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?

It WAS true then according to the government- they’re definitely better scientists than me.

If it’s not true now then they will have to weigh up the cost in financial terms of getting rid of cars not even 10 years old.

There is no doubt that not getting full use out of a car is bad for the environment - I’ve no idea what the tipping point is for my car but it’s low mileage and low emissions so it won’t be for a while.

"The premature deaths are due to two key pollutants, fine particulates known as PM2.5s and the toxic gas nitrogen dioxide (NO2), according to a study carried out by researchers at King’s College London.

The study – which was commissioned by the Greater London Authority and Transport for London – is believed to be the first by any city in the world to attempt to quantify how many people are being harmed by NO2. The gas is largely created by diesel cars, lorries and buses, and affects lung capacity and growth."

www.scribd.com/document/271641490/King-s-College-London-report-on-mortality-burden-of-NO2-and-PM2-5-in-London

It's a hard one.

Most people bought a Diesel thinking it was less polluting, a better option.

Since then, emissions data has shown this to be false. This isn't the fault of the consumers.

Most are now waiting for a scrappage scheme to compensate them.

I think you're being unreasonable in focusing on Diesel alone. ALL cars are polluting, ALL cars create air quality issues that are lethal. Anyone who drives unnecessarily when they are able to walk/cycle is contributing to the problem.

I have one and I'll drive it until it's on it's last legs then swap it for an electric car. If the government introduce a scrappage scheme paid for the companies who lied about diesel emissions I'll get rid of it sooner. Nobody will want to buy my car and I'm not taking a big financial hit for being misled into buying something.

So AIBU to think that people who drive diesel cars know that they're killing kids (and everyone really)?

But people were enouraged to buy diesels by the govt - they were sold as being more environmentally friendly than petrol cars.

And dumping a whole load of diesel cars and buying new ones (which have been made in a factory, using up fossil fuels, energy and natural materials) is equally bad for the environment.

OP, do you fly? Have children? Have any sort of car? In that case, you're helping to pollute the planet and kill children

Love my big dirty diesel estate. Best car I've ever had.

And I disagree with the premise anyway. Every adult should have a total environmental impact ‘allowance’ to include the environmental cost of :

Having children/flying/transport etc

Do you feel the same about flying OP?

Do you eat meat? If so, you're a hypocrite. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane emissions. Eating meat causes far more pollution than cars, lorries, planes, etc.

I agree with you if they have bought the car with this knowledge. People generally drive too much me included, but I am trying to leave the car and walk and cycle more. I wish there were more cycle lanes so I could safely cycle.

Have you considered that most people can’t afford to go out and buy a new car at the drop of a hat?

I have a third hand diesel - it’s a 2006 Ford Fiesta and it runs just fine. I can’t afford to spend thousands on a new car - the tax on my current one is only £30 a year as opposed to £200+ on others of a similar age.

Maybe you should give everyone the thousands of pounds it would cost for new petrol cars if you think it’s so important?

Apparently household boilers make more pollution than diesel engines and everyone has one of those. I also read somewhere that the battery for an electric car produced more pollution than 11 years of driving a diesel car.

Not trying to say diesels are good but they will probably find something bad with the electric/hybrids a few years down the line.

I do see the link.

But when we bought ours, the scrappage scheme was in place to incentivise us to buy it.

No, we won't get another diesel. But nor will we be getting another car before we need one (and can afford one).

I think you need to direct your anger at the government for telling people they were better. Lots of people now can’t afford to replace their cars.

Unless you lead a perfectly “green” life I don’t think you can judge others really.

This is rubbish. It basically says that unless you do everything perfect, you shouldn't campaign for things to be just a little better.

I don't judge people who drive diesel cars any more than I judge people who drive any kind of car, even though I live on a very heavily-polluted road. (And the OP is right - pollution caused by road traffic is responsible for any number of unnecesary deaths per year.) People were told that diesel was more environmentally-sound, and it's just bad luck that the analysis of this has changed.

I do judge, a bit, people who drive any kind of car, although I do know there are valid reasons for some people having a car - including disability, etc. It's just for many people convenience has trumped everything else, and just because a trip would, eg, take an extra 20 minutes on the bus, they will hop in the car instead. It makes life a bit easier for that person, and yet makes life a little more unpleasant for us all.

And not just unpleasant, either. I really shy away from grasping the real cost of climate change, because it scares me so much. It really is something that within our lifetime could entirely change civilisation as we know it (this isn't an exaggeration) and yet in the short term, getting little Johnny to his trumpet practice on time seems to be more important.

make Thanks, that backs up what I said. Not SOLELY caused by diesel. Mostly, yes. But other factors come into play. There are many other things that could be done to improve air pollution in cities. But city air pollution is a totally different one to, taking the OP at face value, villages, because there is not the congestion, the population density, high rise buildings which make it harder for the gases to rise quicker, far more greenery and trees which produce oxygen to counteract.

All those things come into play. But I repeat - it ain't just all about diesel, it ain't all about traffic, it's about all sorts of things that combine to cause this. And no one is addressing the huge impact of overpopulation, they like to ignore it because how dare we suggest people think more about not having children. Even David Attenborough has suggested it is a very serious issue that we should talk about but don't.

Fuck off with the goady ‘killing children’ crap!!

And the stupid goady namechange

When my DH bought his second hand diesel car 9 years ago they were considered to be less polluting. He uses is only 10% if how much I use my petrol car. I wonder which car is doing the most damage?

I have diesel to tow my caravan. If someone provides me with enough money to replace it with a car of equal towing power that I can actually afford to run on a daily basis, then great. Until then I will have to use my diesel car. Petrol cars need to have much greater engine size to tow, meaning that it costs far too much to run.

flying

Terribly environmentally damaging.

Love my big dirty diesel estate. Best car I've ever had.

Well, that's a blessing for us who live on heavily-polluted roads, Steeley

running

I don't understand why skme people name change for threads like this

Something outing or really personal I understand

But not this type of post

My next car will be electric, but we need time to save. I think we should be far more worried about lorries and buses. They do hundreds of miles per day and pump out huge amounts of toxic gas and particulates. All very well to say 'take the bus'...

A lot of people are seeing my question as some sort of attack or a way of being competitively greener than them. It really isn't. Protecting the environment and people's health is tricky. There aren't any perfect answers. Doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

If the govt want to swap my diesel for an equivilent hybrid im happy for that. Low mileage, full service history, need to tow a caravan...... But 2k wont buy me a new car.

Absolutely right there diesel

So maybe some people with diesel cars try in other ways...until they can afford to replace the car