While Hollywood actors Ben Affleck, George Clooney and Val Kilmer are just a few of the many stars to play Batman in movies, there was something far more convincing in the contest of human courage in the story of motor-vehicle-accident survivor Nathan Steenbergen as he fronted the cameras for Road Safety Week in his own inspiring Batman T-shirt. (‘My ute’s smart airbag saved me from death’, ST, 12/5). Undergoing rehab after injuring both ankles and requiring multiple abdominal surgeries, the young father has certainly stared death in the eye and yet survived against all odds. With a gentle smile, crutches in hand and a feeble pose, Nathan must feel reassured that our whole state is surely barracking for his quick recovery and return to his loving family. With the Batman mania riddled with technology, there can be little doubt that Nathan’s advocacy for the emergency e-Call system in all cars is a lot more purposeful than the caped crusader’s “bat-phone” and other imaginative if occasionally ludicrous innovations from the Hollywood gadget men. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta 19May2024