Encouraging trouble

[flashpig]

If you're tired the monotony of driving can send to to sleep...

Has anyone heard this on the radio? Isn't it the most hypnotising thing in the world?

Personally I feel that if I was driving the soothing monotony of this advert would send me to sleep. Does anyone else think this is slightly irresponsible? Like whispering "go on, steal that policeman's helmet" to a drunk person.

How long will it be til that ad claims its first life?

Could the victims, families of victims, and the sleeper blame and claim comensation from whoever put the advert out?

[acw]

I seriously SERIOUSLY hope they could not claim.  If a radio advert is enough to send the driver to sleep they were CLEARLY far too tired to be behind the wheel anyway.  Moreover, suing "whoever put the advert out" (I'm sure it will be police or a road safety initiative) would only take money away from where it is needed.  Doing so would not give the Road Safety people incentive to take more care in designing their adverts in future as they probably wouldn't have enough money to advertise in the future.  And then more lives would be lost because people were not made aware of the dangers of driving tired anyway (some need telling - sad but true). 

The "blame and claim" culture is utterly inefficient and it creates serious risks in our society today.  It wastes phenominal amounts of resources and so rarely improves safety in the long term and almost NEVER results in a socially efficient allocation of resources. 

Sorry to rant, but that's just my opinion. 

[flashpig]

I wouldn't have asked if it was on the TV, but it does make me feel sleepy listening to it, and because someone could be listening to it on the road it just seems a little bit dangerous.

I absolutely agree that these groups should not be sued,  and I absolutely agree that these adverts are vital, but maybe the problem should be said in a less sleepy way.

The first time I heard this ad was at night, maybe if they only put it on during the daytime. I just think it is a bit risky considering the stupid 'blame and claim'. I share your point of view, but considering this maybe they could have used a more dynamic voice.

I know if the advert sent someone to sleep they were too tired to drive in the first place, but maybe it should encourage tired drivers to get off the road in a sraightforward way without larking about by having a repeating, monotonous sleep-inducing voice saying how easy it is to sleep when driving.

That's my rant, but really I'm just worried for tired drivers and other motorists.

[acw]

I do get your point - and you're right it is a VERY sleepy voice.  I think they're trying to prove a point.  Perhaps a little too effectively.  I don't tihnk it's irresponsible though, but only for the simple fact that, like the person suggesting to the drunk that he steal the policeman's helmet, it's not HIS fault the idiot is in that state in the first place.  Well - perhaps my logic doesn't actually work.  I just stand by the idea, which I think you agree with, :-) that anyone tipped over the edge by the advert has only themselves to blame as they are clearly too tired to drive. 

Maybe my logic works if the analogy is "go on - have another tequila".  One tequila on its own won't cause a problem, but on top of a state of affairs for which only the individual concerned is to blame, it can tip over the edge. 

[myron21]

I have heard that driving in itself is or can be a form of hypnotism the example cited being have you ever had a long framiliar journey and you can remember if you have or have not passed through a particular town on your route, therefore I would be of the opinion that suggestive radio adverts like the one mentioned are not a good idea.