[David9694]

A new catch-all Tea Shop thread for those miscellaneous new stories that don’t quite fit with parking, crashing into buildings or trapped/prisoners in their homes. 

Topic

[essexian]

Oh Hi Loser. Back again with

Oh Hi Loser. 

Half term I see. 

[hawkinspeter]

Sriracha wrote:

Sriracha wrote:

Well, it’s not just a human thing. That loveable Labrador turns into a snarling attack-dog if you try to pet it through the open window of its car.

I don’t even know why they’re allowed to drive

[Sriracha]

The big question then: is it

Cugel wrote:

The big question then: is it just human nature or is there something about cars that hugely amplifies many of the nastier aspects of human nature whilst suppressing the nicer?

Well, it’s not just a human thing. That loveable Labrador turns into a snarling attack-dog if you try to pet it through the open window of its car.

[hawkinspeter]

Cugel wrote:

The big question then: is it just human nature or is there something about cars that hugely amplifies many of the nastier aspects of human nature whilst suppressing the nicer?

Is it that the car itself is an inherently dangerous thing, because of its power and complexity of function, making cars not truly suited to the very limited abilities of humans to control such powerful and complex technology?

What about the culture of the manufacturers and purveyors, who realise that certain nasty aspects of human nature alloyed with the powerful nature of the car, provide an opportunity to sell more via the design and portrayal of the things as “weapons of choice” for go-getting thrusters-about not allowed guns or blunt instruments of more obvious intent?

**********

Well, some leading questions there!  🙂

But without understanding all the factors that make driving motorised vehicles such a dangerous and damaging phenomenon, how do we ever solve all the pressing problems they create?

I think there’s an ego-inflation issue as drivers think of the car as being an extension of themselves (which makes sense so that our brains treat distances and gaps appropriately). This leads to some drivers treating any bump against their vehicle as a personal attack upon themselves and respond with anger or fear (fight or flight response) despite it obviously not causing any pain or danger. There’s probably a big contribution from the large cost of some cars and certainly the “prestige” brands tend to have very poor drivers.

There’s a big problem with drivers who treat making progress as a sign of their competence, virility or power and this can lead to them acting like a toddler when they encounter a delay which often results in an emotional breakdown – most commonly anger.

Another emotional problem that most drivers face is frustration with being stuck in traffic. The best drivers are usually the ones that learn how to deal with that in a calm manner and hopefully without resorting to using their phone to escape the boredom.

Also, the car advertisements don’t help as they’re selling a dream of carefree driving along empty roads, typically in forests or mountain-sides, and that hardly matches up with the usual scenario of being stuck in a line of vehicles in a dirty urban environment whilst breathing in fumes and pollution from the rest of the traffic.

[brooksby]

Cugel wrote:

The big question then: is it just human nature or is there something about cars that hugely amplifies many of the nastier aspects of human nature whilst suppressing the nicer?

Modern cars are, I think, seen as an extension of people’s houses.  I think they turn people into the annoying dog which sits by its gate and barks at everyone who goes past, just to remind them not to even think about going into its territory.

[Cugel]

David9694 wrote:

“2000” posts in Drivers and Their Problems.

The problems drivers create for others, the problems they (and only they) experience.  It’s all in here, people made self-centred and self-pitying by cars – the waves of hope, freedom and independence crashing against the rocks of traffic jams and parking charges. 

Self-pity because despite having so much of the world, its space and resource has been dedicated to them over the past few decades, some drivers are convinced they are an underdog, a war on cars. 

Self-centred because everything and everyone else is the problem, it’s never them. The road is narrow and icy, it’s flooded, cyclists and horse riders are using it, the car park is full. 

Cars breed still more cars as cars close down and suck the life out of all the alternatives. You can’t unsee it. 

The big question then: is it just human nature or is there something about cars that hugely amplifies many of the nastier aspects of human nature whilst suppressing the nicer?

Is it that the car itself is an inherently dangerous thing, because of its power and complexity of function, making cars not truly suited to the very limited abilities of humans to control such powerful and complex technology?

What about the culture of the manufacturers and purveyors, who realise that certain nasty aspects of human nature alloyed with the powerful nature of the car, provide an opportunity to sell more via the design and portrayal of the things as “weapons of choice” for go-getting thrusters-about not allowed guns or blunt instruments of more obvious intent?

**********

Well, some leading questions there!  🙂

But without understanding all the factors that make driving motorised vehicles such a dangerous and damaging phenomenon, how do we ever solve all the pressing problems they create?

[Left_is_for_Losers]

essexian wrote:

I avoid the lake at all costs since I was one of the morons 

Sounds about right

[David9694]

“2000” posts in Drivers and

“2000” posts in Drivers and Their Problems.

The problems drivers create for others, the problems they (and only they) experience.  It’s all in here, people made self-centred and self-pitying by cars – the waves of hope, freedom and independence crashing against the rocks of traffic jams and parking charges. 

Self-pity because despite having so much of the world, its space and resource has been dedicated to them over the past few decades, some drivers are convinced they are an underdog, a war on cars. 

Self-centred because everything and everyone else is the problem, it’s never them. The road is narrow and icy, it’s flooded, cyclists and horse riders are using it, the car park is full. 

Cars breed still more cars as cars close down and suck the life out of all the alternatives. You can’t unsee it. 

[essexian]

I avoid the lake at all costs

I avoid the lake at all costs since I was one of the morons who did £800 worth of damage to my previous BMW…. needed new lights which aren’t just a new bulb as in the good old days. The only car I thought suitable was the Land Rover. The rest just risked it and got lucky!

[David9694]

File under W for ‘wait til

File under W for ‘wait til you hear about cars’:

Letter: Dangerous e-scooters ‘should be discontinued’, Bath local says

“The new contract has not yet resulted in any improvement in eliminating the dangerous, thoughtless and anti-social abandonment of bikes”

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-news/letter-dangerous-e-scooters-should-8843179

[David9694]

Whoovians to the left of me,

Whoovians to the left of me, Whovians to the right…

[David9694]

…and largely getting away

…and largely getting away with it – no sale, except maybe the cyclist at 20′. 

[David9694]

Driver fumes as Euro Car

Driver fumes as Euro Car Parks issue fine for flooded car park 

How was I to know there was flooding? No-.pone told me and there’s been nothing on the news.  My car was ruined in their car park, I couldn’t move it if I tried, it’s affecting my mental health, I need my car for my job yet still they fine me £60. I’m prepared to go to court over this. 

[essexian]

Or there….

Or there….

[essexian]

You can’t leave your car

You can’t leave your car there mate…..Flooding in Stafford. 

[Author]

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