I too had a first gen Miata...so fun to drive. A giant pickup truck with extended camper back bumper parked in front of me backed up and drove the bumper on top of the Miata hood. He blamed me for driving a car so small that it was not visible in his mirrors. Ach! Car written off. 260000 km with one O2 sensor, one set if brake rotors and two sets of pads to its credit.
A further consequence of taller fronts is that the headlights are higher than on normal cars. This places them right at driver eye-height, exacerbating the problem of glare of oncoming headlights in a driver’s eyes.
To make things worse, the fact that the drivers sit so high above the road makes them more likely to speed. As documented twenty years ago: “Evidence suggests that because they sit higher, drivers of SUVs (and vans and pickups) are less able to judge speed accurately. A study was conducted to assess drivers’ chosen speed when they operated a simulated vehicle while viewing the road from a low eye height and a high eye height. Participants were instructed to drive, without reference to a speedometer, at a highway driving speed at which they felt comfortable and safe. As expected, drivers seated at a high eye height drove faster than when they were seated at a low eye height.” Christina M Rudin-Brown, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3141/1899-11
In New York there are legislators trying to pass a bill that would make car registration fees go up with increased vehicle weight. I think more legislation like that would help. And did you see this video? https://substack.com/@speakeasy/note/c-71368856
I sold my 2006 Miata in April because of my fear that in a collision with a typical pickup or large SUV, we'd be squashed like a bug. I loved the car, only driven around 1500 miles per year. But most driving was on rural two lane roads with relatively high speed limits and frequent fatal head on collisions, usually caused by some fool looking at his/her phone.
I too had a first gen Miata...so fun to drive. A giant pickup truck with extended camper back bumper parked in front of me backed up and drove the bumper on top of the Miata hood. He blamed me for driving a car so small that it was not visible in his mirrors. Ach! Car written off. 260000 km with one O2 sensor, one set if brake rotors and two sets of pads to its credit.
A further consequence of taller fronts is that the headlights are higher than on normal cars. This places them right at driver eye-height, exacerbating the problem of glare of oncoming headlights in a driver’s eyes.
Also glare through the side and rear-view mirrors from a following pick-up or SUV
YES: This is so true and a real problem for those of us in smaller cars.
To make things worse, the fact that the drivers sit so high above the road makes them more likely to speed. As documented twenty years ago: “Evidence suggests that because they sit higher, drivers of SUVs (and vans and pickups) are less able to judge speed accurately. A study was conducted to assess drivers’ chosen speed when they operated a simulated vehicle while viewing the road from a low eye height and a high eye height. Participants were instructed to drive, without reference to a speedometer, at a highway driving speed at which they felt comfortable and safe. As expected, drivers seated at a high eye height drove faster than when they were seated at a low eye height.” Christina M Rudin-Brown, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3141/1899-11
You failed to mention the near blinding of drivers in sensible vehicles when being tailgated by these tiny dick energy machines......
In New York there are legislators trying to pass a bill that would make car registration fees go up with increased vehicle weight. I think more legislation like that would help. And did you see this video? https://substack.com/@speakeasy/note/c-71368856
I sold my 2006 Miata in April because of my fear that in a collision with a typical pickup or large SUV, we'd be squashed like a bug. I loved the car, only driven around 1500 miles per year. But most driving was on rural two lane roads with relatively high speed limits and frequent fatal head on collisions, usually caused by some fool looking at his/her phone.
Such wonderful cars.
Yeah, every beautiful day the past summer I missed it. Running errands with the top down isn't a chore.