BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

As having just watched this, I will reiterate that this video can be VERY GRAPHIC & DISTURBING for sensitive people... regardless, do watch, share, and PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY

Graphic is a bit of an understatement. still I think everyone who should have to watch this to get a licnese. Justsaying

This just reassures me what an excellent and convenient means of transportation the automobile is. Maybe we just need more roads. Drive on America, Drive on, It's your right, no, it's your duty.

Agreed, all drivers training classes should show videos such as this. Some would be up in arms about it being "graphic" and "scare tactics", but unlike political rants, this actually ISN'T scare tactics... it's actually what can easily happen if you drive recklessly or irresponsibly.

I feel like it's a fine time to recall Iris Murdoch's quote:

"The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart."

The most civilized and efficient, I often get comments from motorists, friends even. They equate my decision to cycle as a choice. As if I don't drive because perhaps I'm monetarily incapable of doing so. To me it's like saying to a Jew. You don't work on Saturday, probably just lazy. Muslims don't eat pork, I guess they don't like it. It's no longer a choice, It's not recreation. It's a way of life and no I don't need a ride, I have three and they don't kill people and destroy the environment.

I found the few scenes that could be actual footage to be educational - they show how fast a life changes.

I found the staged sets - that is, almost all of it - to be just irritating.

What would be effective, but will never happen while automotive companies fund advertising (or the Ford Foundation funds PBS) is to have the heartbreaking car accident stories that happen - every day - to make it to the news.

Consider that in September of 2001, more Americans died from car accidents than from terrorism. One was just business as normal, though.

Wow. I'm with Mick, the real footage was incredible, and enough. The staged scenes actually detracted from the message. I did like the kind of "grand finale". Some version of this should definitely make it on to American TV.

+1 timito.

It doesn't so much bother me when people misunderstand my motives, or claim _I_ can't do what I do, as much as it bothers me that they don't recognize that they are capable of the same decision I made.

I point out the woman who blogs in Alaska - she commutes by bike year round. In Alaska.

I point out the SINGLE mother of THREE who is car free in... I think it's Raleigh. She replaced a minivan with a bicycle, and still got her kids to soccer practice.

and still they don't see it as an option for themselves, let alone anything more than an option. Ok, I lied, it really does bug me when people try to argue with me to get me to keep a car.

I took driver's Ed through AAA in the city in 1999, they showed some pretty graphic accident photos. I'd say it was 75% accident photos and statistics and scare tactics, 25% "these are the rules you have to follow".

To add to my previous statement, though, I don't think it would make a damn bit of difference in the amount or the way people drive if a psa like that flooded the airwaves. People are incredible at denial. Look at all we know about smoking now, the number of people who still smoke astounds me.

Some British study found that there is a pretty specific threshold, numbers of deaths, where people become concerned about safety. As things become safer, people become less concerned, so the number of deaths just floats around that threshold. In other words, some amount of death is acceptable. As long as it's not them.

People are incredible at denial. If I proposed a business model that was as ridiculously wasteful as the automobile and it's supporting infrastructure, an idea which could even promote international conflict.

I assure you I would not have a job and my colleagues may even question my sanity, certainly they would wonder what the hell I was smoking to come up with such an inefficient idea.

Yet here it is, the auto, 4000 lbs of oil consuming, polluting, death dealing, machinery.

I hear "How can old people get around they're to feeble to ride a bike". Not to feeble to get behind the wheel though, slap a handicap tag on that SUV and roll on. Don't forget your glasses, phone and cane.

ugh i see this stuff working at a hospital. the ICU is my least favorite place to be.

on a side note, i was returning from a doctor's appt today going south on 279. some douche in a black BMW was flying (had to have been doing at least 85), cutting in and out of traffic, passing on the right, just trying to get through traffic as fast as possible. all i could think about is how dangerous it was. about 5 minutes later, he was pulled over by a cop. hopefully he gets so many points that his license gets suspended or he drives slower in fear of getting too many points.