"Carspreading' is on the rise - sometimes called "autobesity" In an online BBC INDEPTH article by Theo Leggett (BBC International Business Correspondent) on the BBC News website he says "Critics call it "carspreading". In the UK and across Europe, cars are steadily becoming longer, wider and heavier. Consumers clearly like them – a lot. Big cars are seen as practical, safe and stylish, and sales are growing. So, why are some cities determined to clamp down on them - and are they right to do so?" Link to BBC News item He adds "There is no question cars in the UK and Europe have been getting bigger over the years. Since 2018, the average width of new models on sale in the UK has risen from 182cm to 187.5cm, according to data from Thatcham Research – an organisation that evaluates new cars on behalf of the insurance industry. The average weight, meanwhile, has increased from 1,365kg to 1,592kg over the same period. It's not just a recent phenomenon. Data compiled by the International Council for Clean Transportation shows the average width of cars on European markets grew by nearly 10cm between 2001 and 2020. Length increased by more than 19cm. Some critics argue this is a worrying trend, because there simply isn't enough room on Britain's crowded, often narrow roads or in town centres". Posted: 251205 Comparing a VW Golf with a BMW X5 and a Range Rover Comparing width & height See larger copies of the data tables. More Width including the mirrors Both are near 5.75 inches or 7% wider than a VW Golf. Height A BMW X5 is 19.0% higher than the VW Golf and a Range Rover 25.9% higher. Frontal Area A BMW X5 is 27.3% larger than the VW Golf and a Range Rover is 34.2% larger. These increases are significant because the larger frontal size of an SUV or 4x4 vehicle approaching you on a relatively narrow urban street or on a narrow country lanes can be daunting and in some cases makes passing difficult. Comparing weight Fourth power law (also known as the fourth power rule) It's a rule of thumb which states that the stress on the road surface and structure caused by a motor vehicle increases in proportion to the fourth power of its axle load. This law was discovered in the course of a series of scientific experiments in the United States in the late 1950s and was decisive for the development of standard construction methods in road construction. Link & Link Looking at the comparative weights and the analysis above you can see how the fourth power numbers are significantly higher with heavier cars. A BMW X5 is 7.21 and the Range Rover 13.97 higher than a VW Golf. Potholes are everywhere Heavier vehicles create more damage to the road surface and substructure together with higher traffic flows.