Cars
I know I set out with this blog intending to tell you about solutions around the home. However, I know that besides a bed, another great annoyance for the taller than average person is, in fact, not in the home, but just outside.
Namely, the car. Buying a car is time consuming, costly, and often difficult. If you are in the market for a second hand or cheap car, your only option may be to trawl from dealership to dealership and try vehicles. Car shows may be an option, if you are willing to slug it out to find the perfect fit. This is what you had to do before the internet, anyway.
My family once went to (what shall remained an unnamed) car dealership about 13 years ago to purchase a car. Keep in mind, that my family consists of 4 persons, now ranging from 186cm (6f1) to 203cm (6f8). At the time, us kids were probably slightly shorter than we are now, but we were clearly on our way to be very tall.
The saleswoman recommended a certain car to my father, who found himself quite comfortable when the driver’s seat was pushed as far back as it would go. Unfortunately, when all the way back, there was about 7cm (2.7″) of leg room for the back seat. The sales woman’s reaction?
“Well, the kids’ won’t be in the car all the time, will they?”
Needless to say, she made no sale that day. We did, in fact, resort to buying an American car to fit us all, reiterating something I already knew, namely that they make everything bigger over there. Even the new Mini Cooper is wider and longer in the States. So for the American reader, that is great news.
The tall American reader has yet another benefit, though: The Auto Channel has created the TACH Bodystyle Database, called the TACH Compar-A-Graph. This handy tool allows the customer to a break down the measurements of all car models sold in the US! For you tall people, that means headroom and legroom front, headroom and legroom rear (and many other specifications, like price).
In other words, based on this database, you may be able to determine at least which dealership to start with. You will still probably have to try several cars to find the perfect fit, but at least you have a starting point.
For other countries, this database is less useful, considering that the same make and model may in fact, like in the case of the Mini, have completely different specifications at your local dealership.
Remember, though, that you should also check how much space there is in the footwell. Tall often also means big feet, which again means big shoes. You should comfortably be able to swap between accelerator and break without risking to press them both.
And there are many more things to consider. Scoot over to The Height Site to see their Tall Driver’s Buying Guide.
Good luck! And do leave a comment if you are particularly happy about your car, for others to see.
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Good News!
Great news from the world of science. In a recent paper published by A. Deaton and R. Arora, it was found that the view from the top is in fact making us tall people happier.
That’s right: tall people are, apparently, happier than our shorter counter parts. Who would have thought. I think this merrits the invention of a new cocktail… Suggestions gladly taken.
Hat Tip: Marginal Revolution
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Beds for tall people
Being tall means that there are many things that you will have trouble fitting into, onto, under, etc. And one of the major gripes will be finding a bed! I have done some of the legwork for you in this post, in order for you to find the best solution for you. I have only discussed adult sized beds, as kids can sleep in them, too. I have to warn you up front; if you are sick of your tiny toes sticking over the edge of the bed, you will have to dish out some mullah.
However, when you consider that if you manage to fit in your recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, that means you sleep 1/3 of your adult life, so investing in a good bed may not be such a bad idea. And the sleep you do fit in supports whatever you do for the rest of the day! So let’s discuss beds.
To me, it seems intuative that, for example, for a man who stands 2 metres tall (almost 6’7”), a bed that measures 203 cm (80”, or 6’8”) is just not going to crack it.
Tip 1: If you cannot afford a long bed, make sure there are no footboards on the beds you purchase. This is especially important for those pesky teenagers that just seem to never stop growing.
Tip 2: Find out what is comfortable for you. I have been unable to find any official guidelines from any the Chiropractic Associations as to how long a bed should be, but my recommendation is that you should make sure that you are comfortable. I have met people that don’t sleep well unless their feet stick out of the end of the bed, because that is what they have been used to their whole lives. That’s fine. But if you do not wish to spend 1/3 of your life not fitting into your own furniture, keep reading.
When I went bed shopping for the first time in my life as a young teenager, my mother (who is a physiotherapist by trade) recommended that for a comfortable night’s sleep, you should add 20 cm (almost 8″) to the height of the tallest person sleeping in the bed to obtain a reasonable length.
In other words, for the man in my above example, a mattress needs to be
200 cm + 20 cm = 220 cm long (6’7” + 8” = 7’3”, or 87”)
Here is the crux: Normal mattress lengths in the US range from 191 cm (75”) for ‘normal’ twins and doubles, 203 cm (80”) for XL twins, doubles, Queens and Kings. The California King is the longest regularly available mattress at 213 cm (84”). (Some ‘novelty’ sizes are available). In the UK, 191 cm (75”) and 198 cm (78”) are the standard mattress sizes. In Australia, standard mattress sizes range from 188 cm (74”) to 203cm (80”). In Europe, the standard is 200 cm (78.7″) and in Asia (based on Thai information), it seems 198 com (78″) is the norm.
So, you will have to consider having a mattress made. And having a mattress made is not cheap. Having a bed made to that mattress is not cheap, either. And you will need a doona (blanket, duvee, or whatever you choose to call these things) which is longer, as well. And no normal sheets will fit your bed. Basically, the only ‘normal’ thing you will be able to buy at a normal rate, is your pillow.
So do your research, and do it well. Here is a secret: check the interweb.
In the US, a marvellous store called Tall Paul’s Tall Mall can handle your orders online for beds, sheets mattresses and the like (even futons!). And they have come up with my personal favourite for a cheaper solution for the tall ‘problem’: The extend-a-bed! This means you can make any bed longer from 139.95 for singles to 199.95 for king sized beds. They do of course also cater for actual whole-length beds and mattresses, (80”, 84”, 90” and even 96” – 203 cm up to almost 244 cm) or they can custom build one for you. Check them out.
In Australia, Makinmattresses (turn your sound off before going, unless you are particularily fond of their jingle) can custom make their beds for you. You can go to any store, find the mattress that is comfy for you, and add springs to it. They can also build bed frames for you. No sheets, though.
There are also custom made, or ‘build-your-bed’ sites on the interweb which are based in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. For a large purchase like this one, it is worth asking around, researching on the internet and finding your best deal. Go to your local bedding store, and ask them to give you quotes. Rember to check delivery costs as well.
Tip 3: With doona’s, you can buy cheap blankets after winter during the sales. What we ended up doing for our bed was buy a king size doona, and twist it 90 degrees on the bed. That solved our problem of doona covers, because we could still just purchase them in stores and online, instead of having them custom made.
If a king-size doona is still too short for you, you may want to refer to Tall Paul and see what he can offer in that department.
Tip 4: Find sheets online. The biggest problem for our bed was the sheets, because I could not find cloth wide enough to make it myself, and it is just not comfortable to have pleats in the sheet. We spent a lot of time covering as much of the mattress with a flat sheet, which was okay as a temporary solution, but not great in the long term. Luckily, we have now found a place in Vietnam that can sow sheets for us for 12 USD per sheet, to our measurements, which is great. There should be plenty of places where you can order custom made sheets, though, so, check what’s available near you. If you cannot find it elsewhere, Tall Paul’s seems the place to be.
Well, I hope this was of some help to you. More tall solutions for your home next week!
A softer world
What a wonderful sentiment:
Hat tip: A Softer World Web Comic
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Heights around the World
A few facts to start off with:
Height is largely a hereditary factor, which means that growing tall is in your genes, if one or both your parents are tall, you are likely to be tall as well.
It is, however, also generally accepted that as populations grow richer, they will be able to afford better nutritionand health care throughout their lives, and, due to having all the beneficial nutrients, vitamins and other goodies while being in their formative years, children will grow taller, thus increasing the average height of the country as a whole. This will explain that richer populations are taller than poor populations, even if they have the same or a similar gene pool.
Men are on average taller than women, because women tend to hit puberty at an earlier age than men, and they therefore finish developing earlier as well.
The study of height is known as Auxology.
The Netherlands has the tallest average population in the world (for an entire country). However, the peoples of the Dinaric Alps are in actual fact even taller. In Africa, certain tribes, such as the Masai, Dinka and Tutsi are also known for their height.
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Being Tall
Alright, so being tall is wonderful. At least, I quite like it. But there are many problems that come with being tall (or any other body shape that converges from ‘normal’). I will therefore endeavour to write this blog to make your life as a tall person a little easier.
I have been meaning to start this blog for a long time, but never did. But today is a good a day as any, right? So here goes!
My Tall Tale 