We all know what it means when someone is said to have been ‘thrown under the bus’ by their colleagues – they have been chosen to cop all the criticism and blame for something that is a bit embarrassing. The picture it paints is clear enough: a large and embarrassing ‘bus’ – a public relations disaster – is approaching, and in order to save their own hide they will pick a scapegoat and ‘throw them under the bus’ (no actual violence being involved).