bumpers on SUVs are closer to being at car-seated head level than at car bumper level

Oh yeah, that reminds me.

Do you USians know those metal bars that stick down from the rear end of semi-trailers? You know what those are? They're the equivalent of car bumpers. They're intended to stop cars from underriding the trailer in an accident, and, not to put too fine a point on it, decapitating the car's occupants. (The next time you're driving behind a semi-trailer, look straight ahead parallel to the ground. You should notice that the bottom of the box is right at neck level. It's disconcerting. You'll never intentionally drive behind one again, and you'll keep your distance when forced.)

Considering that, how many of them have you seen that say something along the lines of ``do not use as a step''? How comfortable does it make you that the thing that's supposed to stop your car hurtling down the road at 55 mph isn't rated strongly enough to support the average (okay -- we're talking truckers here -- heavy) man?

Also, how about the fact that it's more-or-less at hood level and not bumper level? I know that my car's hood deflects when I sit on it. So it's probably about the same strength as the bumper itself.

Doesn't sound like too much protection to me.