Does anybody here own a Hummer?

[Nightjock]

I know. Many people believe it is an evil, selfish vehicle. So do I. BUT....

.... Last Thursday I was driving my 2 year old boy and 4 year old girl home from daycare in my 1997 Pathfinder. It was like any other morning for us. My 4 year old asked me to put the Dean martin CD in the player to sing. She started singing "You're nobody to somebody loves you...."

And than a man in the opposite lane and direction we were going decided the person in front of him was driving too slow and shot out in front of my car. I had less than a half a second to hit the brakes and it was a head on collision. My SUV was crushed in like an accordian.

Thank God for child seats. Besides some nasty bruises, my 4 beloved year old daughter recieved 10 stitches for a cut above her left eye and my beautiful 2 year old son is in a cast for a fractured growth plate in his leg but they escaped super serious injury. Stupid dad (me) who didn't wear his seatbelt got several nasty bumps and bruises but was also very lucky.

I never even thought I would consider a Hummer but I don't want anyone to fuck with my kids lives ever again. Is a Hummer overreacting? My wife and I can't decide.

[matcom]

1. so sorry for your accident

glad everyone will recover

and yes. it is a MAJOR overreaction

[Alleycat]

2. Nah just trying to be a good Dad

We do try to do everything to protect them. You could always lock them in the closet for 18 years :)

[MissB]

3. Try a Volvo

A Hummer is way overreacting. In an accident, you would be safe but the vehicle you hit would be crushed.

[Wcross]

4. Its sort of like the arms race.

You buy bigger to protect yourself then others follow. Someone decides they need a bigger vehicle. This is what you need!



http://www.marketingshift.com/2004/09/biggest-suv-navistar-international.cfm

[u4ic]

6. Nah, this:

[XemaSab]

28. THAT's the ticket!

But it IS like the arms race.

So you're driving a motorcycle and you have a close call with a mini-Cooper. So you upgrade to a mini-Cooper yourself. Then your mini-Cooper has a close call with a Toyota Prius, on down the line until you finally are sitting behind the wheel of a Hummer.

So you're driving your Hummer and you have a close call with a semi. Then where are you??? :shrug:

[u4ic]

32. Of course,

I've never actually SEEN one of those on the road. They are used in the oilsands in Fort McMurray, Alberta.

[XemaSab]

34. I've seen them

in Morenci, Arizona, and in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada.

[AzDar]

52. Hey, I've seen those in Morenci, too. Just driving through there gave

me a hideous headache...hubby says it's because of all the crap in the air from the mines.

[CottonBear]

5. You need a Volvo or a Mercedes with all the airbags. n/t

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. Or a Saab.

My 2003 Saab was safety rated higher than the Volvo and higher than all but the one class of Mercedes. It's a superfun car, too. Now they make an SUV Saab and they have a station wagon one too.

[ET Awful]

23. Lots and lots of cars are coming with better safety ratings now

Side curtain airbags are almost the standard now, as are anti-lock brakes and such.

[u4ic]

7. Nightjock, I'm so sorry to hear of your accident

How terrifying!

I'm glad everyone escaped very serious injury. :hug:

[Blue-Jay]

8. I've RECEIVED a hummer.

I wouldn't claim ownership of it, though.

[Robb]

10. It was only a matter of time before this post.

:D

OT: Hummer not so good. Volvo safe. Mommy and Daddy good. :P

[lakemonster11]

11. It's good to remember that cars are *designed*

to be "crushed like an accordian." That's actually a safety feature, not a design flaw.

[realisticphish]

18. exactly what i was going to say

it transfers a very large percentage of the force into the front end, instead of into your body

[GOPisEvil]

12. The Hummer isn't built any better than your Pathfinder.

In fact, it's probably built with lesser quality. It's a Chevy Tahoe with a tough-looking body. If you feel like you need a big-ass gas-guzzling hunk of crap, get the Tahoe and at least save a few bucks.

[djeseru]

14. Agreed.

Exactly what I've always said about them.

[GOPisEvil]

17. They just offer the illusion of bad-assed-ness.

This explains their popularity amongst a certain set of men. ;)

[djeseru]

26. Which is the kind I avoid like the plague.

There's something incredibly sexy about guys that are comfortable without that illusion. ;)

[GOPisEvil]

29. I do have illusions (or is it delusions)...but not THAT one.

;)

I like having a small car. Maneuverable is good. :7

[djeseru]

30. Which is why I love mine.

You can park it anywhere. :D

[GOPisEvil]

31. Even in my driveway!

:7

Or the curb out front...wherever. ;)

[ET Awful]

16. Well, an H2 is a glorified Tahoe, an H1 however is completely different

Still not any safer though.

[GOPisEvil]

19. There is no practical reason for any civilian to own an H-1.

Talk about overkill...

[ET Awful]

22. There's no practical reason for any civilian to own a GM product

:evilgrin:

Seriously though, I agree with you. Hell, they aren't doing the military much good either.

If someone wants a good off-road vehicle, my new favorite is the upcoming Toyota FJ Cruiser. It's ugly, but practical and extremely versatile http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/fjcruiser.html?s_van=GM_TN_FUTURE_FJ (click on FJ Bulletin then watch the videos . . . this is one very capable off road vehicle, even in stock configuration).

It's also about half the size of a Hummer and infinitely more useful (and, for that matter, parkable). :P

[GOPisEvil]

24. So they're bringing back the Land Cruiser..

Interesting...I'd love to have one of the old school Land Cruisers to play around with...oh well...

[ET Awful]

25. Like I said, check out the videos of what this thing can do in stock

configuration. . . this could be one FUN truck :P

[LynneSin]

40. Yes, there is one practical reason to own an H-1

The driver's penis is so fricking small that he needs some sort of confirmation to society to hide the fact that his penis is small

[ProfessorGAC]

49. Well Then, He's Not Hiding It

If we know, there's no secret. So, it didn't work. Hence, there is no practical reason. LOL! I Gotcha!
The Professor

[huskerlaw]

13. I'm glad everyone is ok

but yes, it is an overreaction.

1. I'm not entirely convinced the Hummer would be any safer.

2. What if you got in another accident and your Hummer smashed a family in their Prius? No, really. I'm serious here. Sure, your kids are ok, but your gas-guzzling hunk of shit just killed a family of 4. Really want to go there?

3. Even if you don't smash anyone's Prius, do you want to be responsible for burning that much fuel? Contributing to the destruction of the environment so that your kid gets lung cancer in his 60s? Or can't afford to heat his house in 40 years because you contributed to the insane consumption of fossil fuels?

[ET Awful]

15. The Hummer is no safer than your Pathfinder.

In fact, most newer cars would be even safer, with side airbags and such becoming the norm, many cars that were previously sub-par for safety are now earning 5-star crash ratings.

In all likelihood, had you been driving a Hummer, the injuries would still have occurred, the vehicle would have sustained less damage, and even though it was less damaged, it would cost you 3 times as much to repair because it's a Hummer.

[Left Is Write]

20. How awful! I'm sorry this happened to your family...

I understand your reaction.

I do not know if the Hummer would be safer; my FIL is convinced that his saved his mother and my MIL in an icy accident a few months ago.

(BTW, my four-year-old loves Dean Martin too.)

[Bzzzz]

21. A woman...

I know that works for a competitor bank drives a school bus yellow H2...everytime I see it, all I can think of is "I ride the short bus"....hahaha:P

[tinfoilinfor2005]

27. Can't blame you.

If I could get a guarantee that there was a car made that would keep my family safe from accidents forever, and if I had the money to buy it, I wouldn't give it another thought. Having said that, there isn't, and I don't.

Hug your babies for me and I will say a prayer that this is the worst thing that ever happens to them.

[TroubleMan]

33. Hummers were made out of a bunch of parts GM was junking.

Seriously, they're crap....and check out this picture:

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

36. wow

Thats the best looking Hummer I've seen!

[leftofthedial]

35. a hummer is overreacting

small cars are safer

the situation you describe is just bad news no matter what you're driving

[NMMNG]

37. A Hummer is under-reacting

You need a tank. Then nobody will eff with you.



Seriously, I'm sorry to hear of your accident, but a gargantuan vehicle is not the answer. And the fact that your SUV was crushed like an accordion means that the "crumple zones" were working appropriately. The front and rear sections are supposed to crush like that, leaving the passenger compartment to take less of the impact.

A Volvo or a Subaru would be a much better choice for protecting your family, while not endangering the rest of the people on the road.

[Bassic]

38. Oh man.... what happened to the dumb shit who hit you?

I admire your restraint. I don't know what I would do if some idiot injured my son (or rather my pregnant fiancée as my son isn't born yet).

:yourock:

I hope your kids heal up fast.

[Burma Jones]

39. A Toyota Sienna performs splendidly in crash tests

I would go that route.....

The guy that hit you should have his hands and feet cut off and his eyes gouged out. I have no tolerance for people that pull that shit.

PS - Always wear your seat belt, always.

[LynneSin]

41. Your car did what it was suppose to do - you do NOT need a hummer

I think everyone explained to you the design of all cars - they have built in crumple zones to take the brunt of the impact and protecting the passingers within the car.

You'll buy a hummer thinking your family is somehow more protected and it's nothing but a false sense of security. If you think an oversized gas-guzzler is the only way to protect your family then I might suggest just leaving your kids locked in their rooms until they reach about middle-age. What you're feeling after the accident is nothing more than a natural, parental reaction of wanting to protect your kids. But no matter how hard you try you'll never be able to protect them 100%.

So do yourself, a favor and look into the many alternatives offered for cars that perform well, have great crash test ratings AND won't cut into your children's college education just to fill up the gas tank.

[Thtwudbeme]

42. I sent you a PM

I am a fan of Subaru Outbacks, and am a former paramedic--

The suggestion above of the Volvo is a good one, too---I don't know about the new ones, but the old ones were fantastic! However, I like that AWD of the Subie-

Steph

[nickinSTL]

43. much better to check safety ratings

and buy the best-rated vehicle for safety, rather than the biggest.

Big doesn't necessarily mean safe.

And to compare the '06 Pathfinder to the '06 Hummer...there isn't much difference...

Frontal Crash Rating:

Pathfinder: Driver-4 stars
Passenger-4 stars
Hummer: Driver-5 stars
Passenger-4 stars

Side Crash Rating:

Pathfinder: Driver-5 stars
Passenger-5 stars
Hummer: Driver-5 stars
Passenger-5 stars

Rollover Rating:

Pathfinder: 3 stars
Hummer: 3 stars

http://www.safercar.gov/Index2.cfm

[Lochloosa]

44. Test drive a Prius

2005 Toyota Prius Crash Tests


2005 Toyota Prius 4-DR. Crash Ratings (5 star scale)
Frontal Impact 5 stars Side Impact 4 stars
Driver's Side 4 stars Front Occupant 4 stars
Passenger's Side 4 stars Rear Occupant 4 stars



2005 Toyota Prius 4-DR. Rollover Rating And Figures
Rollover Resistance Rating Static Stability Factor Dynamic Test
1.33 No-tip*

Get the option with the side airbags.

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/ConsumerReportsSnapshot.aspx?year=2006&make=Toyota&model=Prius

[nickinSTL]

46. I'm all for a Prius...

I was just comparing the '06 version of the model that the OP said they were driving in the accident to the Hummer.

[graywarrior]

45. No, but I knew a lot of hummer givers when I was in high school

[Nightjock]

47. CLOSURE....

Thank you everyone. We're not getting a Hummer. We now actually feel silly for thinking about it.
DU is the most amazing place on the internet(s). You all ROCK!

By the way, when my wife and I read the advice on this thread she laughed A LITTLE TOO HARD at the small pee-pee joke about Hummer drivers.

[ghostsofgiants]

50. Joke? What joke?

:evilgrin:

[DS1]

48. Only promises of such

:shrug:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

51. Get one of these

[Orsino]

53. Overreaction, probably.

But it may be worth a subscription to Consumer Reports to investigate actual safety ratings.

If you can afford a Hummer, you can afford this research. Anecdotes are powerful and personal, but they aren't a good indicator of statistical likelihoods.

[qanda]

54. I have no opinion on what vehicle you should drive

I just want to say that I am so glad that you and your children are okay. I'm sorry you had to go through that.