How the media can make safety worse

[p.dath]

I was riding along last night and up ahead was a Police car with the red and blues flashing, moving at a very slow speed (maybe 10 to 20 km/h) along the side of the road. Couldn't see any other vehicle about.

The first though that came to my head was, are they going to do a U-turn in front of me.

Funny that. Chances of that happening are pretty low. What I probably should have been wondering was if there was an immediate danger that the Police car was alerting me to that I couldn't see. Perhaps they were searching for someone on the side of the road. Perhaps a vehicle was down a bank I couldn't see. Perhaps there was a hazard on the road or the road service I couldn't see.

Funny how the media can change your perceptions of danger.

[Headbanger]

If the cops didn't have a habit of retarded driving resulting in injured and dead people then the media wouldn't have had anything to report.

Personally I'm very wary of poor driving by cops, Not only due to the injuries they have caused but due to the bullshit stunts I have seen them perform time and time again.

hell, I see retarded driving by the police almost every day.

[Toaster]

There is retarded driving/riding by many members of the public and KB too.

But yes everyone would think twice about a u-turning cop car and that is not a bad thing. If we slow down and prepare to react we may save our own bacon rather than being collected by the bacon themselves.

[Headbanger]

There is retarded driving/riding by many members of the public and KB too.

Definitely, Myself included. And far far too often.

[onearmedbandit]

I'm cautious of everyone, doesn't matter whether you're in a police car/ambulance/4x4/car/wheelbarrow/scooter. The media doesn't sway my opinion of who I should be wary of.

[Ixion]

You saw a vehicle behaving in a suspicious manner. You took appropriate precautions. I don't see how that means the media made safety *worse*? Surely, they made it better?

[Bad Gixxer]

I'm cautious of everyone, doesn't matter whether you're in a police car/ambulance/4x4/car/wheelbarrow/scooter. The media doesn't sway my opinion of who I should be wary of.

Exactly - I drive/ride using the "persecution complex theory". It assumes that every other F**ker on the road is out there with the sole intention to get me, no matter how harmless they look! I include grannies on their mobility scooters as well - Jeez i reckon those things should have licensed and tested drivers!!

[firefighter]

How the media can make safety worse

Dunno about that, it obviously had a good effect if the flashing lights made you slow down, and pay good attention to what the cops intentions were. In fact, it's good to know that someone does'nt fly past flashing lights and through incidents......

Sounds like the media has actually achieved something for once.

[Smifffy]

The media makes everything worse.

Now they are even saying that the "cause" of a 4 year old getting harassed was a red shirt.

BULLSHIT

The cause was the neanderthall that took umbrage at the colour red. What next? FFS!

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I'm cautious of everyone, doesn't matter whether you're in a police car/ambulance/4x4/car/wheelbarrow/scooter. The media doesn't sway my opinion of who I should be wary of.

Me too every one is out to get me anyhow so no different...

[Ixion]

I don't believe that everyone is out to get me. Only maybe 10% of the other road users. trouble is, I don't know *which* ones are the 10%.

[avgas]

Good start P.Dath now if only we can convince you that ANY car or driver can do that......you might just live.

Road is a dangerous place so long as others are on it. Doesn't matter how good your skill is.

[Mudfart]

if you have a problem with slowing down when your spidy senses tingle, get a freakin bike that accelerates back up like a mofo.
thats one reason why i ride, a bikes acceleration is second to none compared to a cage. easy peasy.

[rastuscat]

I guess the point is actually that the media influences our perceptions. Clearly it does.

I like Footrot Flats, Hagar the Horrible and Peanuts best. I've learned sooooo much from them. The rest of the media only serves to muddle facts.

So there.

[rastuscat]

Good start P.Dath now if only we can convince you that ANY car or driver can do that......you might just live.

Road is a dangerous place so long as others are on it. Doesn't matter how good your skill is.

Ironically, a road poses no danger to you if you are not on it, and by deduction, a road is dangerous as long as you are on it. Ipso facto.

Therefore, we hold the greatest ability to influence our own safety by factoring in what others do.

Deep. Scary. True.

So there.