I like this sentiment the most. I worked in the oil and gas industry for a long time. (Ethically opposed the entire time, but thats not my point here.) And drove a subaru, worked with guy that drove a prius. Lots of Honda and Toyota sedans... the people doing the "manly" work aren't even driving big personal vehicles because there is nothing to prove.

What a monumentally stupid comparison.

Ah, yeah, I read it as if it were a top-level comment. I see the connection now.

I'll still give her the benefit of the doubt and say she likely meant it in the broader sense, because her takes are usually fairly reasonable.

But yeah, the giant trucks are unnecessary in probably 98% of cases. Honestly even in the 2% where one is needed, a smaller one will do. But those are harder to find these days.

The problem of compulsory POV ownership more broadly though is systemic in the US, and people trapped in that situation don't really have an alternative option.

Okay I get it, I was reading the comment in light of the post which talked about "mandatory expensive vehicle in order to be employable because we abandoned trains."

Like, you're right, nobody needs those giant trucks.

But also, even relying on smaller, more efficient POVs as a society is still a bad thing, and being required to buy something in that category is still an injustice that individual people don't have much agency in, at least if they want to be able to get a job without uprooting their lives (and usually living somewhere more expensive in order to have pedestrian access to public transit)

Yeah you can always just buy a civic