• workerONE@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Why do little cars have to withstand a collision with a huge truck but trucks just get bigger and bigger? The new Hummer is over 9,000lbs (4,090 kg)

    • krippix@feddit.org
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      3 months ago

      wtf in Europe that thing couldn’t be driven with a regular class B drivers license

      • snooggums@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Commercial license requirements for full sized trucks over a certain size and weight would be an excellent solution. In addition to the increased effort and cost to get one, commercial licenses are way easier to lose.

        • frezik@midwest.social
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          3 months ago

          It depends on the state, but it usually is. It’s just very high, like a gvwr of 26k lbs.

          Thing is, a CDL covers a bunch of stuff you really don’t need to know for something smaller than that, like air brakes. That said, some kind of graduated licensing is called for, here.

          Motorcycles, too, while we’re at it. It’s insane that you can go through MSF and then immediately buy a literbike.

          • snooggums@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            In ny US state motorcycles have a special motorcycle license. Maybe that would be a good starting point for a large vehicle permit that is more than a regilar license.

      • Jojo, Lady of the West@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        3 months ago

        I mean they’re getting heavier, but not, like, whole number multiples heavier. An electric might be some 60% heavier than a comparable gas car. But the aforementioned hummer is more than 5 times heavier than even a heavy electric “utility vehicle”. That’s more than 400% heavier.

        • SupraMario@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Huh? Are you saying heavy electric utility vehicles are less than 2k lbs? I think you’re math is a bit off, or I’m misunderstanding you. 9k lbs is heavy but it’s only around 2k lbs heavier than it’s gas counter parts (most SUVs are around 6.5-7k lbs). Most electric cars are 1-2k lbs heavier than their gas counterparts already. Batteries are not light.

          • Jojo, Lady of the West@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            3 months ago

            I’m saying smaller cars are usually lighter than bigger cars, even when the smaller cars are electric. And the car I was comparing to was the Chevrolet bolt “electric utility vehicle” that’s trying to be an electric SUV. Which is 1600 kg.

            Where a Ford fiesta that’s almost the same size is still 1100 kg.

            Edit: corrected units to kg.

            • ililiililiililiilili@lemm.ee
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              3 months ago

              Chevy Bolt (electric) is approx. 3,600 lbs. Ford Fiesta (gas) is approx. 2,500 lbs. I think your numbers are kilograms. Sorry to be pedantic, just trying to get correct numbers. But what you’re saying is basically correct. Most small EVs are still lighter than midsize and bigger ICE cars. If you want apples to apples: the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV is 5,000 lbs, whereas the 2024 gas version is approx. 3,400 lbs.

              • Jojo, Lady of the West@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                3 months ago

                Oh, shit, you’re right. I was looking at kilograms. Thank you.

                But yeah, the point stands that small cars are lighter and safer than big cars, especially for the things they hit.

    • HBK@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      3 months ago

      Regardless of truck size, I don’t think tractor trailers are going anywhere. Even if we made trucks smaller those would still be out there

      Smaller trucks would still get in accidents though, and I imagine they would be less deadly

      • zalgotext@sh.itjust.works
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        3 months ago

        Man, if only we could separate freight from commuter traffic. Like, imagine if all those tractor trailers were on their own separate road, but make it out of, IDK, metal or something so it can withstand the weight better. You could even just have metal right under the wheels, to reduce costs. But what do I know, I’m just some pie in the sky nobody who doesn’t know what he’s talking about

        • MasterMediasRes@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          That sounds like a neat idea—here’s a wild thought, what would happen if we tried the same thing with passengers? Eh, you’re right, sounds positively un-American.

        • pemptago@lemmy.ml
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          3 months ago

          Not to mention it would reduce all the underride crashes.

          All these improved vehicle safety standards are generally for bumper-to-bumper collisions, not windshield-to-truck-bed. Frontline released a well-done 2023 episode on it. Highly recommend.

          Edit: md link

        • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
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          3 months ago

          Unless you’re going to run train tracks to every business in existence, freight will need to be moved using a semi at some point.

          • zalgotext@sh.itjust.works
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            3 months ago

            I think getting semis off the highway where they’re going 60-70 mph would make a big difference in highway safety though. And you could have less semis going from depots to stores if stores were smaller and more frequent, such that deliveries could be made via cargo vans rather than semis.

      • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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        3 months ago

        Tractor trailers are heavily regulated with training, licensing, driving hours and sleep break logging etc. Are they really a significant source of pedestrian collisions?

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          You should check out the safety stuff with them and cars. You’ll stay near one on the road again.

      • SaltySalamander@fedia.io
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        3 months ago

        Even if we made trucks smaller those would still be out there

        If we made them smaller there’d just be more of them on the road. There’d also be higher prices for everything to compensate for the extra expense of having those extra trucks and bodies to pilot them.