We buy large vehicles for a reason

The cars I see around here in manchester are usually bought by others and driven by the dizzy females who cannot concentrate on more than 1 thing at a time, fat overweight lumps who couldnt get into a normal sized car with a crowbar and the self important yobbos who think I should get out of their way becaue they are too important to be held up. All of these characters are in too much of a hurry or lazy and park as close to their destination as they can get not away from others but squeezed into whatever space is available(sometimes in handicapped spaces--- they borrowed grannys disk)
I have had 6 accidents in 2 years and 5 of them were with 4x4s all blamed me and none were my fault, the on board camera proved it and they were faced with a BIG bill for repairs and prosecuted I wrote one 4x4 off rather than risk my own vehicle. and the lives of others. my job----- I drive a 38 tonne articulated fuel tanker delivering petrol/diesel to station forecourts.
So when someone says they drive a 4x4 for safety reasons, ask them who owns it and whose safety are they concerned with, I find the more vulnerable people are the more safety concious they become, if they think they are safe look at n-cap safety results. As for those who bought their own remind them that they shouldnt complain about taxes or fuel prices as they made the voluntary decision to pay more in fuel duty and road tax and takje a big hit in depreciation, Who wants a car that does less than 20mpg with fuel set to reach £1.25 per litre

Those that drive a 4x4 on the roads in the UK, do so because they feel the need to keep up with their neighbours.

There is absolutely no need for it. No need for x 4x4 on British roads. This is not Texas. I could explain in depth but you can't educate pork.

I saw a woman the other day at Tesco. A feeble and futile attempt at trying to park a Range Rover Sport. Eight minutes later, she crammed between a Ford Mondeo and a Citroen Xsara, only to leave the absent owners approximately three inches aside to gain access to their vehicle.

Enough to make my arze laugh.

I could wax lyrical about how I justify my use of a 4x4 - and there are many reasons why it's the vehicle of choice for me - but there's only one reason that matters: I like it and I wanted one, it's my money and as it's (mostly) a free country, I spend it how I choose.
I still can't really understand why they annoy people so much....

new yob, a friend of mine who indeed had a white van for his line of work but was a very good driver had to borrow a van when his was in for servicing.

A neighbour of his - who was an appalling driver - loaned him his totally beat up and dented van.

My friend said it was the most relaxing few days driving he had ever experienced. Everyone assumed he was a lunatic who did not give a damn and gave him a wide wide berth, always letting him go first and never getting too close.

There is by the way a good reason for large work vans often being white - it reflects the sun and is much cooler inside.

I am joining the rabble...instead of moaning about white van man and reckless trucker I am trading in my 4 door saloon for the most intimidating van I can get cheap and going to give the *******s a taste of their own medicine. Might even get a pit bull type dog to sit next to me for the next yob who thinks he owns the road. Welcome to Britain 2010!!

I drive a 4X4 pick- up, live in Milton Keynes work as a surf photographer and travel the length and breath of this country for work. Best vehicle I've ever owned. Run it on bio-diesel so the green side stacks up ok to. Its the only bit of kit capable of doing the jobs I need it to, not found a decent car to tow a 20ft trailer with rescue rib, 2 wave warrior skis, minimum of 6 surfboards on the roof, mobile photography/video studio inside, carry 4 adults all over 6ft with all their associated kit in full leather air conditioned luxury, pushing out 200bhp of cruise controlled automatic grunt with an average 30 mpg,including towing, over the past 12 months. Depreciation ain't that bad either, so 4x4 the only way for me!

I HATE 4x4's. Big, ugly & noisy! And fuel consumption is probably measured in gallons per mile not miles per gallon.

Oh of course, we would all find it useful to negotiate the speed bumps in car parks if we drove a 4x4, can't believe people come up with such pathertic reasons for driving a Chelsea Tractor. I believe one compnay actually sells cans of fake mud to impress other drivers that these numpty heads actually are 'fearless' enough to drive off road. If these drivers had to take a test in their 'tractor' then most of them would fail miserably.

Not being a fan of 4X4s I can though see why they are sometimes needed.Where I live you need one to go over all the traffic humps and down all the potholes,Nuff Said (no I haven't got one).

Chris C, I couldn't have said it better myself. I do encounter the odd male retard though. Especially the ones that try to push their way into your lane on an island and then sit in your boot for using your horn to inform them of your presence because they obviously didn't bother checking.

Most people who I see who buy 4x4s for "Safety reasons" (usually women with children) are nervous, crap drivers who are now much more of a danger to the people (and their children) in normal cars that they inevitably plough into, but that doesn't matter, does it?

Dont think for one minute if your in an accident with a HGV that your safer cause your in a larger vehicle. NOT the case..the number of times Ive had to swerve to avoid someone driving a 4x4 who is overtaking someone and flying at me on MY side of the road. Your not invincible, just stupid. One day I might not be as quick to avoid a head on accident with you and guess whose gonna lose?. Not me am driving 34 tonnes heading straight for you..youve NO chance.