lucky03

just read about it and how countries are planning to increase the annual tax on them. I thought SUVs were an American obsession. The thought of them trying to maneuver the narrow streets of most of European cities. They should be banned there and should be taxed here in US not being given tax credits!!

SloJan

Unfortunately, they are getting more popular here. In Ljubljana, we actually have 2 humvees...

Cheers,
Jan

PBProvence

I'm stunned to see the number of SUVs around my area of Provence. Most of them seem to have Swiss or German plates, but there are more and more with local license plates as well. With the price of gasoline here, most are diesel - but diesel fuel is now well over $4 a gallon, so it must cost them a fortune to fill up. And I hate having them coming at me on our narrow roads - the drivers never seem to know how big they are and stick to the middle of the road.
Jean Reno, a neighbor of mine, has imported a Humvee, which takes up three parking spaces in the village square... but I guess he can afford the gas for it. Don't know how he gets it into his driveway...but that's his problem.

I was glad to hear that they'll be taxed more heavily.

PB

scheraulei

I never ever saw an SUV in Switzerland (Lac Leman area) when I was there a few weeks ago and therefore assumed they were not allowed. Other than mall parking spaces, I never saw parking spaces big enough for anything other than a compact or sub-compact, although I did see a couple of very small minivans.

Underhill

Jean Reno is your neighbor? Lucky, lucky woman!!!

We noticed many more SUVs this trip than in May 2003--too bad.

Underhill

Sign of the times: "Humvee" aftershave for men.

harzer

My cousin who hates the daily tussle with SUV's in the traffic here in Oz just returned from a trip to France, and reports that driving there is sheer pleasure due to their relative absence.

Harzer

cigalechanta

PB: And you didn't introduce me!!!!

Traveler863

I cannot imagine the sensible Europeans getting caught up in the SUV craze as here in the US. Its terrible and obnoxious. However, I think the craze here is slacking off.

crefloors

When I was in Florence several years ago on my first Europe trip, I was just fascinated by the little Smart Cars and those little Mercedes..and as I walked down the street, what to my wondering eyes did appear, parked at the curb, a Jeep Wagoneer. I couldn't believe my eyes.

flygirl

PB: me either! I would have loved to have met him. ooh la la. he was great in French Kiss.

Judyrem

There were quite a few(Lexus, Jeeps Nissans) that we saw in the UK a few weeks ago. We had a tiny mini and when they came towards us, he would cringe and I would shut my eyes. I wish to God they would tax these buggers big time over and over there.

MonicaRichards

We saw quite a few full-size SUVs in Italy a few weeks ago. I have no idea how people got around in them, there has to be a ton of places they just won't fit. I would think they would be really inconvenient to own there.

Sylvia

An Irish friend of mine calls them "eegitmobiles"

Kate

I'm thinking SUVs are what we in the UK would call 4x4s? Yes? If so, they've been popular for YEARS here. No self-respecting mother feels complete with out an enormous Land Rover to cart their weeny children to school in. Madness in London, god knows how they ever manage to find a parking space. I have enough trouble with my weeny VW Polo...

PatrickLondon

Surely time to make Molvanian donkeys fashionable?

I seem to remember that research in Australia established an inverse relationship between sales of 4x4s and sales of Viagra. I prefer a big red bus myself.

Tulips

Not everyone lives in cities here. Jeeps, Range Rovers, and cars like that are very popular here, and have been for years. They're great to drive, and have room enough for all the kids. People here have fairly large families, 4 or 5 children are not uncommon. Try fitting that into a Smart!
One serious drawback is that they use too much expensive petrol. Now at Euro 1.20 per liter in Belgium.

Tallulah

Kate: Tut tut. Surely you realise how much space 2 primary school kids need in a car when being driven the 300 yards to school? Heaven forbid poor mummy have to make do with anything smaller.

Aaagghh! It drives me mad!

LoveItaly

PatrickLondon (and the rest of you), obviously you are not up to date about Molvania.

They now have two (2) SUV's!!!

But of course, being in Molvania, yep you guessed it correctly, no engines in the SUV's.

So you are asking, what good are they?
Well they hitch two (2) donkeys to the front and "giddy up they go"!

The citizens of Molvania are furious of course!! The SUV's are huge! They take up the parking spaces of ten (10) donkeys PLUS the donkeys also take up two (2) more donkey parking spaces.

And the funny thing is because the SUV's are so heavy noone, and I mean noone, can sit in them when they are being driven (er, well is this case pulled) so mama and the little ones walk behind, all the way to school.

But like elsewhere, progress is coming to Molvania.

PatrickLondon

But do they fit the bull bars on the donkeys? They're absolutely de rigueur in Mayfair - I'm sure MK2 wouldn't dream of arriving at Claridges without them - so in Molvania (where I imagine real bulls are more likely to be encountered) they must be essential.