Do safe-driving PSAs work (i.e. change hearts and minds)?
Following my posting of a new and controversial British PSA yesterday, Keri Caffrey posts a few more at Commute Orlando and asks some good questions:
What kind of message breaks through the Culture of Speed to actually change a viewer’s behavior? Do graphic messages have unintended consequences? Do they exaggerate the perception of our roads being too dangerous for active transportation? What gets their attention, what keeps it, what causes them to examine and then change behavior. Ultimately, how do you effectively translate that into a change in the culture which then influences individual behavior?
The discussion has begun in the comments section there. What do you think?
Comments 8
Behaviors very well might be changing, albeit slowly. The current generation of young adults isn’t going to experience “cheap” automobiles. The Farfegnugen car culture, I believe, is disappearing. Perhaps part necessity, part obligation the current generation is becoming more cost conscience (environmental, economic, and otherwise). The culture of excess and recklessness from the 80′s may be slowly Safety Dancing to an end. When gas becomes $4.00 a gallon again, I think you might be surprised with the results when it’s too expensive to kill each other in car wrecks. Then maybe we’ll see bicycling advertisements and I’ll have to think twice about it, to not be a sellout.
Posted 26 Aug 2009 at 2:18 pm ¶A.J.
It feels like that’s in the air, doesn’t it.
I think this is a time of opportunity with respect to encouraging young people to choose bicycling. Cars, insurance, fuel, all are adding up to more than a young adult can make part-time. Parents are pinched in this economy. They can’t afford to provide for such luxuries.
Posted 26 Aug 2009 at 3:00 pm ¶I don’t know how young people do it now-a-days. I’m a grad student only 6 years removed from high school. But I lived within a mile of school and had a part time job within walking distance of both, so I never had a car back then either. Maybe I was just lucky. The real downfall of the automobile was when teenage boys figured out you need a car to get girls.
Everything cool comes from humble beginnings: The Ramones, Blue Jeans, good Presidents, and even lobster. And I believe bicycling will get added to the list (sans spandex).
Posted 26 Aug 2009 at 4:08 pm ¶I hate to be a “Gloomy Gus,” but I think y’all are drinking poison kool aid. $4 gasoline is still dirt cheap for most people compared to the time lost bicyling – unless they LIKE to bicycle or they’re so poor they have no choice. Here in Texas, they now have the workers in the GMC SUV plant working mandatory six day workweeks to replenish the stocks.
Myself, what I think was in the air today was the Orange Air Pollution alert.
Posted 26 Aug 2009 at 6:27 pm ¶Well you succeeded Gloomy Gus. I do appreciate your input. But as far as what the blogs are doing, it’s a community based thing. I personally would testify I didn’t start riding in Springfield until I had a voice (Andy Cline) telling me it really wasn’t a big deal, with a happenstance link from our local paper. And that’s how it starts, grassroots style.
I’m glad for Texas and it’s influx of energy dollars, but that doesn’t break the trend for my fair state of Missouri. In fact, Show Me. Today around 5:30 pm I passed a record number of bicycles, who were riding fairly safely, on my way home from work which is great. Poison Koolaid or not, I’m having a hell of a time. In fact, I refer you to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. I’m looking forward to share my utility biking experiences in whatever community I end up when I graduate.
Keri, thanks for the words. And judging by Commute Orlando, you ride on way scarier streets than I do. More power to you.
Posted 27 Aug 2009 at 12:22 am ¶I feel bad for sounding mean. Steve, I enjoy your blog and frankly you face a lot more hardships than me. The point is, Springfield has the potential to be a serious bicycling community. And has visible change. I’m proud to be a positive contributor to it.
Posted 27 Aug 2009 at 12:28 am ¶A.J. and Steve… I understand where Steve is coming from. We face some mighty powerful economic and cultural forces. And A.J. is right about how easy we have it here.
Posted 27 Aug 2009 at 10:10 am ¶I learned about this clip from the LCI list service. I understand bits of the clip were shown on NBC’s Today Show the same day, though I must have still been sleeping???
Anyway, I understand this is only a “trailer” for a 30 minute film.
Later, the same day on CBS Evening News with Katie Curik (sp?), they interviewed the producer &/or director and several of the kids who starred in the clip. It was a great piece and it was good to see the kids were okay and to hear their views! (we’re supposed to be smart enough to know it’s only a movie)
Anyway, they said it cost $20,000 to make the movie and they said if it only saves one life, it will have been well worth it!
Posted 28 Aug 2009 at 12:16 pm ¶