War on the motorist or media hype?
Discussion
In the light of several "news" stories recently, does anyone feel that the media are steering or creating news stories to further their own ends?
If they ARE doing this, isn't it harmful to society?
Reporting using headlines like the one I quoted in the topic title "THE WAR ON THE MOTORIST" surely engenders a response from readers who sympathise with the sentiment, and encourages them to "fight back".
This allows the media to sell more of their stories and of course increases exposure to advertising - the purpose of nearly all media outlets!
Today we have Sam Allardyce being exposed in a sting operation, supposedly claiming to be advising people how to circumvent FA rules... but it appears that the Telegraph failed to reveal the bit where Allardyce says he would have to "run the ideas past his bosses" before this could go ahead.. so a bit of a non story being used to increase the Telegraph's sales then!
So what about that war...? Take this headline from the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3804440/Th...
Is there REALLY a need for a revolving number plate?
Well if you ARE involved in a war, surely you should employ every weapon in your arsenal, whether it is legal or not? By reporting "the war", the media are guilty of making it a reality, AND offering the motorist a means of fighting back!
Of course the authorities don't help matters - they ARE keen to get drivers who speed onto courses in order to raise income cut from their budgets. Everybody is getting a cut of this lucrative pie, with the AA reporting a £194 million profit despite a slump in customers.
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article...
All those £44 fees for every driver on a SAC must add up! So far the media have been quiet on the part played by the AA in their "war", as the AA obviously advertise in the media!
The DVLA are on the front line, selling your information to parking companies to ensure that drivers are punished for transgressing the rules - it would appear that the number plate is a weak
in drivers armour - and the media are keen to report these skirmishes with parking companies who don't usually advertise in the media.
It is my assertion that we are being lied to and persecuted by many for financial gain with carefully baited traps like free parking for two hours, and media stories.
Discuss!
If they ARE doing this, isn't it harmful to society?
Reporting using headlines like the one I quoted in the topic title "THE WAR ON THE MOTORIST" surely engenders a response from readers who sympathise with the sentiment, and encourages them to "fight back".
This allows the media to sell more of their stories and of course increases exposure to advertising - the purpose of nearly all media outlets!
Today we have Sam Allardyce being exposed in a sting operation, supposedly claiming to be advising people how to circumvent FA rules... but it appears that the Telegraph failed to reveal the bit where Allardyce says he would have to "run the ideas past his bosses" before this could go ahead.. so a bit of a non story being used to increase the Telegraph's sales then!
So what about that war...? Take this headline from the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3804440/Th...
Is there REALLY a need for a revolving number plate?
Well if you ARE involved in a war, surely you should employ every weapon in your arsenal, whether it is legal or not? By reporting "the war", the media are guilty of making it a reality, AND offering the motorist a means of fighting back!
Of course the authorities don't help matters - they ARE keen to get drivers who speed onto courses in order to raise income cut from their budgets. Everybody is getting a cut of this lucrative pie, with the AA reporting a £194 million profit despite a slump in customers.
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article...
All those £44 fees for every driver on a SAC must add up! So far the media have been quiet on the part played by the AA in their "war", as the AA obviously advertise in the media!
The DVLA are on the front line, selling your information to parking companies to ensure that drivers are punished for transgressing the rules - it would appear that the number plate is a weak
in drivers armour - and the media are keen to report these skirmishes with parking companies who don't usually advertise in the media.It is my assertion that we are being lied to and persecuted by many for financial gain with carefully baited traps like free parking for two hours, and media stories.
Discuss!
There are definitely agendas at play.
I don't believe its a coincidence that as speed detection methods have proliferated - so to have councils desire to push for lower speed limits.
The governments own white paper on setting speed limits suggests that limits that are set unrealistically low will lead to a greater incidence of speeding.
If speed cameras don't make enough money enforcing existing limits - what better way to increase revenue than to reduce the limit - perhaps to unrealistic levels. Cast your net wider and you also appeal to the "won't somebody think of the children" brigade.
Hitting the motorist with VED for more desirable cars is also a vote winner. This envy tax appeals to green eyed knuckle draggers and eco mentalists alike - without actually dissuading the purchase or use of such vehicles (if somebody buys a £200k Ferrari - are they really concerned about paying £500 a year VED).
The thing is - there is little the motorist can do about any of this. Successive governments have been making policy for decades which push people more and more towards car use.
I don't believe its a coincidence that as speed detection methods have proliferated - so to have councils desire to push for lower speed limits.
The governments own white paper on setting speed limits suggests that limits that are set unrealistically low will lead to a greater incidence of speeding.
If speed cameras don't make enough money enforcing existing limits - what better way to increase revenue than to reduce the limit - perhaps to unrealistic levels. Cast your net wider and you also appeal to the "won't somebody think of the children" brigade.
Hitting the motorist with VED for more desirable cars is also a vote winner. This envy tax appeals to green eyed knuckle draggers and eco mentalists alike - without actually dissuading the purchase or use of such vehicles (if somebody buys a £200k Ferrari - are they really concerned about paying £500 a year VED).
The thing is - there is little the motorist can do about any of this. Successive governments have been making policy for decades which push people more and more towards car use.
- Privatisation of public transport has lead to less availability and large increases in cost.
- Many small towns and villages have all but lost public transport links (just look at the massive reduction in the rail network over time)
- Planning approval for large out of town retail developments has (at least in part) lead to the decline in the high street. These developments rarely have good transport links.
- Large housing developments given approval - but which have few local amenities or public transport links.
- Amenities consolidating their outlets e.g. local banks, post offices, doctors surgeries have closed and have been replaced with larger centralised branches. What may have been a 10 minute walk now takes a car journey to a town 10 miles away.
Name another activity where:
1. You are required to display a number so that you can be easily identified for punishment.
2. Fines are issued automatically.
3. Fines can be issued private companies or individuals.
3. You are required by law to incriminate yourself or others otherwise or you will punished anyway.
4. Punishments can be issued without any form of defense.
5. Local government income is dependent on catching you committing a crime.
1. You are required to display a number so that you can be easily identified for punishment.
2. Fines are issued automatically.
3. Fines can be issued private companies or individuals.
3. You are required by law to incriminate yourself or others otherwise or you will punished anyway.
4. Punishments can be issued without any form of defense.
5. Local government income is dependent on catching you committing a crime.
Well let me see. IF you drive at 33mph armed police and helicopters will chase you down and you are required to inform on yourself if you were driving, or identify who you think was driving - dobbing in a friend/family. This is all to ensure we are "safe" and don't get injured.
However IF someone actually hits you with their car, police don't give a s**t IME.
So yes it is a war on the motorist with no intention of anything other than revenue.
However IF someone actually hits you with their car, police don't give a s**t IME.
So yes it is a war on the motorist with no intention of anything other than revenue.
98elise said:
Name another activity where:
1. You are required to display a number so that you can be easily identified for punishment.
2. Fines are issued automatically.
3. Fines can be issued private companies or individuals.
3. You are required by law to incriminate yourself or others otherwise or you will punished anyway.
4. Punishments can be issued without any form of defense.
5. Local government income is dependent on catching you committing a crime.
Name another activity where:1. You are required to display a number so that you can be easily identified for punishment.
2. Fines are issued automatically.
3. Fines can be issued private companies or individuals.
3. You are required by law to incriminate yourself or others otherwise or you will punished anyway.
4. Punishments can be issued without any form of defense.
5. Local government income is dependent on catching you committing a crime.
After minimal training and zero supervision thereafter, members of the public are allowed to operate heavy and powerful pieces of machinery amongst other members of the public, an activity that results in death and harm to tens of thousands of people.
98Elise (and anyone else who thinks likewise), if there weren't sanctions of the type you mention, what do you think would happen out on the roads? I'll tell you what I think would happen if we weren't policed correctly - you wouldn't be able to drive anywhere because people would block the roads one way or another with their selfish behaviour (much more so than they do already) and the casualty rates would be horrific.
If you think those sanctions affect you negatively in any way, then I think you need to rethink; it is precisely because of those sanctions that you are free to drive as you do and as safely as you and your family are able to do.
There isn't a war on the motorist, indeed it's quite the opposite, successive governments have done all they can to ensure there is an absolute maximum of drivers and vehicles on the road. If you want to see what it's like when authorities don't do this, have a look at the lot of those who don't want to drive - they get as little facility as humanly possible within the confines of a modern society and significantly less than non drivers get elsewhere in Europe.
heebeegeetee said:
Name another activity where:
After minimal training and zero supervision thereafter, members of the public are allowed to operate heavy and powerful pieces of machinery amongst other members of the public, an activity that results in death and harm to tens of thousands of people.
98Elise (and anyone else who thinks likewise), if there weren't sanctions of the type you mention, what do you think would happen out on the roads? I'll tell you what I think would happen if we weren't policed correctly - you wouldn't be able to drive anywhere because people would block the roads one way or another with their selfish behaviour (much more so than they do already) and the casualty rates would be horrific.
If you think those sanctions affect you negatively in any way, then I think you need to rethink; it is precisely because of those sanctions that you are free to drive as you do and as safely as you and your family are able to do.
There isn't a war on the motorist, indeed it's quite the opposite, successive governments have done all they can to ensure there is an absolute maximum of drivers and vehicles on the road. If you want to see what it's like when authorities don't do this, have a look at the lot of those who don't want to drive - they get as little facility as humanly possible within the confines of a modern society and significantly less than non drivers get elsewhere in Europe.
That was a party political broadcast by the Brake party...After minimal training and zero supervision thereafter, members of the public are allowed to operate heavy and powerful pieces of machinery amongst other members of the public, an activity that results in death and harm to tens of thousands of people.
98Elise (and anyone else who thinks likewise), if there weren't sanctions of the type you mention, what do you think would happen out on the roads? I'll tell you what I think would happen if we weren't policed correctly - you wouldn't be able to drive anywhere because people would block the roads one way or another with their selfish behaviour (much more so than they do already) and the casualty rates would be horrific.
If you think those sanctions affect you negatively in any way, then I think you need to rethink; it is precisely because of those sanctions that you are free to drive as you do and as safely as you and your family are able to do.
There isn't a war on the motorist, indeed it's quite the opposite, successive governments have done all they can to ensure there is an absolute maximum of drivers and vehicles on the road. If you want to see what it's like when authorities don't do this, have a look at the lot of those who don't want to drive - they get as little facility as humanly possible within the confines of a modern society and significantly less than non drivers get elsewhere in Europe.
So is "All fair in love and war" or should motorists fight back?
Having lit the fuse, it would be nice to see the media giving fair coverage... but not a word is breathed about the cosy arrangement where drivers are urged to take a course to divert money from the treasury, and avoid points on their licence which allowed insurance companies to assess drivers risk.
Even BRAKE don't seem to have grasped the fact that drivers are using courses to avoid losing their licences and keep pushing the envelope, because the media don't highlight it for fear of alienating their sponsors in the advertising department. Even PH is not immune from that!
How about the media highlighting the lack of roads policing departments, and one sided zero tolerance and persecution of just ONE driving risk, while illegal use of foglights, middle lane hoggers, driving without due care, rampant phone use go largely undetected and unaddressed?
Having lit the fuse, it would be nice to see the media giving fair coverage... but not a word is breathed about the cosy arrangement where drivers are urged to take a course to divert money from the treasury, and avoid points on their licence which allowed insurance companies to assess drivers risk.
Even BRAKE don't seem to have grasped the fact that drivers are using courses to avoid losing their licences and keep pushing the envelope, because the media don't highlight it for fear of alienating their sponsors in the advertising department. Even PH is not immune from that!
How about the media highlighting the lack of roads policing departments, and one sided zero tolerance and persecution of just ONE driving risk, while illegal use of foglights, middle lane hoggers, driving without due care, rampant phone use go largely undetected and unaddressed?
Terminator X said:
In tandem with the rise of social media imho the "papers" have become even less aware of the "truth" than they used to be. I don't bother to read them any more and if I do catch sight of something it just gets my blood boiling given the bks being spouted.
TX.
^^^^ Exactly this. ^^^^ks being spouted.TX.
Bit of both, but from my own point of view:
I've seen more new speedcameras in the last 6 months than I have in the previous 6 years. Equally, the number of Speedbumps, 20 limits and traffic lights in the local area has ballooned - case point, it took me nearly an hour to do a 4 miles yesterday primarily because half of the routes across town have been shut to motorcars to improve... something, and another quarter are temporarily closed whilst being "improved" - with very little signage warning of the closure ahead. The traffic lights don't help either; they spend so much time on red, and so little time on green, the main roads just sit stationary continually.
Why didn't you cycle, you may ask. Simply, its no better on a bike, you're just exposed to more pollution. The roads are still shut, the speedbumps are even more annoying than in the car and the traffic lights are still red. Any improvements cyclists would have received after the centre of town was closed to cars are non-existent, owing to the fact the buses still completely jam up the streets, with little care to other road users (now that there aren't any expensive cars to hit).
I wouldn't call it the war on the motorist. More the war on movement.
I've seen more new speedcameras in the last 6 months than I have in the previous 6 years. Equally, the number of Speedbumps, 20 limits and traffic lights in the local area has ballooned - case point, it took me nearly an hour to do a 4 miles yesterday primarily because half of the routes across town have been shut to motorcars to improve... something, and another quarter are temporarily closed whilst being "improved" - with very little signage warning of the closure ahead. The traffic lights don't help either; they spend so much time on red, and so little time on green, the main roads just sit stationary continually.
Why didn't you cycle, you may ask. Simply, its no better on a bike, you're just exposed to more pollution. The roads are still shut, the speedbumps are even more annoying than in the car and the traffic lights are still red. Any improvements cyclists would have received after the centre of town was closed to cars are non-existent, owing to the fact the buses still completely jam up the streets, with little care to other road users (now that there aren't any expensive cars to hit).
I wouldn't call it the war on the motorist. More the war on movement.
You're about 100 years late in recognising how the media industry works and yes it's hugely damaging to society, but what the hell there's women in bikinis on every page...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism
William Randolph Hearst is perhaps the most interesting person in American history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism
William Randolph Hearst is perhaps the most interesting person in American history.
Jasandjules said:
Well let me see. IF you drive at 33mph armed police and helicopters will chase you down and you are required to inform on yourself if you were driving, or identify who you think was driving - dobbing in a friend/family. This is all to ensure we are "safe" and don't get injured.
However IF someone actually hits you with their car, police don't give a s**t IME.
So yes it is a war on the motorist with no intention of anything other than revenue.
This.However IF someone actually hits you with their car, police don't give a s**t IME.
So yes it is a war on the motorist with no intention of anything other than revenue.
Take the borough of lewisham, most main arterial routes (non-TFL controlled) have now been changed to 20mph zones which 1/30 cars actually adheres to creating absolute mayhem as everybody now overtakes, whereas if they were doing 30/33 - 50 as before nobody would - a lot less dangerous...
(these new 20mph zones also still have the interactive speed signs which flash speeds and a 30mph sign - which is which!?!?)
Terminator X said:
Is 20 actually a legal limit or just advisory?
TX.
No idea, some have 20 repeaters, others just have it painted on the road, some have contradictory interactive signage and others have repeaters spaced exceeding the standard 30mph/streetlight lit road intervals so it could be argued don't apply.TX.
The signs when there are the standard circular, red bordered lillipop's
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