Large utility vehicles like pickups are, by dint of their mass, their high centres, and their poorer visibility, dangerous to other people on the road.

They also release a large amount of carbon into the air.

So yes, their use as a recreational or status symbol should be discouraged.

I have an older Ford Ranger. It is only 300 lbs heavier than the heaviest Prius models. Put a pair of super sized Americans in there and their gross weight is more than my dangerously heavy vehicle.

A slippery slope to what? Cutting down on pointless consumption and needless environmental damage?

My point is the discussion should be entirely about carbon footprint, not whether CO2 emitting processes or machines (in this case large vehicles) are truly "needed".