Our fellow travellers, the Association of British Drivers added a comment:
Whilst we are pleased that the penny is beginning to drop with regard to taxation, it is sad that the author refers to driving as a "bad habit", when it is in fact merely a means of going about one's business.We agree! Accordingly, we replied stating this fact:
We in the bristol traffic project agree. Some people view us driving our van around a narrow city, while texting one hand and sounding the horn at pedestrians and cyclists in our way as "antisocial", our activities, as the ABD says, "a bad habit". Yet as they say, this is the only way to get on with your business. When you are held up by pedestrians on a zebra crossing, of course you have to sound your horn. When you are held up behind a cyclist, of course you have to text ahead to your destination to warn them you'll be late. Yet still this anti-motorist country, with its zebra crossings, its traffic lights and its double yellow lines persecutes us.And what's happened? Our comment has been "flagged for review" and it is no longer on the site. It has been censored by an online press that cannot accept the truth!
update: we posted asking why praising the ABD for being the voice of van driver is being suppressed and the ABD replied
the Independent is just trying to ensure comments are reasonable and well balanced. Whilst comments like those you made may have been acceptable during the last decade, the country has moved on to more reasoned debate.That's good. We thought somebody had felt we were taking the piss. That happens all the time.
Gotta love the ABD. So deluded by their own back patting that they've turned their backs to the bigger surroundings LMAO!
ReplyDeleteThey're going to have a shock when the real taxes get imposed, or if the NHS ever starts campaigning for money from the insurers to cover costs..
I just hope you did the decent van drivers thing and moan about it in a cafe over a 'Gutbusters' breakfast or similar.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, the ABD put their fascinatingly ill informed opinions in the Independent regarding speed cameras accusing them of being a 'cash cow'. I dared to inform them that they are large yellow metal boxes with warning signs and road markings so it's a fair cop if you get caught. I also wrote that if 'expert' drivers such as their good selves paid a bit more attention, then the 'cash cows' would be just 'cows'.
The Indy printed my letter which I thought would make the ABD, and the country move on to more reasoned debate. Clearly not.
On a serious note.. Very oddly my comment has not been approved on the Indi. I was quite civil, honestly, LOL! I also notice that an ABD comment was removed - one that was also actually quite civil in tone.
ReplyDeleteHowever I think there are reasons why the ABD member ship is somewhat under the AA or RAC. They seem unconcerned or unable to deal with the many other motoring concerns that actually are more important compared to the old speed camera issue. Both the AA and the RAC campaign on many levels for road safety and research and are quite laudible in their efforts.
Oh and as a side issue. I always thought that to have "British" in your business name that you needed permission from The Queen. I could be wrong on that though, hehe!