Ogling of Women a Leading Cause of Car Accidents in Colombia

National Post [Canada] ^ | Thursday,June 15, 2006 | Canadian Press

[canuck_conservative]

In Colombia, beauty can kill. Drivers ogling attractive women rather than paying attention to the road are one of the South American country's leading causes of car accidents.

Distraction was the No. 1 cause of the 115,000 road accidents in Colombia last year, costing the equivalent of about $250 million Cdn, according to research by the Road Safety Fund, a private organization.

The cell phone was the biggest distraction for drivers, accounting for about 10 per cent of all accidents. Second was men staring at women, which accounted for nearly one in 20 crashes.

"It's a culture here of drivers honking the horn at an attractive woman, throwing her some compliment as he drives past, and he's not concentrating on driving," the group's director, Francisco Fernandez, told a news conference.

His presentation included close-up images of attractive women in miniskirts to remind the audience of the extent of this danger.

More than 1,300 drivers were interviewed for the study conducted by the fund, a private group made up of insurance companies.

Colombia has been improving its road safety, bringing down accidents from an average of 200,000 per year to just over 115,000 last year.

But with potholed roads traversing treacherous mountain ranges and drivers who don't think twice about overtaking on blind corners, driving in Colombia can still be a dangerous endeavour.

While authorities have begun fining those caught driving and speaking on a cell phone - sanctioning more than 17,000 drivers in Bogota alone last year - the fund is recommending less draconian methods to discourage men from looking at women while driving.

"We are hoping for an educational campaign, to inform drivers of how dangerous this can be," said Fernandez.

Other listed distractions were drivers fussing with their appearances and looking at advertising - which in Colombia often features scantily clad women.

The study found that as male drivers grow older, they get grumpier: less focused on women but more inclined to be distracted by arguing with their passengers.

"Around the world, distraction is one of the leading causes of accidents. The reasons for distractions are different for each culture," Fernandez said. "In the United States, research has found a large cause of distraction is eating while driving, something not seen here."

© The Canadian Press 2006

[sauropod]

The study found that as male drivers grow older, they get grumpier: less focused on women but more inclined to be distracted by arguing with their passengers.

Not one word...

[StJacques]

"Thank you for that pictoral post, St. Jacques. A friend native to Colombia advised to go to Medellin to find a wife but to Cali to find a lover. He claimed this is 'common wisdom' in Colombia. Do you miss colombia?"

Yes I do miss Colombia. I was there between the ages of 20 to 21 and, how should I put this?, I did "very well," once I learned Spanish.

The "common wisdom" your friend gave you is exactly in line with what I learned when I was there. The Calenses are much more assertive and, um, "ready" than women elsewhere in the country. Their look is more along the lines of what American men would classify as "exotic"; dark hair, piercing eyes, and usually more buxom in appearance.

What he told you about women from Medellin can actually be expanded to include a larger region. Medellin is the capital of the Colombian Department (state, province) of Antioquia and the Antioqueñas are generally considered to be the most desirable women in Colombia. The term Antioqueña as used by most Colombians actually refers to women from a larger area than the present-day Department of Antioquia, because three additional departments were carved out of the original Antioquia a few decades back. They include the additional Departments of Caldas (I lived there), Risaralda, and Quindio. Antioquia was somewhat unique in that many of the settlers -- not the majority -- came from the Basque area of northern Spain and you will find a lot of taller beauties (it's like seeing a supermodel every time you turn the corner) with either reddish or ash blond hair. And these girls are not fast, but really worth keeping.

I think Andrea Noceti (remember how Letterman had to apologize to her?), who is from Antioquia, may speak to the ideal of la Belleza Antioqueña:

[PsyOp]

all while trying to snort a line of coke, no doubt...

[Caipirabob]

Yikes! My wife is looking over my shoulder as I write this! I have no interest in these women whatsoever! *cough*cough* How dare you ping me...until next time. *cough*cough* LOL!!!!

[SledgeCS]

One of my friend rear ended a car because he was ogling a tractor for sale along the road. We still tease him about that years later...

[StJacques]

Continuing Toby's Research:

[Larry Lucido]

"So we got an attractive woman, wearing a bra, no top, walkin' around in broad daylight. She's flouting society's conventions! That's totally inappropriate. It's lewd, vesivius, salacious, outrageous!"

[Mount Athos]

Well as long as everyone is posting pictures of Colombian women



Oh wait that's a Colombian soccer player sorry

[PsyOp]

The solution is obvious. Columbian politicians must pass a law mandating the use of eyeball-free ogling devices.

Perhaps some type of HUD that alows them to watch beautiful women while keeping their eyes on the road.

[TruthWillWin]

Almost happened to me about 5 years ago.

A woman with a short skirt was bending over to put something into her trunk.

Her car was parked in a lot just off the road.

She was not wearing underware.

My neck almost suffered from whiplash when I did the double take to make sure I had saw what I thought I saw.

[ArrogantBustard]

Ya sayin' she had some junk in her trunk?

(ba-da-bing)

[Toby06]

Excellent research!

[PsyOp]

Great pics. I just crashed my computer...

[TruthWillWin]

Not sure about the trunk. I could only see the chassis.

[Toby06]

Great pics. I just crashed my computer...

Typing 1-fisted?

[Cagey]

I've been practicing law for 25 years, you're listenin' to a caddy! This is a public humiliation! You can't let the defendant have control of the key piece of evidence. "

"Plus, she's trying it on over a leotard, of course a bra's not gonna fit on over a leotard. A bra has gotta fit right up a person's skin, like a glove!"

[wallcrawlr]

[ArrogantBustard]

No doubt a classy chassis ...

[PsyOp]

Typing 1-fisted?

I guess it was inevitable that this thread would end up in the gutter...

[BJClinton]

So will ogling Columbian women crash this thread?