles
1875.059 -> some people are taking matters into
1876.559 -> their own hands
1878.059 -> a group calling themselves the tire
1880.1 -> extinguishers have started deflating the
1882.26 -> tires of SUVs in Europe it's unclear
1884.84 -> whether this is a crime their stated
1887.6 -> goal is to make it impossible to own an
1889.7 -> SUV in the city now obviously this is
1892.76 -> really extreme Behavior but but let's be
1894.559 -> clear this group only exists because of
1897.02 -> the complete and utter regulatory
1898.94 -> silence that has come from City and
1900.559 -> federal governments when it comes to
1902.059 -> curbing the problems caused by SUVs in
1904.22 -> cities
1905.12 -> and even if the U.S is too far gone
1907.779 -> European cities need to deal with this
1910.22 -> issue immediately SUVs and crossovers
1913.159 -> now account for 40 percent of all
1915.44 -> vehicles sold in the EU a 900 increase
1918.38 -> since 2001. I don't think Europeans
1921.5 -> realize how bad this can get I hear
1924.32 -> people justifiably complaining about the
1926.659 -> infestation of giant Land Rovers in
1928.88 -> European cities
1930.38 -> but look at how small this Range Rover
1932.84 -> looks next to a full-sized American SUV
1936.38 -> needs to get ahead of SUVs and pickup
1939.02 -> trucks now before more Europeans end up
1941.899 -> under them
1944.059 -> fundamentally SUVs are a plague on
1946.399 -> cities they're impractical dangerous
1948.679 -> expensive and polluting but car
1950.36 -> manufacturers have spent billions of
1952.399 -> dollars to convince you to think
1953.779 -> otherwise don't fall for it let your
1956.899 -> local Representatives know you're not
1958.58 -> okay with these Suburban assault
1960.14 -> vehicles taking over our roads
1962.72 -> ultimately this really is about Freedom
1965.779 -> the freedom to get around however we
1967.88 -> want the freedom to drive a small and
1970.399 -> efficient car without worrying about the
1972.44 -> road safety arms race or even better the
1975.14 -> freedom to not to have to drive to get
1977.36 -> around by walking cycling in public
1979.039 -> transit without the constant threat of
1981.32 -> serious injury or death from bloated
1982.94 -> oversized trucks and finally since the
1986.12 -> typical light truck driver is so status
1987.919 -> obsessed let's use that to our advantage
1990.08 -> so when you see someone driving a truck
1992.299 -> like this let them know they look like a
1994.279 -> ping idiot get a station wagon loser
1999.799 -> if you've made it this far into the
2001.659 -> video without rage quitting then you
2003.279 -> might just be ready to learn more about
2004.72 -> good urbanism it's not about hating cars
2007.84 -> it's about building wonderful cities
2009.58 -> that are designed for people though
2011.799 -> admittedly the smaller the cars the
2013.96 -> better
2014.799 -> but you don't just have to take my word
2016.6 -> for it online urbanism has become a
2018.94 -> movement and we're spoiled for Choice
2020.679 -> when it comes to Great creators these
2022.48 -> days
2023.14 -> and did you know that many of these
2024.64 -> urbanist creators are on nebula
2027.039 -> the most recent Edition is City nerd who
2029.32 -> makes weekly video essays about cities
2031.12 -> in the U.S and abroad and if you like
2033.64 -> this video you'll enjoy his video about
2035.919 -> pickup trucks in the U.S
2038.679 -> you'll also find RM Transit a
2040.539 -> toronto-based Creator who makes videos
2042.039 -> about you guessed it Transit as well as
2045.519 -> City beautiful a channel run by an
2047.5 -> actual urban planning professor in
2049.3 -> California watching these creators on
2051.52 -> nebula is the best way to support their
2053.44 -> work and you'll also get access to
2054.94 -> nebula plus content like the city
2057.22 -> beautiful series great cities about some
2059.26 -> of the greatest cities in the world a
2060.82 -> series that's only available on nebula
2064 -> a subscription to nebula gives you
2065.859 -> access to over 150 other creators who
2068.08 -> make videos and podcasts all ad free and
2070.419 -> sponsor free you'll also get access to
2072.7 -> nebula classes which used to be a paid
2074.679 -> add-on but is now included for free if
2076.78 -> you use the link in the description
2078.82 -> classes are a great way to learn from
2081.04 -> your favorite creators about something
2082.359 -> they're an expert in or something
2083.74 -> they're passionate about my own videos
2085.96 -> are also released on nebula first
2087.76 -> several days ahead of their release on
2089.56 -> YouTube and of course without any ads if
2092.619 -> this sounds good to you then sign up at
2094.74 -> go.nebula.tv not just bikes for a
2097.24 -> discount and get all of nebula including
2099.28 -> classes for as little as thirty dollars
2101.56 -> per year
2102.76 -> thanks so much to nebula for supporting
2104.859 -> this channel
2106.119 -> I'd also like to thank my supporters on
2107.98 -> nebula and patreon who pay me to piss
2109.839 -> off everyone in Texas if you'd like to
2112 -> support the channel visit nebula.tv not
2114.46 -> just bikes or patreon.com not just bikes
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7mSXMruEo