On Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:25:00 +0100, Sean Gibbins <[email protected]>
wrote:
precisely zero value on your peace of mind or your physical safety
I'll admit I speed at times. This doesn't mean I put precisely zero value
on your safety. As with anything in life I take a calculated risk that
something "could" go wrong. The limits are not based on scientific fact.
In reality the 70mph limit was a snap judgement by a government put on the
spot. Other limits have more basis and some are just fillers.
At 3am when I am the only car on the motorway, that 70 restriction goes
out the window. Does that mean I'm not thinking about your safety?
Similarly when I see a car on the hard shoulder I will often move to the
middle lane. The rules are not hard and fast set and sometimes driving to
the conditions is more appropriate than driving to "the law".
I will agree there are people that don't drive to the conditions. Often
though I think its the condition they are not watching, not their speed.
As a final point, a bad condition car (tires, brakes etc.) will have as
much impact on a potential 30mph collision as doing 40mph in a modern good
condition car. Stopping distances etc. taken into account. Remembering
that fun TV advert (hitting at 30 has a 80% chance of survival - hitting
at 40 has an 80% chance of death). The statistics are interesting if you
swap cars around. That old Land Rover, even at 30 has a pretty high
fatality rate. That modern small car has a pretty high survival rate at 40.
So am I placing less value on your safety just for driving a bigger car?
am I placing more for driving a smaller one with pedestrian friendly
bumpers?
Look at the county where the police, in a recent (admittedly political)
move
You mean the politicians did something their voters _wanted_ them to do.
It's a revelation.
(On second reading this sound like I'm having a dig at Sean. This isn't my
intention, more to have a dig at our current political position)
did precisely that with their speed cameras. There was an immediate
increase in speeding offences.
In offences or in convictions?
And more importantly, what about the accident/injury/death rates? Were
people getting from a -> b faster and not doing any damage?
I accept many of the arguments about the potential for abuse of camera
technology, databases and biometrics, but rarely do I hear anyone state
that they have suffered directly as a result of that sort of thing.
Almost always, in my personal experience, the people most vocal in this
debate eventually reveal that they were ticketed for doing 40 in a 30
zone, and then go on to complain about the cameras being revenue
generators for the county, deviously placed, etc.
98 on a dual carriageway late at night, mid summer - good visibility dry
roads - with no other cars in sight. Bright yellow standing camera. I was
more interested in looking at the slip road to my left ensuring there were
no cars looking to merge. Taking me to court over the whole thing cost
them more than the fine I received.
62 (average over a quarter mile from standing) in a 40 - pegged by a big
BMW estate sitting right on my tail. Turned out he had blue lights behind
his front grill. Egg on face time. He was shocked I slowed when I entered
the 30 and slowed down. More shocked that I justified myself. The 40 was
in place because of a near-bye school, which I don't consider a hazard at
00:30. Pavements all had fences to them and a grass verge before the road.
Pedestrian bridge minimised the chances of anyone crossing anyway. Well
lit road etc. good visibility.
And sadly, in another indictment of human nature, I suspect that
hard-hitting TV commercials educating folks to the dangers of speeding
have far less effect on the numbers speeding than the fear of punishment.
Very possibly. Is this because people have got too used to being provided
half the facts and knowing the "results" from the data don't always mean
very much?
--
Robert Bronsdon
--
Next meeting: Bournemouth? TBD, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00
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