Crash Test Dummies Stop the School Run

Today, members of the Alliance dressed as crash test dummies and vehicle safety test engineers to educate parents driving their children in large 4x4s to their Highgate schools.

The 'engineers' passed out 'test results' to 4x4 drivers to highlight the dangerous reality of their car choice. Each test result showed the EuroNCAP pedestrian safety test scores of their model.

A member of Roadpeace joined us for the morning's event, and informed us that it was important what we were doing, as a significant number of fatalities occur on the school run.

You can see more of the morning's action online. We were filmed by Friction.tv, a new online news channel trying to bring in debate about current issues. What could be more appropriate than the inappropriateness of large luxury 4x4s on a school run?

What is a 'Guzzle of 4x4 Drivers'?

The Independent today posted the results of a competition for new collective nouns.

One of them is: A guzzle of 4x4 drivers. As in: "The narrow road beside the school was entirely blocked by a guzzle of 4x4 drivers picking up their children." (Winner: Matthew Balmforth)

Explaining further about 4x4 drivers, the Independent states,'These are today's latest villains, and many people are keen to pigeonhole them as self-satisfied, inconsiderate, and environmental polluters in the extreme.'

'The winning word, which was suggested by a considerable number of people,manages to combine punchy impact with a sense of profligate consumption. An arrogance of 4x4 drivers was the second most-popular term. Others included: a pollution; an emission; a carbonation; a choke; an annoyance; an infuriation; a belligerence; an indifference; a menace; a smog; a smugness; a self-justification; an aloof; an insolence; a bombast; an inconsideration; a burberry; a Chelsea (as in the tractor); a Clarkson (as in Jeremy); a school run (popular but a bit obvious).

Alliance Joins the London Naked Bike Ride

 

 

 

Old Landies Not Up To The Challenge in War Zones

Well, it seems that the old Land Rovers aren't up to the challenge in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now they are stopping soldiers using Land Rovers in combat after reports that the 4x4 vehicles have overturned 100 times - without being in a collision.

A Real 4x4 Driver Complains About Posers

We have been receiving complaints from legitimate 4x4 owners for a while now. In fact, a lot of farmers actually support our campaign. This letter arrived this morning:

"Dear 4x4,
The majority of these vehicles are driven by agressive females aged 30-50, of which the tractor forms part of the bling lifestyle along with food shopping at M&S & Waitrose.

The one thing I do notice however is that well over 95% of these don't sport a towbar!,so what the hell are they used for? I am shortly to own a 4x4, but it is a second vehicle with the sole function of towing a caravan & boat off road. If these vehicles were purchased for their primary use then we would not see so many of these tractors on the school run and the need for you to campaign so vigorously."