Strange that in the UK, everyone goes for small cars as there first car, but in America everyone seems to get big beefy trucks. Maybe its the difference in fuel prices. If i could afford it id be driving a bigass truck too
I think it's also the needs are different here because the country is different. The whole UK is only 4/3rds the size of the state I live in, meaning you can really go from anywhere in the state to anywhere else in less than a day. It'll take you almost a week to drive across the USA, and at least a couple of days to go from Florida to Maine, going up the East coast. I want a good-sized truck so that I can haul my caravan and scooter on vacation down in Florida. Just to get to the campsite takes roughly 9 hours because of the distance...
The huge cars are self-perpetuating though. My first 3 cars were an Infiniti G20, a BMW 325is, and a Honda Civic. 3 years ago, I got a larger car after seeing a Civic just like the one I used to drive get t-boned by an SUV, then later in the week, see one get sandwiched between two semi-trucks. Both accidents involved fatalities in the small car. I sold the Civic after that happened and got my CR-V. We sold my wife's Civic too, and got her a Pilot (which is a fucking huge car). With the way people drive over here, I actually feel safer on the scooter than in a small car. At least in the scooter, you can get out of the way faster, and if you're hit, at least you won't be pinned in a tiny cage waiting to bleed out (you'll just die on impact). It's a cynical view, but I've been in 11 accidents in the last 5 years, none of them my fault. People here are nuts.
I am not jealous of your gas prices, that's for sure. You pay 2-3 times as much as we do, on a good day.
Yep, petrol prices are getting absolutely ridiculous now. I paid £60 to fill up my golf with diesel a few days ago, thats about $100 and its a pretty small car . I should get anywhere between 4 and 500 miles out of the tank, not sure yet its my first tank. But once i do know ill have my fuelly signature set up.
I never hire a small car in USA as the trucks dwarf them. However each gear to Italy a small car is perfect for those narrow roads.
We just dont have the space for too many of those big trucks in the UK or space for drive through banking, chemists and liquor stores and the such.
We have drive-through banking here, I'd imagine the stalls are just slightly bigger.
I'm completely envious of you guys' drive-through liquor stores. I've only seen one in the USA, way up North in Ohio. I wish we had one locally, although I'm sure my liver is glad we don't.
There was a drive through liquor store on my way home from work when I was living in AZ. I thought that was pretty crazy. Thats the only one I can remember seeing or using.
A lot of starbucks have drive throughs here... good ol lazy america.
Starbucks have just announced a planned big increase in the number of outlets they're going to have here in the UK, including a large number of drive throughs.
If it's (rightly) illegal to use a mobile phone while you're driving, I can't see a happy ending to someone drinking a hot cup of coffee while they drive to work in the morning. Lots of scalded wedding tackle and crashed cars. Does this happen in the USA?
Not really, we seem to have adapted to idiots drinking coffee and on the phone while driving. I've seen people putting on makeup, texting, reading the paper, even on their laptop, while driving. I usually give them a wide berth, making sure they don't hit me.
I wish using the phone while driving was illegal... Texting while driving has been outlawed in some states, but not all. People need to learn that they're piloting giant weapons, and stop treating cars as toys... /rant...
Starbucks are everywhere. I pass 5 on the way to work, over just 14 miles.
In WA state both texting and using a handheld mobile are illegal while driving. That said, there are plenty of other distractions and you see some crazy things just like Maddie said. Only 5 Starbucks in 14 miles? lol, you should see Seattle.... Often several on the same block so you rarely have to look for one should you need a cup of coffee.
2011 Honda PCX, 2007 Suzuki Burgman 400
2 Honda Civics, 5 bicycles and 1 more on order
The KBB value is just under $11k, and one like it will go on Craigslist for at least $10-12k.
My bank opened at 9am, someone else managed to come in and buy it at 8:15, before my bank even opened. I'm so fucking pissed off. This is the 3rd Taco I've looked at so far that this has happened with. It's infuriating.