• @supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz
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    11 months ago

    It is honestly a major failure of US society (comedians I am looking at you) that people aren’t made fun of for driving these trucks so mercilessly that most people feel too ashamed to drive them.

    I mean lots of other failures too, it shouldn’t be legal especially because there is zero reason for the high hood height from a vehicle function perspective. Unless of course you consider your vehicle being more efficient at killing pedestrians a reason to have them that way. I suppose we have entered that stage of things here in the US haven’t we.

    • @Mr_Blott@lemmy.world
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      2611 months ago

      Definitely. Builders and contractors in Europe drive vans; same as everyone else on the planet except the insecure yanks. If you pulled up to a site in one of these in any other country, I fuckin guarantee remarks will be made about your penis size and your penchant for the cock

      • @tal@lemmy.today
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        411 months ago

        I fuckin guarantee remarks will be made about your penis size and your penchant for the cock

        Every country on the planet other than the US will call someone gay for driving a large truck?

      • @frezik@midwest.social
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        -611 months ago

        There are plenty of things vans aren’t suitable for–towing fifth wheels or holding oversized power equipment, for instance. Nor are vans any better for visibility than the trucks on OP’s list. Many start as the same truck frames and then have a different body placed on top.

        • @Mr_Blott@lemmy.world
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          611 months ago

          So you’re saying that contractors in other countries can’t do the same stuff that US contractors do, because they don’t have access to tiny-penis trucks?

          Because that’s what you’re saying

          • @WordBox@lemmy.world
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            111 months ago

            I am now genuinely curious as to the logistics at play for construction companies across the pond.

          • @frezik@midwest.social
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            111 months ago

            I’m saying they do have those trucks. You may not see them as much because these use cases tend to have them driven to a job site and then stay there until the work is done, which may be weeks or months.

            There are also some farming needs that Europe just doesn’t have. You can go for miles and still be on the same farm in the US. Sometimes, the land is rented and isn’t contiguously connected. Hauling equipment and livestock across all that is the job of a fifth wheel, and you can’t use a van for that.

            • @Mr_Blott@lemmy.world
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              411 months ago

              Literally every livestock farmer owns one of these

              You’re just trying to justify your tiny-penis truck when there is zero justification for it whatsoever

              • @frezik@midwest.social
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                11 months ago

                I don’t own a truck. I do know people who do and have some familiarity with farm operations.

                That truck is not adaquate for the number of livestock or equipment an American farmer has. It would force multiple trips over dirt roads. Again, American farms are just plain bigger, and there might be a few changes that are needed to support that.

                Also, I’m not sure why you think that truck is better than any American truck. It simply swaps a bed for a box. Edit: I believe that’s a somewhat older model Man TGL, which has a GVWR of 7.5-12 tons. That puts it in the same ballpark as an F350, so again, I don’t know why you think this is an improvement.

                • Cethin
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                  511 months ago

                  Also, I’m not sure why you think that truck is better than any American truck. It simply swaps a bed for a box.

                  Look at where the window of that cab is positioned. Is there anything in front of it blocking its view? It’s the same difference between an American and European semi-truck. The engine is under or behind the cab, so the view out of the front is unobstructed.

                  As for farming needs, US farmers used much smaller trucks for decades. These massive trucks are actually worse for many/most hauling needs. Consider how much extra effort it takes to load cargo into the bed when it’s 5’ up, rather than when it’s only 2’ or so off the ground. It’s just plain worse, except for making someone feel tough for some reason.

                  • @frezik@midwest.social
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                    -211 months ago

                    Look at where the window of that cab is positioned. Is there anything in front of it blocking its view? It’s the same difference between an American and European semi-truck. The engine is under or behind the cab, so the view out of the front is unobstructed.

                    Cab-over designs also make maintenance harder. There’s no free lunch. But cab-over designs do exist in this same market segment in the US

                    US farmers used much smaller trucks for decades

                    US farms have also consolidated into larger operations during those same decades.

                    Consider how much extra effort it takes to load cargo into the bed when it’s 5’ up, rather than when it’s only 2’ or so off the ground.

                    I mentioned a fifth wheel, so this isn’t relevant. If you don’t know what a fifth wheel is, you probably shouldn’t have strong opinions on this.

          • @frezik@midwest.social
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            -111 months ago

            Depends on the model. Ford Transits are probably better, but an E250 is just an F250 with a different body, and isn’t any better.