Robyn Kozierok wrote:
I guess it depends where else you drive. There are some places where
SUVs are the most appropriate vehicle choice. Cities certainly
aren't
one of them, but most people drive in a variety of
locations/conditions.

If you have three (or more!) children in carseats, a compact car
isn't
going to work for you. Some people will simply need a larger vehicle
(not necessarily an SUV, but I imagine that full-sized cars and
minivans
also don't fit well on those same city streets).

--Robyn (who drives a medium-sized SUV, but rarely ventures into the
city)

I have no issue with those who have large families and need a larger
vehicle to fit all the car seats. I'm not begrudging your right or even
your need to have an SUV, just asking for some common sense and
consideration:

If you absolutely need two cars, make one an SUV and the other a
smaller car for those trips when you aren't carting around extra
people.

If you have an SUV for family trips, park that one in your driveway,
and the smaller one out on the street.

If you're driving down a two-way street that has SUVs parked on both
sides, making only enough room for a single car to drive, then be
polite every once in awhile and stop and let the other car go past
first. Don't barrel towards me figuring since you're SUV is bigger I
should make way for you. And if I do move over for you, be a peach and
give me a wave of thanks, instead of an annoyed grimace. You're the one
who chose to drive an SUV down a narrow city street; don't get annoyed
at me when it's a pain in your butt.

If you absolutely must own two or more SUVs, consider buying a house
that gives you ample driveway parking for them. Street parking in the
city is so scarce and getting scarcer by the day, because SUVs take up
more than their share of the curb.

If you absolutely must park your SUV on the street, don't park on the
sidewalk, don't park blocking pedestrian crosswalks, and don't park
where it clearly says "no parking."

If you are my neighbor (grrrrr) will you please stop parking with your
SUV's butt halfway blocking my driveway? Makes it hard for me to get
out. And if you are my other neighbor (grrrrr), consider parking
somewhere else, because every morning when I back out I come perilously
close to backing into your SUV, while trying to maneuver around my
other neighbor's ill-parked SUV. (what's even more annoying is that
this particular neighbor actually has a very long driveway that could
easily fit 4 or 5 cars... but despite being strapping college students,
they never shovel their driveway and instead park all three SUVs on the
street... I just don't *get* that!!).

Be thoughtful when parking on a narrow street - if there is another SUV
parked on the other side, ask yourself if you'll be leaving ample room
for emergency vehicles to squeeze down the road? (Recently we got stuck
for 30 minutes behind an ambulance, which got stuck because two SUVs
were parked on opposite sides of what was supposed to be a two-way
street, neither one parked very close to the curb. The ambulance people
were running around knocking on doors looking for the owners so they
could get one of the SUVs moved).

And if you're driving any car, don't use a cell phone and don't speed.

I'm sure you do none of these things yourself; please take my use of
"you" above as not meaning you personally! Just venting one of my big
pet peeves!

jen (currently driving a corolla but contemplating downsizing to a
minicooper, since they're so darn cute and very easy to park).