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

Do you ever play chicken ?

Yes , whenever I get on a bike really, can't stand sitting in a queue.

Well learn to drive a car Vicky. And find out how much fun 'Chicken' can be....

I would, but I don't really want to... I'd have to worry about parking, in a city as congested as London, not because of the population (which frankly is small) but because of the peculiar shape of the isthsmus (sp?)

Vicky

You meant that funny place called Auckland didn't you?

Who cares about isthmus shapes when you can play exciting games like Chicken?

Believe me"Chicken' the most heated-up thing imaginable.

Vicky, I didn't say that when pedestrians are hit by cars it's never the driver's fault and always the pedestrian's fault. It's just that it's the automatic assumption it must be the drivers fault. I've seen drivers do stupid things and I've seen pedestrians do stupid things. Maybe it is the driver's fault more often than not - they've certainly got a weapon that they're supposed to be in control of. But kids can do stupid things away from the controlled environment of a school with its patrolled crossings. Believe me, I've seen it.

As for hit and run, if the driver wasn't at fault, he/she wouldn't drive away. I hope that talkback host lost his job. That was insensitive, to say the least.

Vicky: "I've been hit by a car twice"
Effers: "It's ok, get a license and drive dangerously. It's fun!"

Me: "Huh?"

I was thinking much the same thing.

Also, even if it is fun, is it several thousand pounds' worth of fun? I've yet to see enough advantages to having a car that come anywhere near outweighing the advantages of _not_ having one.

Depends where you live. In the country they can be indispensible
It's often said that cars bring freedom.

>Vicky: "I've been hit by a car twice"
Effers: "It's ok, get a license and drive dangerously. It's fun!"

Me: "Huh?"<

I do love the slant you relish on putting on things Pych...

Do they not do teasing and irony where you come from?

I live in a large village. Many years ago it had a station, but that went with the Beeching cuts. There are buses, but they're infrequent. Being disabled, standing waiting for a bus isn't really an option. I don't work, but I need my car for the freedom it gives me to go where I want, when I want.

For the benefit of everyone here, his staement of

>Effers: "It's ok, get a license and drive dangerously. It's fun!"<

is most certainly NOT what I was seriously advocating. I didn't say that and never would mean that literally...

(But maybe you have other motivations Psych for saying such a provocative thing, as that is what I am seriously advising Vicky to do that).

Unsub

Yeah, it's true. I'm out to get you. With my sinister agenda too...

Yes, they have all sorts of comedy and irony where I come from.

Then again, I also went to a high school located conveniently close to a dual carriageway.
Then again, I had at least one schoolfriend hit by a bus.
Then again, I had my father crippled by a man in a van.

So, y'know, I might not unleash that aforementioned sense of humour when someone's equating dangerous driving with fun. I know you weren't being serious when you said that to Vicky, but it still hit a nerve.

And for Bob's sake. I am NOT out to get you. You made a comment I disagreed with, I drew attention to it. That happens in EVERY thread in this place. Do you honestly that you think someone disagreeing with you is some sort of underhand plan to bring about your downfall?

She's unsubbed, Psycorp. Probably because she didn't say "It's ok, get a license and drive dangerously. It's fun!" as you quoted her as saying(quoted, not paraphrased). She said "Well learn to drive a car Vicky. And find out how much fun 'Chicken' can be..." (direct quote).

Fairly recently I had to slow down because some teenagers decided to cross the road (not at a crossing, just a random spot). And once I slowed down, so did one of them, and strolled across the road looking directly at me. It was a very definite act meant to say "I'm in charge of this situation and you can drive on when I'm good and ready to let you".

I really believe some people give no thought to crossing the road beyond "if there's any traffic the driver will have to stop cos it's their fault if they hit me". And the driver behind you will be at fault for running into the back of you. So everyone's at fault except the pedestrian.

I'm not making sweeping generalisations about ALL pedestrians here, let it be understood. Just SOME.

And in answer to the OP, no I don't play chicken.

Deb

I know Debs. Do they not do teasing and irony where you come from?

Sorry, that was very glib of me.

I know Effers didn't say word for word what I quoted her as saying. I was merely showing what her response came across as.

"Well learn to drive a car Vicky" - I interpreted as "Get a license"
"and find out how much fun" - It's fun!
"chicken can be" - Is playing chicken not classed as dangerous driving?

I'm sorry if I've inferred something which wasn't there, but I think it's obvious to most people that my three-line post was my way of succinctly summing up the conversation between Vicky and Effers, and my own reaction to it.

If of course "learn to drive" doesn't mean "get a license", find out how much fun [it] can be" can't be shortened to "it's fun" and playing chicken is actually a safe and responsible way to drive, then by all means, I'll apologise profusely for being such an idiot.

Hmm. The first post has now been yikesed. What's that all about?

RF

and the subject has been changed to do you ever eat chicken

yes tonight as it happens

Yup, me too...chicken salad with new potatoes.

RF

That sounds good we still have some chicken left over (value pack portions)

<< I hope that talkback host lost his job. That was insensitive, to say the least. >>

I don't listen to talkback any more, thankfully! I don't know what they have to do to lose their jobs, really, there was one of them who used to get away with the most egregious racism, and the one time a Broadcastings Standards Authority complaint against him succeeded, he wasn't actually guilty of anything more than quoting a very old article that used the 'N' word! :shock:

Vicky