SUVs aren't they Awesome!

I’ve said before that I am excited by the effect that higher gas prices are having on America.

Prices are finally high enough that Americans are re-thinking their driving habits/fuel consumption and auto-makers seem to be taking fuel efficiency seriously.

In light of that explanation, here is the part of the post that I begin to rant about folks who are complaining about the high price of gas.

I heard a story on NPR’s Morning Edition this week that really got me steamed.

The host was talking to a father with multiple children from Ohio. The father was lamenting the high fuel costs and how it was adversely affecting the quality of life for his children. The father noted that he had to remove his children from after school activities as he couldn’t afford to drive them around anymore.

The father’s sentiments could be summed-up as such:
- He “had to” have an SUV, to accommodate all of his kids.
- He couldn’t ponder driving one of those small hybrid things.
- The high gas prices were adversely affecting the quality of life for his kids.

This represents what is wrong with America when it comes to being green.

First the obvious statement: Very few families “need” an SUV.

I remember back in college, 5 grown men could pile into a 1984 Honda Accord with enough gear to last a 2-week Christmas break with no real issues. It was a bit uncomfortable, yes. But not unreasonably so.

So when this father from Ohio starts singing the praises of his SUV, I seriously question the necessity of the rolling monstrosity. Now if this father had admitted that he really enjoys the SUV as it allows him to toss his kids in the back- out of earshot, I wouldn’t be upset. It’s not a green choice, but an understandable one. But trying to say the SUV improves the quality of life for his kids is simply a joke.

If it has wheels and has a back seat, you can cart the lil bastards around with no problem. DVD players, 4 rows of seats and stow-and-go compartments aren’t “must-haves.”

America seems to have mistaken luxury with necessity. An SUV is a luxury, and should be treated as such. There is a luxury tax associated with SUVs. That anyone who bought an SUV was well aware of when they purchased it…It’s called bad mileage.

Owning an SUV and complaining about fuel costs now is like being a person who eats 12 doughnuts a day and complains about being fat.

It’s freaking obvious. And you did it to yourself.

Driving itself is a luxury. I think most folks tend to overlook that.


I could take the bus to work. There is almost door-to-door bus service. But I enjoy the luxury of leaving when I want and saving the 40 minutes of commute in the morning. In recognizing that my 20 minute commute is a luxury, I don’t complain about gas prices. It’s the price I pay for the choice I’ve made.

I just wish the “Father’s from Ohio” of the world, would acknowledge that they chose to have kids and carting them around is the cost of doing business. Perhaps if they were a bit less selfish or more accommodating they could downgrade from the Expedition to a Focus. But something tells me they just aren't going to be able to make that "sacrifice." Because they really don't like the SUV, it's for the kids, you know...