I was stuck in traffic today. I had my windows down since my A/C doesn't work. So I'm in the right lane sitting behind a few cars at a traffic light. To my left is a Ford F-250 Turbo Diesel. Light turns green and the guy nails the gas pedal. Nice big black cloud of soot flies into my face and I'm choking and blinded temporarily. I've noticed that most trucks have their exhausts aimed out towards the passenger side. Seriously, WTF?!

I've never understood the appeal of pickups, why do so many Americans have them? What do they need them for?

I have a very small pickup but admit that really don't need it. I got it because my son needed something to drive to school and it was the cheapest thing I could find. I don't drive it often and keep it simply because its handy to have when I need to haul trash to the dump or buy something big and heavy.

I think that the folks who drive those big diesel trucks with camper tops that are obviously not work trucks are just trying to compensate for their lack in other areas.

General pickups is not a problem (e.g. old El Camino, it just look like a normal car), I suppose that the problem is more truck-pickups? (kind of SUV in its size )

Sorry to here about the exhaust soot, I know that had to be aggravating. But I can top that, try a tandem axle Ford L9000 Dump Truck that has had the exhaust stack (apparently removed) so that the exhaust is coming out of the right side at car window level (needless to say my asthma flared up in a big way that day)

Pickup trucks are used by people who need to carry or tow large items such as wood, appliances, trees, other pickup trucks, cars, horses, cows (though towing livestock required a special type of trailer) lumbar, farm tractors, farming equipment, construction equipment, small construction machinery and the list could go on and on. The Ford F-350 Super Duty (when properly equipped) can tow around 16000lbs. Pickup trucks are also quite good off-road, some are even better than their SUV counterparts. The 2005-Onward Dodge Power Wagon 2500 pickup (a heavy duty off-road version of the Dodge Ram 2500 pickup) features a factory installed Warn® winch seamlessly integrated into the front bumper, and a electronically disconnecting front sway-bar. It was crowned Pickup Truck Of The Year as well as 2005 Four Wheeler Of The Year.

Here is a picture of the 2005 Dodge Power Wagon 2500 towing another pickup.


I hope that answers your question as to what we use them for.

Yes I realise that, but do many Americans (especially ones who don't live in rural areas) actually need to transport all those things? There can only be so many farmers and construction workers but a huge number of Americans own pickups for private use (rather than as a company vehicle). Maybe it's a cultural thing, some Americans seem to live closer to the elements than British people (America is a land of huge forests and vast areas of countryside, most of England is already built upon) not many people in England drive pickups (although these big Nissan Navaras are becoming quite popular) and I don't any think European car companies actually make pickup trucks, the pickup trucks you see in England are from Japanese makes like Mitsubishi and Nissan.

To me the main disadvantage of pickups is the single cabs don't seem to have much passenger space, and when a pickup is a double cab they become absolutely enormous (some of them seem even bigger than SUVs). Anyway I still don't get why so many Americans seem to love pickup trucks (America really seems to have a long-lasting love affair with the pickup), I wouldn't want to drive one around (unless I actually needed to carry something) anymore than I'd want to drive a transit van. That's how I see pickup trucks, they are just a goods vehicle like a van or a lorry rather than something that is aesthetically pleasing like a nice car, so why some people actually find them attractive and want to drive them everywhere is beyond me. I have come to understand why some people like SUVs (even though I still hate SUVs and I disagree with those people's tastes) but I haven't worked out the appeal of the pickup truck, but then I never actually lived in America.

I don't think that most of us actually need pickup trucks. I have several friends that have big pickup trucks and use them like a car. They have fiberglass caps on the bed so can't really haul much, they don't go camping and don't tow big loads. Not a one of them can tell me why they have it other than they just like them

Why, did the other one break down?

Don’t know, probably, it is a Ford; though towing a Ford Ranger is no where close to reaching the maximum towing limit for that truck. My Expedition Limited could tow that trailer and the Ford Ranger, and would never even know they were back there. I have to tow my father’s damn cows to the, Ahem, "processing" house, when he’s ready to, Ahem, make "hamburgers" out of them, and they don’t even get close to it's maximum limit.

You really are impressed by these big trucks and SUVs, aren't you. They just seem a bit over-the-top to me.

There really isn't a point of a pick-up in the city (where I currently live). I mean there are a few rural areas on the outskirts, but most of the roads are either paved or smoothed out. You'd really have to go out of your way to find a horrible road. Most of the roads that people think they need a truck or SUV for, I can traverse in a FWD sedan if I go slow enough.

Anyways, if I was to get a truck, I'd get a small truck with just the basics. Single cab with short bed since I wouldn't haul much. Those mini pickups make good commuter vehicles though. I wouldn't mind having a small 4-cyl 5-speed pickup to use as a personal conveyance.

Diesel powered trucks get good torque power, last a long time, and in one case years ago Diesel was cheaper, now they're more expensive that Premium gasoline. Those tall trucks are fun to drive though. I drove one through the mountains and it was cool. For now, I'd go with what You'd consider qwerty 86.