The Pickup Trucks Are Too Tall! COTD

The modern pickup truck is a wonderful, aggravating thing. On one hand, today’s trucks can tow practically tow houses and still get good fuel economy doing so. They’re also family cars, luxury cars, and even hot rods. Yet, the modern pickup is also annoying. Hoods are so high that you can’t see tall children and beds are so high automakers had to invent solutions so you could get into them.

Each of the Big Three has invented different ways to access beds, including multi-functional tailgates to different kinds of steps. David wrote about how he thinks Ford’s Pro Access Tailgate is the one to rule them all. The problem with all of this is that truck beds don’t need to be so tall. Trucks have gotten so big that I cannot even close the hood of a full-size pickup without assistance.

I’ve been out for a few days riding motorcycles through some California wine country, so I’ll nominate some COTDs from more than just today. Chronometric took my heart with this one:

There were some trucks from Detroit
Whose sides were too tall to exploit
Ford invented a gimmick
That the others did mimic
So the owners could be less adroit.

Today, Lewin wrote a review on the Alfa Romeo Tonale. It’s best described as “fine,” and the comments made me smile. Jack Trade points out how America’s views on European cars seem to be changing:

As a yank, I find it interesting how American’s perceptions of European marques seem to be changing as those marques penetrate our market more.

Even though the ’90s, we really got only the best here – top-end Mercedeses and BMWs, the sportiest Italian cars, etc. With pricetags to match, but in many of our minds, those cars personified a brand as a whole. For probably a majority of Americans, “Alfa Romeo” means only a lithe little convertible with a wooden steering wheel, probably in red.

Now, like with the Tonale, it seems we’re getting a much more varied experience that’s more in line with what the rest of the world gets…

BomberoKevino elaborates on this. We may think of a BMW 3 Series or a Mercedes-Benz C-Class as luxury cars here, but in Europe, they’re just common cars:

I distinctly remember my first trip to Europe (many years ago), taking a taxi from the airport in Germany and feeling amazed that my cheapskate college tuition paying parents had shelled out for a ride in a C series Benz. Then looking at the other taxis and realizing they were ALL Benzes and BMWs. Then looking at the doors and realizing they had roll-up windows just like our Toyota. Then it dawned on me that what I thought was the paragon of fancy was Europe’s Crown Vic. My parents were the people I thought they were, but the cars weren’t.

Have a great evening, everyone!