Victims of upholstery
IN last Friday's Express your columns described Richard Peace as being 'bike mad'.
Even if Richard doesn't resent this appellation, I do.
In reality, we are just two sane people in an insane society – a society which is car mad and as unwilling to give up on its heavy metal fix as a junkie who knows his next score could be fatal. And fatal it is in so many cases.
Motor vehicle crashes are the biggest single factor in the deaths of older teenage males, not just in the UK, Europe, the USA, but in the whole world.
They are not accidents, as we know the causes of more than 90 per cent of such incidents.
Aviation investigates every mishap and acts to prevent recurrence. Motor users simply bury their heads in the sand and carry on regardless!
Despite political quick fixes like setting the bar of 'environmentally friendly' way too low, the private motor car produces a major share of the pollution our environment absorbs.
Converting the ores of iron into a car uses vast amounts of coal plus vast amounts of energy to 'xcrack' oil to make tyres and plastic parts.
Yes, tyres are now made from oil. And much of the reinforcement fabrics are oil-based too.
Used tyres are themselves a major disposal problem, as are the foams in car seats.
Few of the fatalities in car fires die of the fire, most are victims of the upholstery.
It would help if the self-image of the average user was true.
But, most readers who drive will have avoided the article upon eco-driving as of no concern of theirs; while continuing with their profligate habits.
Simple fact – if every driver were half as good as they believe they are, there would be significantly fewer crashes.
And I can tell the ability of the average driver by how their motor is parked – the majority very badly parked.
Bill Houlder,
Willow Park,
Pontefract
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Weather for Wakefield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
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