Flanders wages war against SUVs

lorenzo · Fission Joined: Jan 01, 2005 Posts: 2182

1. The Flemish government has just brought justice to SUV owners. They used to write their SUV off as a "light truck", knowing that for "light trucks" there are tax breaks.
Now the government has issued a decree which says that SUVs are ordinary cars. The extra income for the government is estimated at a yearly $5 million (not much, but we're a micro-state).

http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/nieuws/details/051222terreinwagengeenlichtevracht/index.shtml

Rumor has it that we're also going to penalise inefficient gas-guzzling cars in general (with an extra tax).

2. SUVs were banned from many Flemish city centres recently, because most accidents in city centres in which pedestrians are involved happen to happen with SUVs. (There's a sociological correlation between aggressive driving and SUV ownership). Of course, they're also banned because they pollute the urban air.

3. Finally, in cities where they haven't been banned yet, there are anti-SUV-terrorists operating, deflating all SUV-tires around. This is a pan-European deflaters organisation, operating in France and the Netherlands too. (A recent poll shows that ordinary people like this kind of terrorism). The police doesn't intervene, which is good.

So how's the war against the SUV going in the US and elsewhere?

TommyJefferson

Falconoffury · Expert Joined: May 25, 2004 Posts: 1431

When I saw the subject, I immediately thought of that dorky neighbor in The Simpsons, and how funny it would be to have a Simpsons episode where that guy went to war on SUVs. Though it wasn't what I had expected, it was a great article.
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"George W. Bush loves poor people. He keeps making more of them." -unkn

Specop_007 · Expert Joined: Aug 12, 2004 Posts: 6237

Ah yes, lets blame 1 type of vehicle for all the worlds pollution and consumption woes.

Fortunately, the war on SUV's is going well here. We dont have one.

Apparently its because our war on stupidity is more effective.
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Abyss, the Abyss gazes also into you."

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The_Toecutter · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jun 18, 2005 Posts: 1736

The next SUV to ever knock me off my bike and flee will get their tires shot out with the 9mm, windows smashed, and the driver pulled out and beaten savagely with my bare hands. Being struck by a vehicle on a bicycle is not fun.
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cmlek

I'm with you, Toecutter. I've had 2 incidents with SUV's while on my bike this year. One nearly ran over my head after knocking me and my bike down, and they never stopped. (I don't even think they realized they hit anything.) The other pushed on my back tire with their front bumper and ran me off the road into a pile of debris on the sidewalk for trash pick-up. (Glass in there cut up my bike tires.)

I realize that slamming SUV drivers has been done to the point of cliche, but I don't have these problems with people driving other types of motor vehicles. The blue-collars and farmers in their trucks are very careful of me, most cars ignore me, but the SUVs love to *ZOOM* past, or try and edge me "out of the way", nevermind that I'm in a clearly marked bike lane.

I'm not a gun nut (nor am I opposed to them), but I am definitely at the end of my patience for this sort of asinine behavior. Didn't their mothers ever teach them better?!

Melissa

Dukat_Reloaded · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jul 31, 2005 Posts: 1007

I'm suprised about the last two posts here. I did not think any drivers would knock down cyclists. I already aggree thats it's too dangerous to ride a bike on the road with even light to medium traffic.

mgibbons19 · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1065

Apparently I am an equal opportunity target. I've been hit by a number of vehicles. Only one was a pickup. No suvs.

Don't you all get a little tired of being morally superior? Better to just have a gas tax and let the consumer make their own choices.

Andrew_S · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 683

Slowpoke · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 24, 2005 Posts: 67

No-Oil · Heavy Crude Joined: Dec 31, 2004 Posts: 243 Location: UK

NeoPeasant

thorn

I saw 2 BIG SUVs battling it out on the road the other day. The one guy was trying to cut in on the right and the smaller SUV would not let him in. The big one just kept coming over and the little guy was heading towards ongoing traffic so he hit the brakes hard!

Of course they both rushed to get to the next red light. Twisted Evil

I did get a look at the drivers:

johnmarkos

hoplite · Heavy Crude Joined: Oct 22, 2004 Posts: 300