US carmakers say proposed EU rules could block large pickup trucks from Europe

But how would they get the children to school and pick up groceries?

When I see a truck or SUV on the road, I think “coulda been a hatchback”.

...cause a lot of ~~injuries~~ deaths.

I miss the age of smaller trucks they looked better too imo. I dont want bigger than my 2009 tacoma but i know eventually il need a newer one and the gen 3 for sure is bigger.

Same. I'm adopting the term. I have been saying "vanity trucks."

This is the common term for them in Australia

We’ve called them Yank Tanks in Australia for as long as I can remember, it isn’t new :)

It also actively makes the roads unsafe for everyone else. Numerous times I’ve been unable to turn right due to not being able to see over some jackoffs lifted truck and had to wait to be able to see. Not to mention how that lack of viability impacts pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycles.

If the truck isn’t the tool, the driver is

Very. There are two types of pickup drivers in the US. Working trucks for companies or are being used for legit reasons. The other type are right wing, bible thumping, aggressively driving yeehaws that are angry about anything and everything. These trucks will never be used for work and would scream if they ever touched a dirt road.

At the beginning of SUV and pickups boom, the car companies in the US purposely marketed those towards people who were scared of petty crimes, had low confidence in their own driving skills, were self-centered, anxious in their personal life, and inconsiderate of others. Lookup Clotaire Rapaille, who created this customer persona for Ford, GM, and Chrysler. His motto at the time was "these cars would sold better if they had machine guns mounted on them". At the time, they were selling those cars as apocalyptic hedge, basically. It's one of more interesting stories from the history of marketing; one of few that I heard that match stories from tobacco industry. Even if it is utterly deranged.

You may or may not find this amusing/frightening. [https://www.thedrive.com/news/38238/ram-2500-drivers-have-the-most-duis-more-than-twice-the-national-average-report](https://www.thedrive.com/news/38238/ram-2500-drivers-have-the-most-duis-more-than-twice-the-national-average-report)

All hat, no cattle - like 98% of pickup owners.

They are not even that rugged. Our old flatbed truck, made to be a no nonsense workhorse has a similar sized engine but can carry much more weight.

Free-market for thee but not for me is a western tradition spanning back centuries.

I’ve seen a couple in my area. Really cool mini trucks

[Don't let your dreams be dreams!](https://americasminitruckcenter.com/trucks/new-trucks/mini-dump-trucks)

Checkout Slate https://www.slate.auto/

Its cafe standards, not the chicken tax. Chicken tax is why you get a tacoma instead of a hilux.

Literally every developed country has stricter laws than the U.S. The U.S is the petri dish where Corporations go to find out how close to the line of unacceptable death and disease they can get before they suffer backlash.

The difference between the bonnet of a Ford Ranger and a Ford Transit is _staggering_, plus the Transit van has infinitely more space for cargo

Steroids, spousal abuse and football hooliganism. As is british tradition.

true, but when you bump over them they don't really damage the truck, so it doesn't matter? /S

Hell I live in the US and some of those stupid trucks hoods are over my head. I despise them so much. My preferred vehicle is something small and gas efficient. Those stupid trucks always have their headlights right at the level of my back windshield and insist on driving up my ass. They’re a menace to the rest of us.

I think a lot of us do understand this. Its a thing to make fun of people with massive trucks compensating. And they annoy everyone in parking lots and smaller streets

It’s ridiculous they are allowed in America. I’ve had the misfortune of driving some for work and while our infrastructure is more accommodating to the tanks, most places start to feel quite tight when in one. On top of that you have very serious safety concerns when one is involved in a collision or hits a pedestrian.

It is bad enough with the Chelsea Tractor brigade

Yep, Ford Europe =/= Ford USA! We used to get some of the good small Euro Fords here in Australia, but they've resorted to basically only selling the American trucks instead.

unless i'm a farmer or a craftsman why the f*** would i need a pick up truck for?! if i have to haul stuff i have a towbar and i just rent a trailer. seeing 60+ year old ladies driving pickup trucks in usa was mind-boggling to me (i helped one of those ladies load 5 bags of plant flower as it is quite high up to load on the truck bed. if she had a trailer it would have been easier lol)

How else will they transport their pallets of Costco food? /s Just to not be that guy, in some States and areas I absolutely see plenty of hauling done. Horse trailers, campers, flat bed trailers, yard equipment. But that works well here with wide open highways and roads, not so much in Europe.