Today's Hero - Dave "Shiny" Perry

All I can say is "Thank you Dave" for being the 'official' voice of reason when yet another pointless 'study' into why people do bad things pointed the finger at gaming!

This time it was into why drivers aged 16 to 24 drive fast (you can read the story here -> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6410061.stm )

It couldn't possibly be anything to do with their inexperience with driving and thinking they own the road; or that their favorite music just came on the stereo; or that they are just showing off... or just simply because they can.

Perhaps if they were taught the harsh realities of the road, they might think twice. The school I work in recently sent pupils along to a scheme run by the local emergency services where they simulated (in a very realistic fashion) the carnage caused by a road accident. The effect was impressive and the students that were there will remember it for some time... but attendance wasn't compulsory!

Getting your own car and license gives you freedom, social acceptability and power. You can go anywhere; do anything; and if you don't truly understand the consequences of your actions... you'll keep going until you do (speaking from my own experiences).

It's not everyone that does it and, if it was me conducting the survey, I'd be looking into why some of them don't drive fast or dangerously! If you can work that out, it wouldn't matter what outside influences you thought were affecting drivers.

For the record, unofficially of course, I probably drove too fast and dangerously for my first few years of driving... and until recently, I was never really a fan of driving games.

Dave Perry, I salute you.