barney
28th September 2005, 08:10 PM
must've been a aslow news day, my brother sent me this story from ninemsn;-
[i][size=18]<span style="color:blue">Forget the fit, rugged, 30-something-year-old navigating flood plains and climbing mountains in the snazzy 4WDs as depicted in the commercials.
The reality is, drivers of the suburban monsters are often obese, aggressive, intolerant and aged in their 40s or 50s.
A new study has found that city owners of large four-wheel-drive vehicles are less community minded than other drivers, less charitable, more likely to be homophobic and have a low opinion of indigenous culture.
RELATED LINKS
Big 4WDs 'not the safest'
Your say on 4WD behaviour
The Australia Institute study has also found they are more likely to use force to get their way.
Based on a Roy Morgan Research survey in 2003-04 of 24,718 people aged 14 and over, the study found the typical city driver of a large 4WD is a male in his forties or fifties in full-time work with a higher than average income.
The 4WDS are also far more likely than conventional vehicles to kill or maim other road users, they are less fuel efficient and they are resented by other road users.
Two thirds of their drivers in the city are overweight or obese.
They also had a lower regard for the welfare system than the general population.
"While over half (57 per cent) of all Australians agree it is the government's duty to support those who cannot find work, only 42 per cent of city drivers of large 4WDs concur," the report's authors, Clive Hamilton and Claire Barbato, said.
"These drivers tend to see themselves as rugged individualists who like physical activity.
"Perhaps with implications for how they drive, they are more inclined to say they sometimes use force to get their way," the authors said.
The authors also say 4WDs are marketed as bold, tough, powerful and made for rugged terrain, while the daily reality is that most are driven between school, work and shops in metropolitan areas.
The survey counted only city drivers of 4WDs, where over half of the vehicles are owned.
However, drivers of luxury 4WDs are very different.
They are more likely to be female, in their 30s and 40s, and are more materialistic than other Australians.
"This group is more than twice as likely as the general population to say, `I was born to shop' (33 per cent)," the authors said.
"And two thirds (65 per cent) say they would normally buy their favourite brand regardless of price, compared with 43 per cent of the population."
They also watch their weight, and are less likely to be obese than the general population.
Monash University research indicates 4WDs are far more likely than conventional vehicles to kill or maim other road users.
Dr Hamilton said the vehicles are also less fuel efficient and are resented by other road users.
He said special licences and higher taxes should be imposed on 4WD owners.</span>
next they'll be attacking our sperm count. the link is;-
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=64616
[i][size=18]<span style="color:blue">Forget the fit, rugged, 30-something-year-old navigating flood plains and climbing mountains in the snazzy 4WDs as depicted in the commercials.
The reality is, drivers of the suburban monsters are often obese, aggressive, intolerant and aged in their 40s or 50s.
A new study has found that city owners of large four-wheel-drive vehicles are less community minded than other drivers, less charitable, more likely to be homophobic and have a low opinion of indigenous culture.
RELATED LINKS
Big 4WDs 'not the safest'
Your say on 4WD behaviour
The Australia Institute study has also found they are more likely to use force to get their way.
Based on a Roy Morgan Research survey in 2003-04 of 24,718 people aged 14 and over, the study found the typical city driver of a large 4WD is a male in his forties or fifties in full-time work with a higher than average income.
The 4WDS are also far more likely than conventional vehicles to kill or maim other road users, they are less fuel efficient and they are resented by other road users.
Two thirds of their drivers in the city are overweight or obese.
They also had a lower regard for the welfare system than the general population.
"While over half (57 per cent) of all Australians agree it is the government's duty to support those who cannot find work, only 42 per cent of city drivers of large 4WDs concur," the report's authors, Clive Hamilton and Claire Barbato, said.
"These drivers tend to see themselves as rugged individualists who like physical activity.
"Perhaps with implications for how they drive, they are more inclined to say they sometimes use force to get their way," the authors said.
The authors also say 4WDs are marketed as bold, tough, powerful and made for rugged terrain, while the daily reality is that most are driven between school, work and shops in metropolitan areas.
The survey counted only city drivers of 4WDs, where over half of the vehicles are owned.
However, drivers of luxury 4WDs are very different.
They are more likely to be female, in their 30s and 40s, and are more materialistic than other Australians.
"This group is more than twice as likely as the general population to say, `I was born to shop' (33 per cent)," the authors said.
"And two thirds (65 per cent) say they would normally buy their favourite brand regardless of price, compared with 43 per cent of the population."
They also watch their weight, and are less likely to be obese than the general population.
Monash University research indicates 4WDs are far more likely than conventional vehicles to kill or maim other road users.
Dr Hamilton said the vehicles are also less fuel efficient and are resented by other road users.
He said special licences and higher taxes should be imposed on 4WD owners.</span>
next they'll be attacking our sperm count. the link is;-
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=64616