Be careful - cars can accelerate uncontrollably...

[Bonefishblues]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england ... atal-crash

Only a careless conviction, no seatbelts, and "uncontrollable acceleration". Criminal irresponsibility of the highest order. Let's see how sentencing plays out.

[reohn2]

I know why but is it not a travesty that the conviction was only "careless" driving,incredible IMHO

[Bonefishblues]

Painting the car as some sort of autonomous uncontrollable force...

[reohn2]

Painting the car as some sort of autonomous uncontrollable force...

And killing people into the bargain

[Mike Sales]

Painting the car as some sort of autonomous uncontrollable force...

This is a very common description and explanation of a driver misjudging their abilities and the capability of their vehicle. It is a morally degenerate idea and part of the necessary self deception of car culture.

[Bonefishblues]

Painting the car as some sort of autonomous uncontrollable force...

This is a very common description and explanation of a driver misjudging their abilities and the capability of their vehicle. It is a morally degenerate idea and part of the necessary self deception of car culture.

Why is this a necessary self deception as you term it? I'm familiar with car enthusiasts and that "scene" and this individual has been absolutely castigated for his behaviour, or am I misunderstanding the point you make?

[Mike Sales]

Why is this a necessary self deception as you term it?

The idea that a car can "go out of control" is obvious nonsense and yet it is such a frequent description of driver misjudgement that it must fulfill an important function in accounting for "accidents." I suggest the function is to avoid having to put the blame where it belongs.

[Bonefishblues]

I think that's an over-extension of the point you seek to make.

[Mike Sales]

I think that's an over-extension of the point you seek to make.

Why do you think the phrase is so often used?
Words are important and have functions beyond their superficial meaning.
I cannot believe that the people who talk about cars going out of control really think that cars have an agency which needs to be restrained by the driver.

[Bonefishblues]

You said: "...part of the necessary self deception of car culture" That's a very big statement - as you say, words are important.

Is it so often used? Or maybe you see it used, as did I in a high profile case, and comment on it.

On car forums any driver whose car "causes a crash"* is, in my experience, told in no uncertain terms that the fault is theirs and theirs alone.

*Or indeed, the road does, or the weather, or pretty much any external factor.

[Mike Sales]

I notice that "the car went out of control" ore some similar phrase is frequently used. I have no reference to quote, but then, neither do you. Our readers, if any, will no doubt have their own observations.
I think that drivers commonly drive too fast, above the limit, jump red lights, use the phone etc. etc.https://beyondthekerb.org.uk/laws-whos-breaking-what/
Nevertheless they feel able to discount the huge amount of motorist law breaking and focus on cyclists who put themselves at risk. They see themselves as "law abiding". This is what I mean by self deception.
I cannot comment on car forums, I do not use them. I am talking about more general discourse, in the media. I do read the Guardian cycle blog which is full of motorists who believe that cyclists are to blame for their own misfortunes, and are very ready to explain this to us.

[Bonefishblues]

There seems to be only one of us with a foot in both camps then. I have no axe to grind either way, I'm simply challenging a rather grandiose assertion which I don't think naturally flows.

Don't you think that it might be a deliberate Defence technique for defendants to be encouraged to distance themselves as far as possible from their own acts or omissions?

There are threads about cyclists on car forums too. Some of those"agents of their own demise" opinions inevitably surface. They invariably get slapped down, as they should be, by members of the "car culture".

[Cyril Haearn]

A couple of drivers taking part in an 'illegal race' in Berlin (170 kmh, 50 is the maximum limit) caused a fatal 'accident' and were convicted of murder
On appeal the case has just been sent for retrial

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung commented that obeying traffic law is particularly important

[rmurphy195]

Wrong word - the right one is "Uncontrolled"

[Mike Sales]

There seems to be only one of us with a foot in both camps then. .

Not being a reader of car forums I can only judge drivers by the way they actually behave. As I have posted above, and as I observe on the road, law breaking driving is deplorably common. Perhaps most drivers do not read car forums either. It may be that we have a different idea of what car culture means. I am talking about the attitude towards driving which enables drivers to behave so badly, to speed, use the phone, accelerate on amber, etc. etc. and at the same time believe that they are responsible road users (and incidentally also believe that "cyclists are dangerous).