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barking_iguana(also posted on Blue Jersey (here) and Daily Kos (here)) The cars-only lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike and other highways exist, in large part, because many drivers of cars find the decreased visibility of driving with trucks to be less safe and comfortable. Yet drivers of vehicles that block vision of what's in front of them almost as effectively as semis do are allowed. I'm talking about those SUV, pickups, and in rarer case minvans that are so big they get emissions and/or tax breaks for being trucks.
I need to do more research before I'd absolutely commit to this position, but I think if you're big enough to get perks for being a truck, you don't belong in cars-only spaces.
That's not a position politicians can lead on. It might get majority support, but at least at first, those opposed would likely to care a lot more. So if a change is to happen, we need to push from the outside.
The blocked vision is very real: in my low-sitting Elantra, I find I have much less awareness of the road beyond the vehicle in front of me, because of the rise of the SUVs. An added advantage of pushing this is that it will increase the self-perception of big-vehicle drivers that they're being sort of piggish, which they often (but not always) are.
So tell me what you think, but also, especially if you're from New Jersey, tell me where I can go for more research. Researchg on how this would effect safety, what the official purpose of the cars-only lanes are, who the public interest groups that might be interested are, and which legislators would be worth contacting. (Some of those answers I'll be finding for myself over the next few days, but head starts from Daily Kos would be most welcome.)
[Poll #1083367]
I need to do more research before I'd absolutely commit to this position, but I think if you're big enough to get perks for being a truck, you don't belong in cars-only spaces.
That's not a position politicians can lead on. It might get majority support, but at least at first, those opposed would likely to care a lot more. So if a change is to happen, we need to push from the outside.
The blocked vision is very real: in my low-sitting Elantra, I find I have much less awareness of the road beyond the vehicle in front of me, because of the rise of the SUVs. An added advantage of pushing this is that it will increase the self-perception of big-vehicle drivers that they're being sort of piggish, which they often (but not always) are.
So tell me what you think, but also, especially if you're from New Jersey, tell me where I can go for more research. Researchg on how this would effect safety, what the official purpose of the cars-only lanes are, who the public interest groups that might be interested are, and which legislators would be worth contacting. (Some of those answers I'll be finding for myself over the next few days, but head starts from Daily Kos would be most welcome.)
[Poll #1083367]
