Anti-car book in Border's motoring section
Discussion
Just on my lunchtime browse in Borders (sale on at the moment - picked up a Bill Bailey DVD and Public Enemy's greatest hits, great stuff), and did my usual flick through the motoring titles. Then what do I find?
A book entitled 'cut your car use', written by someone whose credentials amounted to the fact that she was once knocked off her bike by a car. Chapter after chapter of Speed Kills rubbish, pro-scamera propaganda, general car-hating spite, chapters about the bad points of every kind of car, environmental ranting and so on and so forth.
Now I ask you - What the
was this doing in the motoring section? Surely there's a lentilist book section? Either the place is staffed by petty activists, or a publisher somewhere is seriously taking the piss.
A book entitled 'cut your car use', written by someone whose credentials amounted to the fact that she was once knocked off her bike by a car. Chapter after chapter of Speed Kills rubbish, pro-scamera propaganda, general car-hating spite, chapters about the bad points of every kind of car, environmental ranting and so on and so forth.
Now I ask you - What the
was this doing in the motoring section? Surely there's a lentilist book section? Either the place is staffed by petty activists, or a publisher somewhere is seriously taking the piss.I have noticed, actually, that Borders aside, a lot of bookshops seem to have drastically cut their motoring content.
I partly got into cars by, as a little kid, buying books about cars. Nowadays, kids are more likely to buy anti-car books. Motoring publications aren't doing nearly as well as they used to, and books for kids about cars seem to be nonexistent.
There is social engineering afoot.
I partly got into cars by, as a little kid, buying books about cars. Nowadays, kids are more likely to buy anti-car books. Motoring publications aren't doing nearly as well as they used to, and books for kids about cars seem to be nonexistent.
There is social engineering afoot.
I don't know. I must say the staff at Borders seem to look rather lentilist - there's no uniform so they wear what they like and it's very stereotypical. Having said that, Borders motoring magazine section is unrivalled anywhere - they even have American and German mags.
Waterstones motoring sections have plummeted. Manchester has a gargantuan Waterstones and I've seen their motoring section shrink from a corner to a couple of shelves.
I am sick and tired of the sneers all round that ou get from the staff when they see what you've bought. They look at you like you've just slapped a top-shelf porn mag under their nose.
Waterstones motoring sections have plummeted. Manchester has a gargantuan Waterstones and I've seen their motoring section shrink from a corner to a couple of shelves.
I am sick and tired of the sneers all round that ou get from the staff when they see what you've bought. They look at you like you've just slapped a top-shelf porn mag under their nose.
and they wouldn't get in my way 
Well the silly thing was that it was packed full of total ignorance, basically trying not only to stop anyone driving anywhere, but also to combine truly stupid statements based entirely on stuff gleaned from government campaigns. There's a bit in it somewhere where the author says that the slower you drive, the safer you drive, and that you use least fuel when idling round town. Obviously has never seen any 'urban fuel consumption' statistics then.
Also tries to justify every single journey as replaceable by bike, bus or taxi. Now this is something I fail to understand - in this 'ideal' world, if you want to make a journey and, by chance, it's raining or windy and you've got to carry some stuff further than a few miles with any sense of urgency, you've got to bother someone else to do it - why?
The worst thing about it is that, like most ignorant anti-car attacks, it totally ignores car culture as actual culture or genuine enjoyment. I was so disgusted with its dismissive claims of cultural materialism and tired penis envy one-liners, I was careful to turn all the spines into the shelf so no-one could see it. And I sandwiched them between the various Clarkson volumes.
Also tries to justify every single journey as replaceable by bike, bus or taxi. Now this is something I fail to understand - in this 'ideal' world, if you want to make a journey and, by chance, it's raining or windy and you've got to carry some stuff further than a few miles with any sense of urgency, you've got to bother someone else to do it - why?
The worst thing about it is that, like most ignorant anti-car attacks, it totally ignores car culture as actual culture or genuine enjoyment. I was so disgusted with its dismissive claims of cultural materialism and tired penis envy one-liners, I was careful to turn all the spines into the shelf so no-one could see it. And I sandwiched them between the various Clarkson volumes.
Anyone know how many people work in the car manufacturing industry world wide? ,first and second tier part supliers, mechanics, petrol staion workers, petrol refinary workers,car salesmen. tyre fitters, tyre makers. rubber tree growers? etc,etc
what does this woman think they are all going to do to earn a living?
so when they are out of a job they can't buy mobile phones or computers so the people who make them are all F****d and on the scrap heap as well.
whos going to pay the taxes that will fund dole payments?
Did the book even talk about what would happen if we all took her advice?
what does this woman think they are all going to do to earn a living?
so when they are out of a job they can't buy mobile phones or computers so the people who make them are all F****d and on the scrap heap as well.
whos going to pay the taxes that will fund dole payments?
Did the book even talk about what would happen if we all took her advice?
I used to work in Borders in Bournemouth (as a temp in the christmas run up). And i can safely confirm that all the staff were gaurdian reading lentilista to the highest degree, extolling the virtue of a socialist anti-car society, where everyone is equal blah blah blah speed kills oooh think of the children. Thank god i got out, i justify my existense now by driving a Supra, thus exorcising the Borders days!
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