LIES, DAMN LIES AND…
Statistics. One can manipulate it in any way to suit a certain argument. This is what makes figures and statistics so dangerous. It is also this that lead to the announcement by Transport Minister Fikile Mabalula that the number of festive season road deaths have decreased this year.
Not so, says the Automobile Association (AA), due to the fact that the numbers quoted were preliminary, and not the final audited number of recorded deaths which occurred during the reporting period. It can also not be regarded as such until after 30 days from 15 January. This 30-day period is used as people involved in crashes during the reporting period may die after the cut-off date, hence the discrepancies.
So, we wait with bated breath for the true figure to be divulged. The Association also pointed out that since 2009 close to 133 800 people have died on South African roads – with around 15 000 dying just over the Christmas period alone. This is too many deaths, and efforts need to be intensified to reduce this number significantly, but we are not holding our breath on this…
Due to the high road fatality rate we decided to stay off-road over the festive period, doing the annual trek down to the coast with Ford Rangers on gravel roads only … We experienced big sky country at its best and saw some hidden gems along the less travelled roads. However, if opening gates and negotiating cattle grids is not your thing, then a gravel-travel adventure is probably not for you …
We also went frugal by going nowhere slowly for five days and over 2 500 km in a cavalcade of vehicles battling it out on the highways and byways of the country for top honours as the most frugal car within their respective classes. Yes, the difference between winners and losers were decided by the slimmest of margins during the inaugural Wesbank SA Fuel Economy Tour …
We decided to put a “stranger” in the dunes by unleashing the V6-power of the top model in the Mercedes-benz X-class in the Namib Desert, and we found the perfect venue for the latest SUV from Hyundai, the, uhm, Venue, in the form of Diamant Estate.
In France, we paid homage to the motorsport history of Jaguar at a festive Pace and followed the final leg of The Last Overland expedition, with the 64-year old Landie ‘Oxford’ received in the United Kingdom by the New Defender. We visited Sicily, home to the legendary Targa Florio and the original Godfather, and in Britain bade a Morgan farewell on its quest to cross India on three wheels.
Rounding it all off, is a visit to Saudi Arabia to witness the inaugural Dakar Rally in this country, while closer to home contributor Jim Freeman took the new BMW R1250GS HP on a sortie to the Sunshine Coast.
Enjoy the read, and do not become another road statistic.