h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I notice that pep drinks such as red bull are now being advertised on petrol pumps - presumably to encourage tired drivers to stay on the road. How long before the dictates of marketing claim a few more lives through encouraging irresponsible behaviour?

It should be borne in mind that coffee has a great deal more caffeine in it that red bull - and there are signs all over the place for roadside cafe's that have a picture of a cup of coffee.

But if someone carries on driving when they should have stopped for a break due to tiredness then it is their own fault. Not red bull, or the car manufacturers, nor the highways department, nor the banal local radio....if you are encouraged into driving whilst tired because of an advert you read on a petrol pump, then perhaps you shouldn't be allowed to drive at all.

The point is not whether somebody does something wrong, but whether other people should persuade them to do something wrong.

You might not think people who can be persuaded to do something foolish should be allowed to drive - that doesn't mean it is a good thing to so persuade them.

But aren't they just as likely to hear an advert for those drinks on the radio, or see them on a billboard by the side of the road?

I do believe there is more caffeine in Red Bull than in Coffee, that seems to be the whole point. That it consists of 90% caffeine or something. Really an eye-opener. But why would you need to drive after having Red Bull, according to German ads it makes you fly

And about encouragment to reckless driving, to me that doesn´t seem to be the case. People already have a tendency to fall asleep behind the wheel. Now they can grab a Red Bull and avoid that. Besides, making a law about it wouldn´t help. The stupid people would still be stupid.

Stupid people will always be stupid. But governments spend a great deal of money trying to persuade them not to be stupid - eg anti-drink driving campaigns - and these campaigns have a beneficial effect, so they should be supported. Equally, campaigns, such as Red Bull, which have a detrimental effect, should be opposed.
You can always shrug your shoulders and say "who cares?" - I find that attitude a little wearisome at times.

Still, I suppose I could always drink some Red Bull to avoid apathy fatigue.

I do not see that having adverts for red bull on petrol pumps encourages people to drive when they should stop. How?

The campaign is clearly targeting tired drivers - if you think Red Bull is a great solution to driver fatigue, then no problem. If you think it is inappropriate, then it is inappropriate to advertise the product on petrol pumps - it would also be inappropriate to advertise alcoholic drinks on petrol pumps - it would be inappropriate to advertise Hooch or cigarettes in The Beano.

I think I am running up against the kind of philosophy which says "Hey! Free country! Well done!" to almost any action.

spebchob - I confess I had thought of the same thing as you: it is quite possible to pass a sign on the road saying "Tiredness can kill - take a break" - only to be met at the service station with a sign that effectively says "hey - drink this and carry on driving!"
I suppose the best analogy is that alcohol would probably not be advertised in that context...

Yes - but nobody ever got to the petrol pump thinking "I'll just fill the car up and then I'll have a little rest". So the location of the advert is such that it will only be seen by people who have already made the decision to carry on driving...
Moreover, I think red bull is a great solution (no pun intended) for fatigue. As is coffee, or tea or coke. In fact, since the caffeine in Red Bull is not roasted it has less impurities than coffee.
Now, in order to ban a single product from advertising on petrol pumps you would have to prove that such advertising is contrary to the common good. I contend that this is not the case.
Advertising cigarettes or alcohol in the Beano would be innapropriate because it is illegal for the target audience of that publication. I don't see how this relates to the issue under discussion here.

I am not sure what the reasoning behind the placement of ads on petrol pumps, but surely if someone is going to carry on driving if they are tired they will do it with or without the encouragement of a sign for Red Bull!
This is all just marketing ploys to gain your interest in a certain brand, they are not suggesting that if you are about to fall into a deep sleep that you don't do so but drink a can of Red Bull and carry on going, we all know when our bodies have had enough.
What about other marketing ploys that go on in Supermarkets, I have seen in a local market that they have put the condoms next to the Vaseline & baby lotion, does this not encourage worse behaviour, as both products will erode the rubber!
Surely the question is who in there right mind is really persuaded by these ads that they just have to have it no matter what cost!?
R :O)

Maybe you're right. I'm tired.

Red Bull, anyone?

The thing with these drinks that counts is that they say on the can that they contain the same amount of caffiene as a cup of coffee, but they also contain other stuff that helps alertness.
I drink these energy drinks quite a lot when I am working, as there is nothing more boring than an empty motorway at 4am, and anything that stops me dozing off through sheer boredom is good.
It's boredom that makes me tired, rather than tiredness, if that makes sense. And no amount of ads on petrol pumps will make me drink them if I don't want to, especially as I only fill the car up with fuel when I finish work.