You Don't Need a Full-Size Pickup Truck, You Need a Cowboy Costume

Most people do not use the capabilities that pickup trucks offer, and thus are sub-optimal for many people's needs:

> Truck owners might protest that they are slightly less likely than owners of other categories to use their vehicle as primary transport (83% vs. 95%), limiting the miles and gallons. And they might also protest that trucks provide capabilities that other vehicles lack. But, as it turns out, a significant portion of truck owners never use their trucks for these capabilities. According to Edwards’ data, 75 percent of truck owners use their truck for towing one time a year or less (meaning, never). Nearly 70 percent of truck owners go off-road one time a year or less. And a full 35 percent of truck owners use their truck for hauling—putting something in the bed, its ostensible raison d’être—once a year or less.

I agree with the critique of trucks. Most of the time there's no need for it, but they are indeed fun to drive as he points out. It's totally fair to take them to task.

I will take issue with one thing, though. Can someone tell me why it's okay for Berk to post incendiary comments about things like "cowpoke union suits", "Butch Drag", and otherwise basically insulting the masculinity and culture of anyone who dares to drive one?

It would be one thing if this was Berk's own culture, but he's a gay Jewish uncle from New York (by his own admission!), and this basically reads like typical cityslicker holier-than-thou smuggery. As if we didn't have enough of that kind of divisive content already.

> And a full 35 percent of truck owners use their truck for hauling—putting something in the bed, its ostensible raison d’être—once a year or less.

I wish I could see how the study was performed. I find this very hard to believe.