For sheer stupidity, this has to top talking on a mobile phone (sans hands free kit), or sending text messages, while driving a car in peak-hour commuter traffic: reading a book. Yep, while driving a car. That's exactly what I saw when travelling into the city for a meeting earlier this morning. Must have been a great book. "Page turning suspense, I just couldn't put it down..."

Study finds that red light cameras cause crashes Does this surprise anyone? Researchers at the University of South Florida found that cameras increased crashes and related injuries because drivers were slamming on their brakes to avoid fines, causing rear-end accidents. They also claim that some red light camera operators in the US have shortened the time that a light flashes orange in an attempt to increase revenue. I've witnessed a number potential ... Read full entry

The latest street danger? Walking and texting Brick Lane in London now has padded lampposts to help prevent injury to those who feel the need compose text massages while actually walking. There are those who believe that the pattern etched by humanity across the great book of world history is one of linear progression. Of improvement. Of advance. Of some nebulous but discernible form of betterment. Those are the people who ... Read full entry

As I don't own a car (don't really have the on-going need for one at the moment) it often means I am hiring them several times a year. It also means I don't listen to anyone who says "you've seen one car, you've seem them all", because that just isn't so. This weekend I have a Hyundai Accent. It's a nice enough car ... Read full entry