They need longer cords on all vacs.

Oh, isn't that the truth!!! The people who make them obviously never use them, or they would know that when one is vacuuming out ones vehicle, one needs to do so from both sides. Try pulling the vac around a truck dragging an extension cord!

They must only use it in a big empty room........

On kitchen appliances, too. Manufacturers claim it's a safety feature to have short cords, but I'm sure it's really to sell extension cords. If safety was their point, they wouldn't set us up for situations like Happy's and mine. My old vacuum had a cord long enough to cover a room. My new one has to be replugged to finish the job. Same with my toaster. Very irritating, and it's because they're saving money on cords and calling it safety. They're cheap liars.

Stiff rubber band around one cord, just beyond the plug.
Cross-over with the rubber band to hold it in place.
Other end around the other cord, just beyond the plug.
Plug in the connectors.
___________________
Screw a hook (or two) into the ceiling.
Put the cord into the hook - keeps it off of the floor.

Cords work better/safer when not earthbound - helps in forestalling fires should they spark where travelling through/under/around papers, cardboard boxes, flammable "residue"/(trash), etc. - so it's a "safety feature", as well.
That's important for extension cords in routine use, as well: that is, keeping them away from paper, residue, rugs, etc. ... (but not including the earlier recommendation of hanging them from the ceiling).

(always willing to be helpful) o j

In California, I believe the Electrical Code calls for an outlet within 6' of an entrance to a room, then more outlets every 6' unless a wall is less than 4' wide. If the electrical outlets meet the code, you may have to do a lot of plugging/unplugging/replugging, but at least you'd get the job done. :-)

lindsey, over a long kitchen counter, I think the outlets need to be no more than 4 feet apart, so that any place on the counter is no more than 2 feet (horizontally) from a plug. There are other requirements too. Anyway, short cords on kitchen appliances are safer.

On other items, cords are short to save costs.

When using an extension cord that gets moved around. you can prevent a pull-apart using a knot technique. Pretend you are tying your shoes or making a square knot with the two cord ends. Do the first loop. Then instead of doing the second loop, plug the two wire ends together. Now, when there's a tug on the wire, it will pull the loop of the "knot", not the connection.

Extension cords are perfectly safe on the ground, unless the ground is damp. For safety, be sure to use a cord of adequate gauge (wire thickness) to cover the wattage of what you are connecting to it.

Not much different than the time I spend now going back to find where I'm snagged. I bought some cover things but they get caught, too. It's the big blob that catches on everything as I'm pulling the cord behind me. I've been saying I'm going to cut the cord shorter and put a different plug on it. Need to do it! It's not brain surgery.

My Sears shopvac has a 20' cord and a 21' hose attachment. You get a lot more for $119 versus $29.

My new Dyson has a 35' cord....for only $279...you can have a cord that's long enough! joking...you'd think they could do better....geez