This is in reference to Cecil’s column Do things get crazy when the moon is full in which the Master observes that with ‘studies’ which seem to demonstrate a full moon effect on behavior “when you look at them closely, they fall apart.”
Comes now Churchill, a UK insurance company, to claim that not only are auto accidents 14% more frequent during a full moon than during a new one, but that the difference is attributable to feng shui. Specifically, the full moon reflects more yang (insert joke here) and increases aggressiveness.
Probably difficult to chalange these guys statistics, but I’d say the more likely cause is people looking out of their windows ( ‘Oh look at that nice moon today, is it really full?’) instead of looking at the road.
“Most people will want to go out, be social and have a good time - just don?t drive!”
Good advice (especially from an insurance company) but what’s it got to do with the moon? They’d probably refere to anything if they feel they can reduce the number of DWIs.
Whoa. Churchill is one bizarre company. That, or I’m being whoosed by that British humor thing.
I give you another press release (it’s on their website but I can’t link directly to it so the link goes to a fishing website that picked up the story): “Fishing is the most hazardous pastime that we cover.” “Particularly muscular fish” my eye.
You can also buy bobble-head drooling bulldogs (“Churchill,” get it?) on their website and, if an employee suggestion saves them money, they’ll give the employee a “house in Bromley!” Where the hell is Bromley, and is this a good thing?
One wonders whether it’s only the pr people having a bit of fun or if their actuaries are also implicated.
Yes, people really do this. I have personally practiced drivers-side astronomy, head out the window, driving down the freeway, with a car full of friends, during a lunar eclipse.