Saturday, September 10, 2005

Fastest, but Certainly Not Alone

The car has become the carapace, the protective and aggressive shell, of urban and suburban man.
Marshall McLuhan (1911–80), Canadian communications theorist

Reuters reported that a South African in Mafikeng became the world's fastest blind driver Thursday after driving across a remote airstrip at 269 kph (167 mph).

The drive, on an airstrip near South Africa's border with Botswana, was aimed at increasing public awareness of problems facing blind people and raising money for a national charity for the blind. Blind since birth, 33-year-old Hein Wagner of Cape Town had a sighted navigator for his record attempt. After crossing the airfield, he told reporters he wanted to do it again but was considering piloting an aircraft for his next record attempt.

The reporter obviously has not driven the freeways of southern California otherwise s/he would know that most people drive without watching the road as they shave, apply makeup, chat on the phone, eat, drink and do everything but pay attention to the task at hand.

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