Cultural oddities — consider the absence of lightweight, folding utility trailers in the United States

© 2018 Peter Free

 

13 April 2018

 

 

Does our low US gasoline tax — kill some kinds of product innovation?

 

Let's glance at an obscure but reasonably related example.

 

The near complete lack of folding utility trailer innovation in the United States.

 

 

For comparison — commendable designs from other places

 

FoldTrailer from Norway.

 

Probably the most ingenious thin-fold design that I have seen.

 

And Apogee in Canada.

 

Another brain-smart device. That one clearly aimed at utility users.

 

Both companies list the important folded dimensions for what they make. We will see that US manufacturers usually don't bother. Must be our schools.

 

There are more companies like FoldTrailer and Apogee. Overseas. Necessarily so, it seems.

 

Including CentreFold in spacious Australia.

 

 

Now, "google" the US market

 

Nothing especially comparable, huh?

 

There are Harbor Freight's ubiquitous China-made crude (and reportedly in need of immediate major upgrades) folders.

 

As well as a handful of collapsible motorcycle trailers. Those are of too specific design to be worthwhile for broader purposes.

 

The most workable among these might be Aluma's MC1F. However, perhaps indicatively, the company does not provide customers with its folded dimensions. Virtually none of Aluma's American competitors do, either.

 

I guess in the States, it is always home on the (spacious skies) range.

 

HOA and military "keep it pretty" housing rules must not exist here.

 

 

You see some of our cultural attitude reflected in vehicle tow ratings

 

Meaning the lack thereof.

 

Most cars sold in the US are not rated to tow. And if they are, the fine print usually indicates that they really aren't. Not even for purposes that Europeans indulge in every day.

 

Essentially the same vehicles in Europe are tow-rated. And at kilometer per hour speeds equivalent to our 60 mph. Not that 45 mph U-Haul BS.

 

It is not unusual to see livestock being pulled by small European cars. Mini Coopers and even Smart ForTwos can be seen happily hauling stuff behind them.

 

Maybe there's something in our American air. Ya think?

 

 

A conspiracy for profit?

 

Might the United States' truck and gasoline industries have something to do with the "ya can't tow with that vehicle" ethos?

 

We could blame lawyers, I suppose. Those leeches. Yes, I'm one.

 

And maybe blame the regulatory state that generally does not rule-make anything noticeably useful. Except, according to some, rules that allow some people to enforce their profit and self-advancement at other people's expense.

 

 

In sum . . .

 

While we suck our thumbs amid a crumbling American infrastructure, we get to waste gasoline by buying big vehicles to haul our heavy, crudely manufactured trailers around on mostly crappy roads.

 

A "space alien" might find this infatuation with waste odd.

 

But what do they know?

 

They burned up a bunch of fuel just to get here.

 

 

The moral? — Frickin' Europeans and visiting space aliens . . .

 

Ain't got no sense. Neither of 'em.

 

Wanna pull the Super Duty round front, Molly Girl?

 

Gotta haul that little kid's desk over ta Bill and Mandy's.