Taken from KYW 1060's website ...

[lionkingcmsl]

The reason I dislike some drivers of SUV's.

------------------------

7 Dead in SUV Crash In Maine; Aggressive Driving Blamed

In Maine, seven people are dead after their sport utility vehicle went out of control and flipped on a highway west of Bangor.

Authorities say the SUV had sped into an interstate breakdown lane to pass two cars.

After clipping one of the cars it was trying to pass, the Ford Explorer turned sideways, became airborne, slammed into some trees in the median and came to rest on its roof.

Police say three of the victims were children under the age of ten.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The driver was in a hurry alright, in a hurry to get into an accident, which they did. The unfortunate thing about this was that 3 innocent children lost their lives, and they couldn't do anything to stop the recklessness. :={
Anyone want to bet that Ford will be named in a lawsuit because they didn't build the Explorer "tough enough" to protect the occupants in that type of accident?

Comments

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

Whoever files that lawsuit should rot in firey places.

The reason I hate SUVs is they give most drivers an extremely dangerous sense of invincibility. Because they're riding high, using a 4wD vehicle, and guzzle lots of gas, they think that nothing can harm them. And then they harm themselves and others. This is why SUV insurance is so high.

-=TK

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

Oh I hope not. Blaming manufacturers for people's utterly reckless misuse of the product is one reason I don't build things for people anymore. I honestly wonder how anyone can manufacture a lawnmower or a weed-eater anymore.

One color-blind gent asked me to build him a pen that would buzz when pointed at a red light. Although the tech was easy, I refused. Even redesigned into a failsafe system (buzzes when light is green, not red, so any failure will be 'safe') all that would have to happen is he gets in one accident, anywhere at anytime, his fault or not, my machine not even used, and I'd be sued by him, the other guy, and everyone's insurance company. It just wasn't worth it. Likewise some people asked me about making guidance systems for the blind; I passed on that as well.

[katayamma.livejournal.com]

Here's my question: Would they have been any safer in a mini-van when the idiot pulled that kind of stunt?

Don't blame the vehicle. Blame the driver.

Don't get me wrong ...

[lowen-kind.livejournal.com]

I'm not advocating that Ford should be named, but most likely someone might name them in a law suit.

I agree, blame the driver, not the vehicle. And in that type of accident a tank wouldn't have been rugged enough. :=/

[tygermoonfoxx.livejournal.com]

It's good that you said "some" drivers of SUVs. Most people normally rant about SUVs in general.

Simtra and I need the SUV because without it, there's no possible way to get back into the property. We are, however, careful and considerate drivers --- a trait that seems to be disappearing among the general populace. We were almost rear ended by a corvette that didn't feel like passing, just wanted to tailgate.

[telbert.livejournal.com]

Hear Hear! Like you, I drive a Jeep because I live in a rural area known for terrible winters and treacherous road conditions. Driving anything else just isn't an option. I am hoping to move in the next two years, and when I do, I hope to buy something more fuel efficient (especially with gas prices as they are).

Like you, I too have seen aggressive drivers behind the wheels of all kinds of vehicles. For all the inconsiderate people I've seen in Explorers and pickup trucks, I've also seen as many people in sedans and tricked-out economy cars driving the same way.

The worst part is that there isn't much need for people to drive the way that they do. If everyone just made a point of getting out the door earlier as they went to work and padded their estimated travel time for things like weather, construction delays, etc., then people wouldn't have to drive like maniacs.

[mooncat.livejournal.com]

*nods* Far too often I notice a 'SUV Mentality' that afflicts some drivers, wherein they think they're more important than the other folks on the road. Bleh. Even one of my bosses drives one, a vehicle that I alternately call "Land Yacht" or "Monstrosity" because it's just too damn big in my opinion.

*loves her little putt-putt Neon* Yay for little cars that actually fit in parking spaces!

[xander-zzyzx.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you said "Some" drivers of SUVs, since I hear a lot of people who like to condemn anyone who drives a 4x4 vehicle because of the actions of a few. I drive a vehicle which many consider a SUV (Tracker), and I'm a very courteous driver, for one thing I know what kind of damage a vehicle like mine can do in a collision.

Too bad there aren't more careful and considerate drivers out there on the road, I get tailgated everywhere I go, and it's not like I'm going slow or anything. I know how bad and aggressive some people are when they drive, my Tracker is in the shop for collision repairs because I got rammed and run off the road while driving one night a few weeks ago.

As for the article, I don't think it's really fair that they're blaming the vehicle for what happened. The idiotic actions of the driver behind the wheel of that Explorer is who should be to blame. This crash would have been disasterous no matter what kind of vehicle was being driven, it just sounds like more SUV bashing from the anti-SUV crowd.

[lowen-kind.livejournal.com]

I don't think they're blaming the Explorer per se, as giving the type of vehicle. Notice that the title does say "Aggressive Driving Blamed". No where in the story did it say The Ford Explorer was deficient in any way, or was the cause by itself.

I think the report goes far enough to show it was the driver, not the vehicle itself that caused the accident. For instance it mentions that the SUV sped up and passed in the "breakdown lane", and that, to me, implicates the driver, not the vehicle.