"In response to David Dorn who gets so upset about my use of the term
speedophile. Perhaps he should consider why the harms of speeding could be
compared with the harms of paedophilia? [...]Any resonance there? "
In answer - no, none. The term has been coined spitefully and
cynically - and should not be used by anyone seeking to be taken
seriously.
Next: On underpasses...
Let me reiterate for JDW that the safest roads in the UK are
motorways and non-urban dual carriageways. It is noticeable that
pedestrians and cyclists are not allowed to use them. The "strand of
thought" is that roads are inherently dangeorus, and that in a collison, a
ten stone single woman is no match for a ton and a half of steel and
aluminium. If JDW is seriously interested in reducing the casualty
figures, then surely he must acknowledge that a degree of segregation of
the two might just help? Or is he just anti-car? (as well as being anti-
war)
Perhaps his last paragraph more clearly demonmstrates his stance:
"They steal space from pedestrians and cyclists"
Pedestrians have the vast majority of the country to walk freely upon
- successive regimes have pedestrianised more and more of our cities,
releasing more and more space for pedestrians and cyclists.
"Cars kill through air pollution. "
Buses and trains emit much more pollution than cars
"They are the biggest cause of noise pollution. "
Depends where you live - in my neck of the woods, crows cause more
noise.
"Road transport is the fastest growing contribution to climate change
emissions. "
Or, depending on what you read, the most controlled and decreasing
emitter of CO2
"They promote sprawled living that destroys communities and denies
access to amenities for non car owners. "
No - people do that of their own accord because they don't want to
live in cities.
"Oil production for motorvehicles is a major cause of environmental
damage, war, civil war and corruption. "
Sounds like propaganda to me
"Car production and use consumes vast amounts of resources and land
that could be used for agriculture, recreation, health or other life
promoting ends. "
and more propaganda - but in my neck of the woods is a major provider
of jobs. And JDW may well notice that agriculture in this country doesn't
suffer from land being filched from farmers.
"Does this suggest to David why cars ruin our lives? "
No, but it does suggest that you are anti-car, and, if I read you
correctly, anti a lot of other things, too - indeed, that you're probably
an activist of sorts. However, none of that gives you - or anyone else -
the right to try to equate car drivers witrh child molesters. None of it.
Rapid Response:
In reply to James D Woodcock
James D Woodcock said:
"In response to David Dorn who gets so upset about my use of the term speedophile. Perhaps he should consider why the harms of speeding could be compared with the harms of paedophilia? [...]Any resonance there? "
In answer - no, none. The term has been coined spitefully and cynically - and should not be used by anyone seeking to be taken seriously.
Next: On underpasses...
Let me reiterate for JDW that the safest roads in the UK are motorways and non-urban dual carriageways. It is noticeable that pedestrians and cyclists are not allowed to use them. The "strand of thought" is that roads are inherently dangeorus, and that in a collison, a ten stone single woman is no match for a ton and a half of steel and aluminium. If JDW is seriously interested in reducing the casualty figures, then surely he must acknowledge that a degree of segregation of the two might just help? Or is he just anti-car? (as well as being anti- war)
Perhaps his last paragraph more clearly demonmstrates his stance:
"They steal space from pedestrians and cyclists"
Pedestrians have the vast majority of the country to walk freely upon - successive regimes have pedestrianised more and more of our cities, releasing more and more space for pedestrians and cyclists.
"Cars kill through air pollution. "
Buses and trains emit much more pollution than cars
"They are the biggest cause of noise pollution. "
Depends where you live - in my neck of the woods, crows cause more noise.
"Road transport is the fastest growing contribution to climate change emissions. "
Or, depending on what you read, the most controlled and decreasing emitter of CO2
"They promote sprawled living that destroys communities and denies access to amenities for non car owners. "
No - people do that of their own accord because they don't want to live in cities.
"Oil production for motorvehicles is a major cause of environmental damage, war, civil war and corruption. "
Sounds like propaganda to me
"Car production and use consumes vast amounts of resources and land that could be used for agriculture, recreation, health or other life promoting ends. "
and more propaganda - but in my neck of the woods is a major provider of jobs. And JDW may well notice that agriculture in this country doesn't suffer from land being filched from farmers.
"Does this suggest to David why cars ruin our lives? "
No, but it does suggest that you are anti-car, and, if I read you correctly, anti a lot of other things, too - indeed, that you're probably an activist of sorts. However, none of that gives you - or anyone else - the right to try to equate car drivers witrh child molesters. None of it.
Competing interests: None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests