[alephnerd]

> Tax the hell out of them to pay for upgrading

We should but we won't.

At the end of the day, people really like their big cars, and local dealerships tend to be the largest small businesses (along with local real estate agencies) in most Congressional and State Assembly Districts.

You can argue that walking and biking are better or something like Strongtowns, but at the end of the day, it is what it is.

[bhickey]

> At the end of the day, people really like their big cars

People like big cars because they want the other guy to die in a crash.

[alephnerd]

For some people yes, for others (like me if I buy a car) they're just fun to drive (that said, I can afford the tax)

[rpastuszak]

> At the end of the day, people really like their big cars

That doesn’t apply to the entire planet so surely this could be different in the US as well.

[alephnerd]

> doesn’t apply to the entire planet

Even in Asia, MENA, and South America as well, if you can afford a big car you will buy one.

There's a reason pickups like the Hilux, D-Max, Ford F150, and Vigo are a luxury in ASEAN and the MENA, SUVs like Scorpio or Fortuner in India+Nepal, and pickups like Tacoma and Toro in Cental+South America

The EU isn't representative for the rest of the world either.

[somerandomqaguy]

Eh, even Europeans appear to getting larger vehicles. SUV's hit 51% of all new European car sales in 2023. Granted though it's mostly compact and sub compact CUV's.

https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/suvs-surge-new-milest...

[alephnerd]

Yep. People just like big cars.

I love biking and walking, but it just isn't popular.

[Dalewyn]

Here in America, bigger is better. We love big, whether it's cars, CPU core counts, burgers, or tits and ass.

[Hamuko]

>At the end of the day, people really like their big cars

No one's stopping them from liking and buying them. They'll just cost more.

[alephnerd]

> They'll just cost more

And that's why no one will do anything.

Something popular that cost $35,000 in 2024 suddenly costing $45,000 in 2025 is a political suicide.

Rising new car prices are already a major political crisis. Taxing and making it even more pricy is just a self own