The full-size pickup truck has become America's best-selling vehicle by a country mile. But most Silverado, Ram, and F-Series buyers would be better served with a cheaper means of role-playing.
Male insecurity is part of it, but public policy is a bigger part: specifically, the “chicken tax” and CAFE loopholes. Fix those, so that manufacturers are actually allowed and incentivized to make small trucks that people want (and disincentivized against making gigantic ones their “flagship” models), and the problem would greatly diminish.
Loosen passenger safety regulations while they’re at it. It’s become insane. Cars are safe enough for occupants, and have been for two decades at least.
Meanwhile, maybe we can make pedestrian safety more of a priority.
Passenger safety features have become very expensive and make cars less maintainable and therefore more wasteful. Backup cameras and parking sensors and merging sensors/indicators.
Male insecurity is part of it, but public policy is a bigger part: specifically, the “chicken tax” and CAFE loopholes. Fix those, so that manufacturers are actually allowed and incentivized to make small trucks that people want (and disincentivized against making gigantic ones their “flagship” models), and the problem would greatly diminish.
This would require legislators to act against their own financial interests.
Loosen passenger safety regulations while they’re at it. It’s become insane. Cars are safe enough for occupants, and have been for two decades at least.
Meanwhile, maybe we can make pedestrian safety more of a priority.
Why not both?
Passenger safety features have become very expensive and make cars less maintainable and therefore more wasteful. Backup cameras and parking sensors and merging sensors/indicators.