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Comment by henrikschroder | Hacker News Reader

Trailers are pretty much unheard of in the US. You either have or borrow a pickup truck instead, because everyone has one or knows someone that has one.

As a result, almost no cars in the US has a tow bar. Except pickup trucks. That don't really need them. Because you haul stuff directly in the truck.

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The reason most US cars lack hitch receivers is liability. In most of Europe, it is expected you drive slower when towing a trailer. Not so in the US. Even the same models have different tow ratings (usually zero in the US) - see VW Sportwagon for example (rated to 3500lbs in most of EU, and not rated at all in US, despite being the exact same car).

It's not just expected, it's the law. If you're driving with a trailer, different speed limits apply, you can't follow the road signs.

You either have or borrow a pickup truck instead, because everyone has one or knows someone that has one.

In the OP's scenario, furniture, there are very few furniture stores in the United States that don't deliver. And if you happen to shop at one of those few, there are a number of ways to rent a truck for a day or by the hour: Home Depot, ZipCar, Enterprise, U-Haul, etc...

Same in Norway, but most people like to save those costs. Delivery is rather expensive.

Perhaps higher minimum wage drives tow bar adoption...

Pickup trucks need tow hitches and use them; you are making wild generalizations.

Unheard of ... unless you live in the midwest. Here in Minnesota, a ton of cars have them because a ton of people own boats and/or rv's and/or snow machines. The same reason a lot own all-wheel drive vehicles.

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