Madam, - I am an SUV driver. Before telling you why let me say straight out that I live in a suburb and so have no practical need for a large or powerful automobile.
Physically I am not a large man; when I walk around town most people are taller than I am. When it came to deciding on what car to buy I decided it would be nice to reverse my usual position as one of life's more diminutive creatures and instead, at least while I am driving, become one of life's larger creatures.
I am quite happy to admit this and to pay any additional charges or taxes that may be charged to me as an SUV driver. I should also add that I am very happy with my choice of automobile and completely unrepentant.
So you see, I'm quite happy to admit that my owning an SUV was prompted by a little vanity and perhaps by my insecurities. But before people queue up to condemn me I would ask them to reflect: are SUV drivers the only people who buy things out of a desire to massage their egos or to pander to their (perhaps irrational) insecurities? The answer, of course, is no: most of our economy is based on people buying things for these very reasons; but SUV drivers, because of their visibility, happen to be today's soft target for a little self-righteous hypocrisy. - Yours, etc,
JIM McGOWAN, Sandyford, Dublin 18.