The SUV Story

It's one of those political type stories in Germany that generally make you laugh, but it's part of the landscape that Germans must survive in.

So, here's the beginning part of this.  A couple of days ago, a traffic accident occurred in Berlin.  The trigger to this (vehicle involved)....was a larger sized SUV.  Outcome?  Four pedestrians on the street are dead.  The vehicle in particular?  Porsche Cayenne.

Now, having seen the Porsche Cayenne.....I might go and agree that the vehicle is a bit on the large size.  But I'll point out that there are tens of thousands of the vehicle on German streets today.  It's not what I would consider as a dangerous vehicle.

In this particular accident.....are there outstanding circumstances?  Well....the cops are still investigating and it's unclear if there was a fault in the operation of the vehicle (driver issue), or if the accelerator just stuck.

But this morning.....bright and early....the Greens in Berlin are hyping up this accident and now suggesting that there needs to be a 'upper limit' to large SUVs in more congested German cities.

Yes, they are suggesting a federal law be created which would define which SUVs can enter metropolitan areas, and which ones will be forbidden.

It's a curious piece because statistically.....you can't really prove any statement that says the Porsche Cayenne is more dangerous than a Audi TT, or a Fiat 500.

This kinda reminds of a movement that started up in the UK about 30 years ago.  An accident had occurred where a SUV with kangaroo-bars (the big chrome bars that you can put on a vehicle) had bumped someone crossing a street, and the impact killed them in some way.  Within a week or two....there existed a group who was bound and determined to have all UK SUVs with kangaroos-bars to be black-listed in some way.....with the bars to be removed.  This movement went on for about 18 months, until it ran out of steam and just died off.  The amazing thing is that talk-radio there would go on for half-an-hour every couple of days....talking up this issue, and hyping it to the general public.

This is the environment that one has to operate in Germany now.  People are hyping up an agenda, and unless you sit and think about the implications or the price attached.....you get dragged along on some protest front.

Update: This afternoon (Monday), the cops are saying that they think the guy in the SUV had an epileptic seizure.  So the Green 'got-to-fix-this' idea may just disappear in a day or two.

Update: This morning (Wed), the family of the driver involved in this accident, say that the guy had a major cramp in his leg, and hit the accelerator trying to get the cramp out.  I know, it's a odd story....but some judge will sort this out.