My letter to the editor:
I understand this was an opinion piece, but as a journalist myself, I could hardly force myself to read it--except I was shocked and angry enough that I had to. Aside from Dawn Mathews' metaphor-laden rhetoric, her article showed a serious lack of analytical thought.
She mentions that car manufacturers try to "seduce" or "trick" people into thinking they need a fast car. Well, the bulk of people who WANT a fast car are going to be LOOKING for one . . . not being hoodwinked into changing their mind from a nice practical Echo or Metro.
Also, the "fast" cars currently on the market are more and more safe with each passing year . . . have you (or has Dawn) ever driven a 1960s-era muscle car? 400 horsepower, 450 ft-lbs of torque, rear wheel drive, manual steering, drum brakes . . . and 30+ year old suspension, handling, steering and aerodynamic technology. And yet the young people of that generation somehow survived to adulthood.
Finally, she insults her readers by assuming they take the car commercials as fact! How many of us believe what we see on TV? Even the most naive watcher, by the time they are of an age to be shopping for a car, understands a.) "professional driver shown on a closed course," b.) digital imagery enhancement, and c.) HYPERBOLE in advertising. Anyone who takes any advertisement for literal fact needs help--they must be the same people who believe you can drop a pallet of cinderblocks in the bed of a Tundra without buckling it or win a drag race in a pickup with a loaded trailer behind it against a 'Cuda or pass Porsches on a windy canyon in an SUV while pulling a boat.
How can we blame the manufacturer? They are trying to sell a product, just like every company out there. You can't hold the consumer responsible for what they decide, of their own free will, to do with the product they have purchased. Just like it's always the gun's fault when someone is shot, not the person holding it? How long can we keep blaming our actions on inanimate objects?
People like Dawn need to look for ways to correct a growing problem, not point fingers at blameless entities. Maybe driver's education needs to be more in depth, or more stringent at exam time. Maybe more tax money needs to be spent on keeping road conditions safe and safety markings in good repair. Maybe parents need to impress, or scare, their kids into understanding what a huge responsibility driving is (mine certainly did!). Don't go around blaming everyone--we need to take responsibility, not whine that "somebody TRICKED me.".
It really all boils down to the fact that people are quite stupid. And it's very hard to legislate intellegence.
Originally posted by jmics19067
IEvery driver seat should be mounted out on the front bumper. Just set the person who is in control out in the open like some Aztec sacrifice. You have two things going for you ; no such thing as a false sense of security and natural selection for the few that can't respect it.
Originally posted by Okiewan
[B
The "wave out" is common practice up north. [/B]
Originally posted by Okiewan
I find it funny that people say northerners are rude drivers. Sorry... they are a lot more rude here.
Originally posted by XRpredator
EUREKA!
We just build all cars out of Nerf! :yeehaw: Imagine all the lives we'll save, and everyone will just bounce off each other! Heck, we can put up taller barricades on the highways and driving will be like bumper bowling! We won't even have to worry about steering any more!
pure genius . . . :thumb:
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