A QUARTER OF OVER-50S WOULD CROSS THE ROAD TO AVOID TEENAGERS

EMMA SOAMES
EDITOR-AT-LARGE, SAGA MAGAZINE
PRESS RELEASE

April 15, 2010.

 A QUARTER OF OVER-50S WOULD CROSS THE ROAD TO AVOID TEENAGERS.

A quarter of over-50s would cross the road to avoid a group of teenagers while 40% say they would not dare to ask a youngster to move their feet off a bus or train seat.

That’s the finding of an independent survey of more than 14,000 people conducted by Populus on behalf of Saga, the over-50s holidays, lifestyle and financial services organisation.

People in London and the North West of England are most likely to divert to avoid a group of teenagers – 28% said they would cross the street – while youngsters in Northern Ireland are said to be the least intimidating, with only 18% of over-50s saying they would make a route change to avoid teens.

Now oldies champion Emma Soames says that a convincing set of policies to address “feral youth” issues would win big election support from over-55s, who are three times as likely to vote as under-25s.

“Street safety is a big priority for the over-50s – as highlighted in the Saga Generation Manifesto, which is the result of consultation with 14,000 older people,” said Emma Soames, editor-at-large of Saga Magazine.

“When I was a teenager, we’d cross the road to avoid adults – but for entirely different reasons: to let them pass unhindered; but times have changed dramatically in the past 40years, and, unfortunately, the attitude of a few feral teens who show no respect at all has affected perceptions of the majority. It’s reached the point that many older people will now also avoid using public transport when schools come out.

“Street safety for older people, the bad behaviour of a minority of younger people, and, crucially, correcting the incorrect perception of the majority of teenagers as troublemakers need to become key election issues.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800
www.saga.co.uk