Five Signs You Might Be Driving a Monster Truck

Despite skyrocketing gas prices, drivers are still finding creative ways to make their pickup trucks bigger and badder. From chunky tires to suspension systems that raise frames to lofty new heights, it's easier than ever to add size to your truck. But how much is too much? How far is too far? What if you wake up one morning and realize you're not tricking out a pickup truck, you're driving a monster truck?

As a public service to all our truck drivers out there, we put together a quick list of five signs that you might, in fact, be driving a monster truck.

1. Children run alongside asking you to honk.
If you're driving a normal pickup truck down the road, don't expect neighborhood children to chase after you like you're the ice cream man. In a monster truck, however, they can't help it. Suddenly, driving home from work in the afternoon will feel like a parade, with kids waving excitedly when you go by.

2. You need a ladder to get in.
It's completely normal to need a running board to step into a vehicle. Many SUVs now include stylish running board options for an extra boost inside. But if you ever find yourself needing a ladder, with multiple rungs, to climb into your truck, you no longer own a pickup truck. That's a monster truck, my friend.

3. You are able to drive over MINI Coopers.
Even the lightest fender bender seems like a big deal when you're in an ordinary-sized car. Simply touching bumper to bumper is enough to snap your neck and jolt you back into reality. Not so with a monster truck. If you are able to park on top of MINI Coopers or smart cars, that's not a pickup truck you're driving. I promise.

4. People take pictures of your truck.
I drive a Toyota 4-Runner. In the six years I have owned it, approximately zero people have asked if they can get their picture taken beside it. It's a great car, it's just not that unusual. You certainly can't say the same thing about a monster truck. Seeing one on the street is like spotting a unicorn. You can't help but stare and gape, and if you're really brave, get your picture taken next to it.

5. Next to your truck, a HUMMER is an adorable little car.
Professional basketball players don't look that tall on television. The reason is that all of them are roughly the same height. There's a false sense of proportion. Car dimensions are similar, and understanding them is a matter of context. If I told you that a car was 118 inches long, that wouldn't mean anything to you. What does 118 inches really translate to in the real world anyway? The real test is to see how your truck looks next to other vehicles. If it makes a HUMMER look small and cute, then you've got a monster truck.

If you read these signs and thought, "My truck is too big, it's time for a change," fear not. It's really easy to sell your car on AutoTrader.com. If you read that list and thought, "Suddenly my current car feels very small. It's time to upgrade and upsize," fear not, we've got that covered, too. There are more than 3 million cars available for sale on AutoTrader.com, many of which are indeed large. Search for your monster truck today.