SYou stand in the second row and block the road, park on the bike path or the sidewalk. With hazard lights, which have apparently become a form of self-permission for illegal behavior, the driver just wants to quickly go to the bakery or the barber shop. Anyone who complains risks at least a verbally aggressive confrontation. This is where a lot of understanding ends and something builds up. Not just against the inconsideration of other road users, but also against the car itself. And the SUV in particular.
Why against this type of vehicle is difficult to rationally explain; emotionally, in the true sense of the word, it offers the greatest attack surface. Terms such as city tanks or hate quickly come up, which have no place here given the really painful front lines. They are an expression of a black-and-white argument that takes advantage of polarization and a didactic attitude that only sees bans as good if you are not affected yourself.
Anyone sitting in the town hall should not throw stones
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, is demonstrating this par excellence. She leaves no stone unturned to demonize the automobile and drive it out of France's capital, relying on nothing other than a small electric Renault Zoé and of course using planes when traveling. She campaigned for environmental protection, space requirements and weight for a public vote against the SUV. Less than six percent of Parisians voted; from this group there was a narrow majority in favor of a prohibitive increase in parking fees for such vehicles. Hidalgo concludes that this is a great success against the SUV and for democracy. Given the quorum, the assessment may be a bit risky; the desperate act certainly misses the core problem and only leads to new difficulties.
The mayor knows this well, because exceptions are already planned. For craftsmen, suppliers, people with disabilities. In general, the measure should only apply to visitors from outside. Because of its heavy battery, Hidalgo's Zoé weighs more than a gasoline-powered Renault Captur or Peugeot 2008, which are generally classified as SUVs. Ideology quickly goes on a slippery slope. In French there is a quip: C'est l'hôpital qui se moque de la charité, loosely translated: Anyone who sits in the town hall should not throw stones. What's next? An initiative against cyclists because they no longer stop at red lights? Against cargo bikes in particular, because of the space they take up, the consumption of resources and, when moved like a rambo, the increased risk of accidents?
It won't be long before imitators will emerge in this country. You, like the mayor of Paris, are recommended to visit Boulogne-Billancourt. Renault is there. CEO Luca De Meo could explain to his compatriot how the company came to the brink of collapse because of low-margin small cars. Since he started building an SUV, he has solid ground under his wheels again. It is difficult to shape politics in a free space; those who live on taxes in office or on subsidies in organizations will need entrepreneurs and workers to generate their income. There is usually also an economic component. This is clear in the case of the vehicle market.
In 1994, Toyota presented the RAV 4 to trade journalists, a casual presentation around a campfire. It was the birth of the SUV, which stood out from the off-road vehicle with its rigid axles through its everyday-friendly drivability. Today, SUVs account for around 30 percent of new registrations in Germany, and the trend has been rising steadily for years and is now the strongest segment. Together with the real off-road vehicles often driven by foresters or horse owners, 41 percent of all new cars are high-legged vehicles.
Apart from a few obese excesses, also due to the move to electric drive, the SUV is the modern, more attractive-looking form of the minivan that has disappeared from the market. It transports children and children, is practical, easy to get in and out of, offers a good overview and gives a nice feeling of safety and security. Of course, small cars and sedans have their trump cards, but the arguments in favor of the SUV catch the imagination of many buyers.
Trying to re-educate customers, be it in the boiler room or on the street, leads to a dead end. It's time again for trust in the market and technology, for informality, for constructive ideas for a better coexistence in the confines of the city. Also for more consideration. Otherwise, in the end everyone will be turned against each other and dissatisfied. Where is this supposed to lead?
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