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I'm not saying obesity is the only reason for the sea change in the vehicle market in the US, but I think it's the primary reason. Of course an older America (median age now of 38) is also a reason.
I also think "blaming" obesity for the changes in vehicle purchases is politically incorrect so many media outlets won't go there. Remembering Pareto's 80-20 rule I firmly believe that 80% of Americans who are overweight have become that way due to lifestyle choices. Sue me...
I'm not saying obesity is the only reason for the sea change in the vehicle market in the US, but I think it's the primary reason. Of course an older America (median age now of 38) is also a reason.
Outside of the sports car realm or finding a screaming deal, my next vehicle will not be a car. Even for my 32 year old, non-obese body, getting into and out of a crossover or SUV or truck is simply much more pleasant for a daily driver. There is a lot more cargo room that is shaped in a much better manner instead of trying to feed stuff through the seatbacks, more ground clearance which is nice for sight lines even if it never leaves the road, it offers more seating capacity if you have a family, and both the price difference and mileage difference are quickly converging between cars and car based crossovers. I don't think obesity has anything to do with it, as much as they are simply a more practical vehicle with little drawback over a car.
More married couples without children live in the US than married couples with children. Millions of single-person households are here, as well. For them, room for families is irrelevant. However, they still buy SUVs and pickup trucks overwhelmingly. SEVENTY percent of American adults are overweight and ONE-THIRD are obese. To say those facts don't affect vehicle purchases at all is just wrong, IMO.
More married couples without children live in the US than married couples with children. Millions of single-person households are here, as well. For them, room for families is irrelevant. However, they still buy SUVs and pickup trucks overwhelmingly. SEVENTY percent of American adults are overweight and ONE-THIRD are obese. To say those facts don't affect vehicle purchases at all is just wrong, IMO.
You seem to have a pretty tight grip on this theory that a person's weight specifically drives their car buying decisions. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but I really don't think so. I have participated in many forums that constantly debate why people overwhelmingly have been choosing SUV's and trucks over cars (sedans and coupe's). We are at the point where Ford is moving completely away from cars. Maybe I'm wrong but the sheer numbers are staggering when you look at the demise of that market compared to the decline in sports cars to the point where in contrast that data looks like a rounding error.
Who knows. Maybe obese people cannot fit into a traditional sedan or coupe' either.
I think people are just BIGGER and like to sit higher. The modern SUV / CUV gives them more space, a better view of the road and more volume to carry around all their crap. I don't think it is any more complicated than that.
The era of buying cars for performance or aesthetic reasons is dying with the baby boomers. Millennials could give a $hit what the thing looks like as long as it has 4 wheels and it goes ! I raised a couple of them and they both feel the same way.
More married couples without children live in the US than married couples with children. Millions of single-person households are here, as well. For them, room for families is irrelevant. However, they still buy SUVs and pickup trucks overwhelmingly. SEVENTY percent of American adults are overweight and ONE-THIRD are obese. To say those facts don't affect vehicle purchases at all is just wrong, IMO.
I am one of those married childless folks. I have a bike I regularly take places. Where, exactly, do you expect me to place a bike in a Miata or a Corvette?
I am one of those married childless folks. I have a bike I regularly take places. Where, exactly, do you expect me to place a bike in a Miata or a Corvette?
If you're dedicated to the sports car experience then it's mandatory to transport your bike to the trailhead via sports car.
Last edited by Zaro Tundov; 01-08-2019 at 11:05 AM.
I think people are just BIGGER and like to sit higher.
Bingo. I took my mother to the doc the other day and every damn wheelchair was super-sized to a degree that made them uncomfortable for her. In my GP's clinic all the chairs are double wide monstrosities. Even when I see kids waiting for the school busses, over half of them are freakin' HUGE, and usually they're toting a bottle of carbonized corn syrup.
An obesity epidemic is ravaging America and driving down life expectancies, particularly in rural areas where people drive everywhere and have mechanized machines to do all their chores. My obese neighbor even rides his lawn tractor down his driveway to get the mail! For fresh produce in my area it's a 45 minute round trip. Ironically, despite being surrounded by farms, I feel like I live in a food desert. During the summer it's a great excuse to drive twisty back roads on a broccoli run, but in the winter it's all just a PITA.
Sit higher? I can agree with that. More room? Disagree. Go test drive the average compact or even midsize SUV. My daughters Mazda 6 has more physical space in both the front and rear seats than any of the wildly popular small SUV's on the market these days.
If you're dedicated to the sports car experience then it's mandatory to transport your bike to the trailhead via sports car.
Heh, right after I typed post that I immediately had the urge to google "C4 corvette bike rack"
My point wasn't bikes specifically, rather space in general. Yes, a two seat sports car works fine if all you are looking for is a butt hauler and need no cargo room, past that they can run out of practicality easily even without a family.
Another factor I would consider at play: families are getting by with less cars than before. The one car family is a trend on the upswing, as is milliennials not owning cars all together. Whether those hold or not remains to be seen, but If one is making the economic decision to get by with less, it stands to reason the cars they choose are going to be more practical minded than two seat sports cars.
My Road Bike fits right in the hatch just fine just by removing the front wheel! No Car Rack needed but if you have two bikes to haul then that's a different story!
My Road Bike fits right in the hatch just fine just by removing the front wheel! No Car Rack needed but if you have two bikes to haul then that's a different story!
That's amazing you can get your bike inside the hatch area of your C7. I am an avid biker also and I can't get mine inside my Lincoln. LOL
01-07-2019, 02:32 PM
