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Comment by ianai | Hacker News Reader

I really want this car but I live in a full size SUV or F150 and above dominated area. Kind of need to be on guard. Plus charging is still too rare to just go and not worry about accommodating.

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This doesn't feel like a complete assessment of the risk. Truck rollover risk is higher. Additionally, your risk of having a tragic collision with a pedestrian, which you would need to live with, is significantly higher.

The problem isn't getting hit so much as everyone's headlights being level with your rear view mirror

oh, but regulation is bad, and annual car inspections are oppressive ... Afaik US is the only civilized country on this planed without legit technical car inspections.

The US isn't one place. Different states have different laws. My state has mandated safety inspections in addition to emissions.

They don't ban those pedestrian-killing tall trucks. I'm not sure checking people's brakes is saving many lives.

Well, those trucks would kill a lot more pedestrians if their brakes didn't work, so...

Which state is that? the only one that tries (CA)?

Oklahoma - "inspector" doesnt even come out outside to look at the car he is certifying title change from _salvage to rebuild_, multiple times for a dude doing copart salvage flips selling dangerous wrecks to people (YT "Auto Auction Rebuilds", dude is shady af).

Florida - Taylor Ray https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5wt8FpNy10 "LS Miata ABANDONED NEIGHBORHOOD TESTING!" LS powered full racecar straight piped miata, has title, inspection was going in and getting a stamp.

Oklahoma - no inspection at all, straight piped work trucks with rusted out frames are the norm.

Kansas - Hoovies Garage https://youtu.be/ZlwjXhdNd3Y?t=433 "Why buying an old Shelby GT350 race car WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA" Full leaking fuel racecar with no speedo lights windows, inspector doesnt bother to even see it in person.

Utah - M539 Restorations https://youtu.be/_a9rCI2zfPM?t=524 "Buying & Fixing Broken BMW E46 M3 5200 Miles Away From Home - Project Salt Lake: Part 1" tire shop "inspection station", only interested in plugging in OBD to do emissions, doesnt bother to come out look at the car, car so broken (wobbly wheel, etc) it cant pass emissions, gets temp tag anyway

Meanwhile in EU

Germany https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG0SUSvQd_Q

Poland 10 years ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smJqlpQ2qyE

tldr: brakes, tires, suspension, steering, corrosion, glass, wipers, emissions, lights (not only the mere presence, but full headlamp pattern test and certification, US symmetric lights are not legal), horn, number matching, millage gets logged. All standardized and going into same database. In Germany they go overboard requiring TUV certified everything nonstandard on the car, things like custom bodykits, non oem rims, bullbar, towing hitch need TUV.

Several states in Australia don't have technical car inspections, or only have them on change of ownership.

If you hit a pedestrian in a car you really don't face any significant legal consequences. It's part of the road "toll"

The person you were replying to was making a statement about the toll killing another human being would place on one's psyche, not about their legal exposure.

Unfortunately I feel similarly, especially with a small child. SF has essentially stopped enforcing traffic violations, drivers are getting reckless, and a RAV4 is the smallest vehicle that feels safe to me.

It's really sad that it's come to this.

Regulators asleep at the wheel and they let the "cars" get too big.

The regulators are heavily funded by the auto industry, creates an environment where they don't want to upset the hand that feeds them.

I absolutely agree the "cars" have become too big, as well as too heavy. This has flow on effects on stopping distances, the force when there is a crash, road damage, parking spots and lanes needing to get bigger and so on

Exactly. I've had people try to enter my lane on the highway in my RAV4 Prime! Technically it can happen with any vehicle, but aging demographics sure don't breed confidence.

Stopped? I saw a bicycle get ticketed recently. Seemed rather strict.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article...

> ‘What exactly are they doing?’: 45 S.F. traffic cops issue just 10 citations combined a day

> I really want this car but I live in a full size SUV or F150 and above dominated area. Kind of need to be on guard.

This feels like a weird reason to not want a small car. Consider that a lot of highways are dominated by semis, but nobody suggests buying a semi to commute in.

I find it intriguing you call this a small car. Seems like it would be a medium sized car in my part of the world. Minis and Suzuki swifts and the like would considered small cars.

It's a full size car. I'm seeing 5.7-6.3" ground clearance, too, and they can be fitted with 20" wheels which may be the reason for the 6.3" or maybe it goes higher?.

I really do like this car. I just wish I didn't live in fear of being side swiped or rear ended by massive trucks/SUVs. Benefits of living in a rural area with lots of retirees.

Notably we also can get snow that shuts the place down in May/September.

If/when you do buy an EV, check the low temperature battery life.

My EV has a heat pump, but still looses a ton of range under 0F-32F or so (which doesn't matter at all around here). This varies widely from brand to brand.

On the other hand, the traction control is eerily good thanks to the computer controlled throttle and instantaneous response from the motor (it is RWD, not 4WD, and performs close our 4WD RAM on mud that is difficult to walk through)

What if one does not spend most of their time driving on highways near 18 wheelers?

I would rank getting t boned by a pickup truck running a red light or a stop sign much more likely than me getting into it with an 18 wheeler.

Also, the discrepancy between 18 wheeler and individual car (even a large pickup) at highway speeds is so big that trying to mitigate it is pointless.

Also, I would assume the probability of a drunk driver driving a pickup truck is much higher than a drunk driver driving an 18 wheeler.

Semi drivers are professionals and held to some standards. Giant pickups are given to 16 year-old boys who murder and get away with it.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/family-of-16-year-old-texas-teen-...

Semi drivers are also more careful & qualified IMO. Put an 18-30 y/o behind a huge SUV, talking on the phone while driving, and it's a little different situation.

EV's tend to have more crush space than ICE cars, and also weigh more than a comparable sized ICE car.

This model is energy efficient enough to easily do a 20-40 mile commute (each way) and charge overnight on a 120V outlet.

Are you sure chargers are still rare in your area? They are popping up rapidly this year thanks to Biden's infrastructure plan.

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