To think that people that drive diesel cars know that they're killing children

[dieselKiller]

Diesel cars are destroying our towns and villages. The health effects on kids are particularly bad. People must know this by now. So AIBU to think that people who drive diesel cars know that they're killing kids (and everyone really)?

It's like smoking: it's not possible to smoke in public without affecting others' health. This seems to have been accepted by most people. What makes diesel different?

@Cutesbabasmummy What should people do? First step is recognizing the problem. Then there are a ton of things to do. I don't have all the answers. I'm sure you can think of things that I haven't, but here goes:

1. All the techniques for reducing car use, work on diesel cars. Examples: eliminate trips, reduce frequency of trips, combine trips, share rides with other people, walk, bicycle, use other modes of transport, deliveries.

1. Diesel cars are absolutely worse for human health than other cars. Target the causes of the shift to diesel and demand compensation. Contact the seller/manufacturer explain that you were missold and want money or a replacement. Contact your MP explain the issue and get them to put pressure on the manufacturers and change the tax incentives.

1. Change ownership of diesel vehicles to less frequent users

1. Don't buy new diesel cars

1. Organize

I'm sure there's plenty more. What do you think people could do?

www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/activist-spark-rush-hour-chaos-with-antipollution-demo-on-major-london-road-a3673176.html
These lot would have got right on half of your lots nerves!

Apologies to everyone getting notified by the @. I'm posting from the app which encourages it. No more @ s from me.

We have two diesels bought at the time when they were considered more environmentally friendly. We need two cars because of our family circumstances and most of the time we cannot use public transport for the same reason. If you want to give us greener cars that suit are needs feel free.

What is better for the environment as a whole, scrapping well maintained perfectly good cars. Creating new ones from precious resources?
Of course its not better, yes we need to get back to a situation where people who drive diesels (until we come up with a better plan) are the right people as it used to be before the government fucked it up
.Car manufacturers mis-sold people that they were better off financially when they weren't. For high mileage drivers should be in well maintained diesels, its more efficient and better for the environment. BUT the low mileage driving round town shouldn't be . The car market flipped and people who were buying bigger family cars were pushed into diesels by better residuals and a lack of petrol cars for sale as the government encouraged it. The bottom fell out the petrol car market so that put people off owning one. As well as the additional tax cost. Just look at the people with DPF issues now, all because they were mis-sold it for the mileage they do.

dieselkiller What should people do? First step is recognizing the problem. Then there are a ton of things to do. I don't have all the answers. I'm sure you can think of things that I haven't, but here goes:

1. All the techniques for reducing car use, work on diesel cars. Examples: eliminate trips, reduce frequency of trips, combine trips, share rides with other people, walk, bicycle, use other modes of transport, deliveries.

Already do this

1. Diesel cars are absolutely worse for human health than other cars. Target the causes of the shift to diesel and demand compensation. Contact the seller/manufacturer explain that you were missold and want money or a replacement. Contact your MP explain the issue and get them to put pressure on the manufacturers and change the tax incentives.

I bought it second hand and in good faith at the time - hardly misssold - and have had it for a good few years. I don't think I will get a replacement!!

1. Change ownership of diesel vehicles to less frequent users

Cant afford to change my car. I always drive them till they drop

1. Don't buy new diesel cars

If only I had the money to buy a new car!LOL!

1. Organize

Organise what?

NotBadConsidering Toxic fumes either kill people or they don't. I'm not interested in demonizing people that drive diesels. I wanted to know whether people made the connection in their own minds between their fuel use and people's health. If people are feeling "demonized" instead of "motivated to do something about it", that's on them.

I'm sure there's plenty more. What do you think people could do?

Maybe start with this sort of post in future instead of AIBU to think that people who drive diesel cars know that they're killing kids (and everyone really)?

Seeing as you are leaving zero environmentally detrimental footprint OP I assume you never fly, drive a car (of any type, diesel, petrol, makes no difference) or have any children? If not, this is possibly the most ridiculous thread I have read on MN for a long time.

OP I hope you don't fly off on holiday. That is most definitely an avoidable luxury. Jet fuel is almost identical to diesel fuel and the clouds of burnt fuel from planes taking off spread out over schools and houses. Let's stop holiday flights immediately!

GladAllOver, well, I'm not the OP, but I don't fly on holiday, we take the train (which has its own impact, of course, but is still better than flying). But you are right - making people think about the impact of their flights is also a good thing.

However, where I'd disagree (only a little bit - I do agree it's a problem) with you is in targetting families who take one holiday abroad a year. That does have an impact, on the environment, it's true, but they really aren't the main problem, and it's a hard thing to ask people to give up, especially for people with relatives abroad. (I have family abroad too, and miss seeing them terribly.)

It's the frequent flyers who are the real problem - the people who pop over to their Tuscan villa every other weekend, or whatever. 15% of people take 70% of the flights! If anyone who took more than one or two flights a year was taxes very heavily for these subsequent flights, for example, that really might be a start on tackling the problem.

Ain't nothing wrong with getting people to think about their mode of transport surely?!

I'm not interested in demonizing people that drive diesels

They you probably shouldn't have asked whether you were being unreasonable in thinking that people who drive diesel cars not only are killing children, but actually know that they are killing children when they drive their cars and do it anyway.
That's why people feel demonised.

OP by saying people are knowingly killing kids you were being deliberately provocative and critical of a consumer group who even if motivated to do something about it, probably can't. It's not "on them" it's on you.

Gromance02 nobody is environmentally-perfect, nobody at all. Do you seriously think that means nobody should ever raise an environmental issue?

*then

Diesel cars are absolutely worse for human health than other cars.

Bollocks. Some are, some aren’t.

Great suggestion on increasing the cost of subsequent flights ArcheryAnnie.

Public transport must be nationalised.

Dahlietta What's your answer to the question of whether diesel drivers know they're killing children based on the responses to this thread?

What about people who've taken out a big loan to buy a diesel car? What do you suggest they do? Crush it and carry on paying off the loan?

If your going fast enough to kill them when you hit them, I really don’t think it matters if you’re driving a diesel or petrol car.

Disclaimer, presumably you can also kill someone with an electric car too, but i don’t have one of those.

HTH

Well, I'm a Diesel driver and I have twice asked if people think I am correct in my belief that driving Diesels in rural environments does not have a higher impact on public health than driving petrol engines, but nobody has got back to me, despite the fact that I have said I am prepared to admit I am wrong if anyone has evidence to that effect. So, personally, I am not sure if I am 'killing children' or not.
However, my point was not about your assertion, but about your use of language. You said your intention was not to demonise diesel drivers. I pointed out that your use of Language was almost guaranteed to do just that. To suggest that people who drive Diesel cars are knowingly killing children was bound to get people's backs up, as I am sure you know. Diesel drivers are not 'killing children', they are arguably and in some situations contributing to a state of pollution which is causing serious health problems in children including possibly death. That is not the same as active killing.

I don’t have any car but I do catch the bus. Does that make me a child killer?

Dahlia - but it is factually correct to say diesel cars do contribute to the deaths of children and adults

it is factually correct to say diesel cars do contribute to the deaths of children and adults

But that is not what the OP said.

Lots of things contribute to it.