Just came across an interesting approach to reducing speed racing — and making streets safer for pedestrians — from the land downunda. It involves female characters observing speed-racing men, and then insinuating that they have inferior subzipper equipment.
Apparently, turning to questions of manhood is “big guns” for Australia’s anti-speeding admen. The dramatic, graphic, violent ads they had previously been running to stop speeding deaths just weren’t working on the vastly Grand-Theft-Auto-friendly contingent of young dudes out there. So who knows? If sex sells, perhaps the threat of no sex sells even better.
And for those of you more interested in automotive insults of the “sticks and stones” variety, Toronto/Berlin based artist Anitra Hamilton is having a public art experience tomorrow (Wednesday) night that invites blindfolded members of the public to bash a gussied-up auto with sledgehammers. Bring your anti-car angst to MOCCA’s courtyard at 8pm to participate in the work, appropriately entitled Beater.
Image from RTA
6 comments
But I love cars. Whether it’s blasting down the left lane in Germany at 190 to overtake, or doing some off roading in Death Valley (which I haven’t really tried yet), it can be a blast. And you don’t need that much to go fast anymore. Not really useful for city use, but on the weekends you gotta get out whenever you can. Downsview could make for a nice race track to get the speed fix.
I think a culture where people will pay $50,000 to have the street vulgarism for a common sexual favour emblazoned on their rear bumper has already passed beyond help (or satire).
Aussies have form in using eyecatching safety material – they use ads with really graphic collisions to deter speeding/unsafe driving.
Thanks for posting this, Leah. The add is brilliant. I usually just put my forefinger and thumb together in that kid’s in the hall ‘I’m crushing your head’ kind of squeeze, but clearly, the pinky wave is more overt and useful. Problem is, guys DO get really angry when you insult their manhood. Great ad, not so practical for the streets… and I speak from experience. Even this morning I had a couple of close calls with speeding passers.
Nice to know about the Beater gig tonight too!
The pinky gesture is genius. I am seriously going to start using it. Less aggressive, yet more crushing than the middle-finger salute.
Er – so they only have men speeding in Australia?