Feminism through dangerous driving
Thursday July 05 2007
It reinforced my view that driving in this country is seen in completely the wrong way.
In most countries a car is considered a mode of transport, not a weapon of sophistication. Before I go further, I must comment on those television ads that appear to promote "weaving" at high speed.
Our attitude to drink is much the same as that concerning driving.
As this woman was so kind as to put into words, driving is about making a point, a "statement". Indeed it may be more than coincidence I thought, listening to this woman talking about "never being stuck behind a male motorist", that women in Ireland are now showing that they can disgrace themselves more than the guys when it comes to binge - drinking, as well as promoting feminism through dangerous driving.
Children grow up on a feed of beer-sponsored activities and then get legless at the first opportunity.
Similarly, a diet of reckless car-advertising promotes the idea of speed or dangerous driving (and I don't care whether it's depicted on a beach or a road, the message shines through) and a young lad gets his first car and thinks that this is the way to drive.
The most sickening aspect of the whole sorry mess we call "driving" in this country is how death on our roads has become not only a point of profit and vested interests, but political.
An industry which can go from "loss making" to €250m profit in one year is pretty remarkable. <BR>I am talking about the insurance industry.
Similarly, statistics from any such group are laughable.
The RSA and the NSC only quote statistics which suit vested interests (and which are mainly from vested interests). A doubling up of the National Safety Council in the form of the Road Safety Authority does provide extra well-paid jobs though.
It is time that the four out of five households who own cars in Ireland and who get screwed and insulted at every turn represent themselves.
Vested interests and politicians are never going to change anything.
Nor are people who try to sell dangerous driving to the public.
ANTHONY HALPIN, HERBERT ROAD, BRAY, CO WICKLOW
