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 flyingrose rated 14 months ago - The difference is FEAR - what are YOU more afraid of: dying in a car accident, terrorism, or bird flu? Release the FEAR (False Expectations Appearing Real) of terrorism and bird flu and change our world.
From the page: "Traffic deaths are the fastest-rising cause of death in the world. Yet...
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8 Reviews
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- yakercat rated 13 months ago
- DAMN!!! . . . truth hurts.
- flyingrose rated 14 months ago
- The difference is FEAR - what are YOU more afraid of: dying in a car accident, terrorism, or bird flu? Release the FEAR (False Expectations Appearing Real) of terrorism and bird flu and change our world.
From the page: "Traffic deaths are the fastest-rising cause of death in the world. Yet you've heard far more about H5N1 avian influenza, which has killed 192 people worldwide since being detected five years ago, than about the 6 million people who have died in traffic accidents in the same period. Last year alone, 1.2 million people were killed on the world's roads, versus about 100,000 dead as a result of combat. The last decade is believed to be the first time in history that roads posed a greater danger to human beings than fighting (which is partly a reflection of the decline of war). "
- FreqWiz rated 14 months ago
- Traffic deaths are the fastest-rising cause of death in the world. Yet you've heard far more about H5N1 avian influenza, which has killed 192 people worldwide since being detected five years ago, than about the 6 million people who have died in traffic accidents in the same period. Last year alone, 1.2 million people were killed on the world's roads, versus about 100,000 dead as a result of combat. The last decade is believed to be the first time in history that roads posed a greater danger to human beings than fighting (which is partly a reflection of the decline of war).
- innovatorAU rated 14 months ago
- Interesting but true viewpoint. much if what the media focuses on is sensationalist, but if we are concerned with human lives these are not the issues.
Deaths due to obesity, traffic accidents, drug-related deaths, diabetes, cancer, heart diseas and other causes are far more common.
Yet we focus primarily on those things we are LEAST able to control like outside threats such as terrorism. We (and many media) focus on what we cannot control.
Christopher
 goanna300 rated 14 months ago- Road kill
LA TimesBy By Gregg Easterbrook
August 5, 2007
"Why are we so worried about terrorism when so many more people are dying on our highways?"
Damn! Why let the truth spoil such a good story?
Contrary to the writer's aspersions, USA road statics indicate increasing traffic* has yielded no increase in road deaths in the past few years.
*Traffic is more congested: a growing population of people are driving far more cars over more miles over the same roads.
How do you explain this net decline in road deaths?
(2001: 42,196, 2002: 43,005, 2003:42,884, 2004:42,636).
Well, not difficult really - the science of road safety hasn't gone backwards; if you're wondering how there are fewer deaths, just blame speed restrictions, ABS, better tyres, etc for fewer accidents happening.
- Then when there is an accident, we have passive safety features like air bags, crumple zones, etc. Witnesses use their mobile phones which make earlier post-accident calls to helicopters which whizz us of to better intensive-care units... you get the idea.
Fewer deaths is a Big Problem. And not only for the media. The diminishing number of road deaths is also a main reason for the shortage of donor organs. People die elsewhere, but there are fewer young and healthy donors.
When was driving the most dangerous in the developed world? Try around 1970, when our family cars with their leaf-springs, drum-brakes and no seat belts could lumber along in their crab-like fashion at speeds up to 170 km/hour.
Where is driving dangerous now? Try China, where many drivers are recently-upgraded cyclists who drive without air bags or seat-belts through chaotic traffic.
Then How can world traffic deaths rise as a cause of death? Well, to draw a long bow, the developing-country drivers are more likely to die at the wheel than at home in bed - because they won't get killed first by some ordinary infection.
(Frustrated journalist thinks...) Don't tell me this!!
Traffic stories have always been our summer mainstay!
Oh, dear! No story. And it's nearly 5:30.
What can a paper do to get a summer-season scoop?
1) -A cinch. Push the creative journalism envelope a little further. Minimal research required. A quick google, out with the pen, jig the figures. USA statistics show too few deaths? Well, just include the World figures which include the developing countries.
2) Make your comparisons carefully, ie cause of death by motor accidents is still rising as a proportion (ahead of hunger and pneumonia, etc). So talk about "Cause of Death" instead. Add a dash of terrorism and you've got your headline.
3) Don't mention any other stats which might lessen the impact of your story.
The result? Happy Executive Editor. Front-page story, next to high-paid advertisement. Maybe a promotion. You may not fool everybody, (but hey, who's going to complain about another "accidents are nasty", motherhood story?)
A nice little cheque, then off to your cabin in the woods. On the highway in your SUV.
Next week? Well we've kept our options open here: "Cancer rising as cause of death." or "Americans reluctant to donate their organs".
-But after all, the writer did ask, "Why are we so worried about terrorism..?" Did he expect an answer?
OK, here's the answer spelled-out for you:
A bomb attack comes out of the blue. Lots of peoples' lives are changed instantly. There seems little we can do about it. There's no anti-bomb air-bag. When there's been a terrorist attack anywhere near us, we get our fears all out of proportion. A sense of impending danger takes up residence in our minds.
This is how terrorism succeeds in spreading its namesake.
- snodog rated 14 months ago
- lol.... OMG that is a good question! Could it be that there is another sensible person left on this planet? Hey let's think about the other thousands of things that may kill you, before any stupid so-called terror attack will. Great article!
- Angry-Gus rated 14 months ago
- When cars kill people it is generally not an attempt to convince us to abandon our values, alter our foreign policy and submit to the whims of a religious system that seeks to establish an all encompassing theocratic way of life on all whether they share the religion or not. There are far more injuries caused by sports accidents than by bullying. Which is the more serious problem?
- detibor rated 14 months ago
- Traffic will always kill more than war, terrorism or airplane crashes, just because people are retarted enough by not taking being in traffic seriously.
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