this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2024
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Fuck Cars

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cross-posted from: https://rss.ponder.cat/post/21922

Investigation underway after man attempts to drive through protest

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[–] Amputret@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Doesn’t quite fit, but I guess. Im curious why the OP chose to use a euphemism though.

[–] Naich@lemmings.world 10 points 2 months ago

Cager = Car driver. Because driving a car is a like driving your own cage, metaphorically and literally. I don't think it's a particularly useful word.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Hi, OP here. On the contrary: "cager" is quite the opposite of a euphemism, LOL!

I'm using it to deride the cowardice of the person who assaulted the protestors and the police officer who killed the woman with his car, because it's for damn sure that neither would've started shit if they had been approaching their victims on equal terms as pedestrians instead of being ensconced in two tons of metal.

[–] Amputret@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Thanks for the reply! It just seemed euphemistic to me as cages have a predominantly positive connotation with safety or protection. Roll cages, faraday cages, and shark cages protect those within. Most other cages are for the protection of those outside, which cars obviously aren’t.

The only negative connotation cages have is animal cruelty or false imprisonment, and even then you sympathise with those within the cage.

Now say car-nut, petrolhead, or even just driver, and I have clear enough picture painted.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Ah, I can see how it wouldn't be clear if you weren't already familiar with it as bicyclist/motorcyclist slang. It is a thing, though; I didn't make it up.

I should also note that I'm perhaps using it in a particularly derogatory way in this instance. As the first two Urban Dictionary definitions note, sometimes it's about how how drivers don't see cyclists because the bars of their cage (their car's A-pillars) get in the way, or how cars get trapped in traffic in a way that bikes and motorcycles do not (because motorcycles can split lanes, bikes can ride on the shoulder or along paths, etc.).