White Vans Rule The Road

It is time to admit to a deep prejudice which causes me to make discriminatory and sometimes offensive remarks about my fellow men, mostly, few women are in this category.

It is people who drive white vans and cause me problems or worries.  The most common is those who drive a foot or two behind my back bumper and who flash lights and blast their horns.

My reason for obeying the road signs is not simply because my usual passenger offers directive advice on the subject but what happens if I get speeding tickets in terms of points on licence with the effect then on insurance charges or at worst loss of the use of my license.

There are other inconveniences they cause.  One is shooting the red at traffic lights, especially at junctions without clear vision of the other roads.

Another is  fast inside overtaking in complex traffic systems.  Yet another is parking on a narrow road in such a way as to cause long tailbacks or creating dangerous situations.

The most likely to incite a reaction is cutting up in busy traffic or weaving about the road when communicating on phones or checking satellite directions.

Yes, I know I should be tolerant and accept that these are the folkways and mores of a population group who are on our roads to promote economic growth and provide the services needed by our communities.

So when Emily Thornberry, busted from being Shadow Attorney General for Tweeting allegedly snobbish comments about this group, takes flak, there is a sneaking sympathy in spite of her being a senior figure in the Labour Party.  If she has been carved up a few times on the road I can understand her taking a shot.

What we seem to forget is that a good many white van drivers these days are in fact self employed and as such are under different forms of incentive and working conditions to many ordinary workers in distribution in the past.

The flying of the flags of the Cross of St. George at the driver's house pictured by Ms. Thornberry may be that he is a football supporter.  Perhaps she should do penance by turning up at Wembley now and again.

Now that really would teach her a lesson.