Deadly transport, unsafe 4WDs, necrotic suburbs & oil

"More than 20 million people are severely injured or killed on the world's roads each year." In the holiday season in Australia many sought to 'get away form it all' by driving to that place where 'it' is not on. In the rush 74 people so far lost their lives. Many of these 'accidents' where due to 4WDs, some were 'hit and run' cases, some think, "...that it is driver behaviour that causes these fatalities." Floral crosses along Australian roads become part of the 'normal' sacrifice landscape that drivers rush past. Learning or regulation seems impossible, to pay the 'toll' to a 'means of transport' just has to continue, so it seems.

Recent research shatters the myth that 4 WDs offer more safety, especially for kids."Child injuries from rollover accidents were more common in SUVs and outweighed the safety benefits of larger, heavier vehicle frames, according to an analysis of insurance claims… However, people who use an SUV as their family vehicle should know that SUV's do not provide superior protection for child occupants." But they do offer 'sitting above it all' (blocking the view for all) and a refrigerated cargo space for golf clubs, fishing rods, triple prams, BBQ, a hunting dog and 2 poodles etc. How convenient!

A study found that the time of 'cheap oil' and unsustainable blandburbs is over. Many sub-urbanites have to pay dearly for their 'locational disadvantage' and the ones without privatised petrol consuming mobility suffer from automobile apartheid. 'Oil Vulnerability in Australian Cities' is available in pdf.

As long as Aussie troops are in southern Iraq the 'vulnerability' will be held in check. So go stick this sticker on your hummer (My 4WD loves Iraqi oil), pack it up, mount that seat, rev up the AC and push your way to Manly beach.