4x4 school run - is it necessary?

Every morning on my way to work I meet up with the local school run and I think to myself, “I know that there are speed bumps to slow you down but do the mothers really need a 4x4 the size of a tank to get over them”.  I seem to manage quite fine in my little car and have yet to see someone stranded on top of a speed bump.  

The drivers of these machines seem to be unaware of how big these machines are.  They try to get themselves through the smallest gaps and are oblivious to who has the right of way when passing parked cars.

That leads me nicely on to parking.  4x4's seem to be getting bigger everyday and are definitely outgrowing the standard supermarket parking space.  Not only are the parking spaces too small but the owners cannot seem to park them anywhere without causing an annoyance to other drivers.  It's absolute hell trying to get through a street with a school on these days because of all the parents dropping their children off in the massive tanks.

I think back to my school days and can’t remember my parents giving me a lift to school ever and my high school was nearly 3 miles away.  We cycled or we walked.  Are children not born with legs anymore?

The other thing I have noticed is that these massive gas-guzzling, environmental-damaging,  child-murdering machines only seem to have 1 maybe 2 children in them.  I’m sure that they are perfectly capable of fitting themselves into a saloon car or even a little hatchback with four doors and for those with more than 2 children, well get a people carrier!

Why can't the government put up the taxes on 4x4's to make them much more expensive to keep on the road.  Then, if you have proof of a good reason to have one, discount the owner.  It should come down to whether you own a horse, large caravan or what job you do.  *Sigh*  And yes, I know that motherhood is a job but even Edmund Hillary didn't need a 4x4 to get up Mount Everest, why should you need one to tackle a few speed bumps.