Why cycle when you can drive?

[chap]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2FcXJLUUoM


Predictably, Copenhagenize is not happy about this : http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/03/car-empire-strikes-back-again.html

 

[gaz]

safe cycling.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

top gear beat em to it. but they used an unfit dwarf and he still won. they did it across london and used a speedboat as well as a car in the race

 

[Norm]

top gear beat em to it. but they used an unfit dwarf and he still won. they did it across london and used a speedboat as well as a car in the race

Highlights of the Top Gear version, also using a Merc, are here.

My personal experience over the past month (since being made redundant) are the opposite to the topic title. By coincidence, I also have a Merc (much older than either of those in the videos) but it's only made one journey in the past 5 weeks, when I had to go visit my Old Man on the Isle of Wight. Other than when buying soil & compost (used the Land Rover), I've used the bikes exclusively, for shopping, pleasure, whatever journeys up to about 15 miles each way.

 

[Bman]

He'd probably get there quicker if he wasnt weaving all over the place!

 

[StuartG]

Did you spot the traffic chaos around the cyclist which disappears completely when the Merc hits the street (complete with much smoother music).

Interesting that Merc are plugging using a mobile phone in busy traffic. Clearly not interested in safety. Or is it to help despatch more cyclists and pedestrians?

For this alone the Merc advert should be promoted to show what an evil organisation they are. Hoping this ad will come back to bite them ...

And a prize to anyone who can identify the total number of factual errors ... doesn't the US have ANY advertising codes for being legal, decent and honest?

 

[chap]

He'd probably get there quicker if he wasnt weaving all over the place!

I did notice some pretty extreme swerves, I just assumed that he was a beginner

 

[gaz]

Interesting that Merc are plugging using a mobile phone in busy traffic. Clearly not interested in safety.

It's not against the law to use a mobile whilst driving in most states. Some states just brought in a law that makes it illegal, but we don't know when this was made.

 

[Norm]

Gaz

Stuart didn't say illegal, he referred to safety. Using a mobile hands-free is not that much safer than holding it. I'm not sure that it's wise for a car manufacturer to be promoting it, even though most do advertise their hands-free kits.

As for the GLK, most countries released it as a 2009 model, it was 2010 in the US, though and that ad was uploaded to MBUSA's YouTube page 9 days ago, so it's probably pretty up to date.

 

[chap]

Gaz

Stuart didn't say illegal, he referred to safety. Using a mobile hands-free is not that much safer than holding it. I'm not sure that it's wise for a car manufacturer to be promoting it, even though most do advertise their hands-free kits.

As for the GLK, most countries released it as a 2009 model, it was 2010 in the US, though and that ad was uploaded to MBUSA's YouTube page 9 days ago, so it's probably pretty up to date.

Corporate Responsibilty now primarily exists as a buzz-word since it is in vogue. The fact that the same company would have a radically different message here would illustrate that, alas it is speculation.

That advert was almost as convincing as a Daily Mail piece on dark-skinned immigrants. However, one of the reasons it has been launched, I suspect, is because they realise that cycling is a viable contender to the car in the city. Cycling has really been taking off in NYC due to an innovative mayor and an investment in the infrastructure and car-free zones. Therefore, the hard hitting advert with a given slant on manufacturing the archetype of 'The Cyclist' in true American style.

Notice that Guy, the named Mercedes driver, and his 'conscientious' approach, and the fact that the cyclist (messenger) epitomises almost everything held deplorable about the the type, from going under a no entry sign, swerving like a maniac and skidding unnecessarily on the road, to going at speed on the pavement, the wrong way up one-ways, plus the childish uber-competitiveness, even to that dialogue between the assistant and the driver.

Guy (Driver): I think the bike guys got no chance, have you seen him lately?
Sidekick (Editorial Office): Umm believe it or not, he's cruising around Times square right now.
Guy: 'Well I guess he's not paying attention to any of the traffic rules is he'
Sidekick: What did you expect!? No he doesn't!

 

[StuartG]

I sent Merc a very polite email about their stance on encouraging unsafe driving (with a link to the excellent ROSPA pdf on the topic). I thought they might see that as endangering the brand whereas a simple "you were being beastly to cyclists" is what was intended and would have no effect.

I guess it is HQ rather than the US offshoot who would be more worried by the promotion of bad driving habits. If only I could find HQ's PR email address and spoke German!

 

[chap]

I sent Merc a very polite email about their stance on encouraging unsafe driving (with a link to the excellent ROSPA pdf on the topic). I thought they might see that as endangering the brand whereas a simple "you were being beastly to cyclists" is what was intended and would have no effect.

I guess it is HQ rather than the US offshoot who would be more worried by the promotion of bad driving habits. If only I could find HQ's PR email address and spoke German!

To be honest, unless it was publicly acknowledged I'm sure it would go the same way as the supposed "you were being beastly to cyclists" e-mail: to the 'trash' can (digital of course, Mercedez Benz are environmentally friendly.)

Likewise, should you manage to surpass all expectations and get it on Watchdog, the firm will decline to comment or send a generic disclaimer from their PR department about how they are a conscientious brand. You never know, you may illicit a 'Lessons have been learnt' line which means they high-fived each other after evading another bullet.

 

[StuartG]

Chap - you are so negative! Of course any single reaction can, and probably should, be ignored. But they are building a brand, putting it on YouTube is viral marketing. Brilliant if you can get it to work properly but they do know how vicious it can bite back if they get it wrong. They will be watching.

When people start using their own expensive advertising to dish their safety credibility, then things happen. So please don't complain, get dishing, or more importantly get other people to dish too. Viral!

 

[Norm]

All comments are checked before being posted. What's the betting that they won't show anything as negative as "I hope their cars are less wooden than their actors".

 

[chap]

Chap - you are so negative! Of course any single reaction can, and probably should, be ignored. But they are building a brand, putting it on YouTube is viral marketing. Brilliant if you can get it to work properly but they do know how vicious it can bite back if they get it wrong. They will be watching.

When people start using their own expensive advertising to dish their safety credibility, then things happen. So please don't complain, get dishing, or more importantly get other people to dish too. Viral!

Moi!

I am optimism personified my good man, or at least I was until page 4 on my prior thread concerning London

I'm sorry, I'm not quite up to scratch with on the iGeneration's vernacular, what is dishing? I know what Viral is!