| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Tree Murdered for 'experimental' cycleway. | |
| Posted by: | Michael Adams | |
| Date/Time: | 06/12/21 15:42:00 |
| Ed Saper explained " Yes - sometimes we need laws to get people to do sensible things - like wear seat belts, not use a phone while driving, not drive at unsafe speeds, ensure their car is properly maintained or carry lights on their bikes after dark." Except there happens to a very *big* difference in your examples there. Riding without lights in the dark has always been recognised as being a very *stupid* thing to do. Right from when they were first invented, and then ridden after dark, bicycles were first fitted with acetylene lamps. Because on all moving vehicles, from trains to bicycles people have always seen the need for lights after dark. Except for the *truly stupid*. Whereas - quite sensible people were driving around in motor cars for 60 years before *anyone* bar eccentrics anyway, saw any need for seat belts. First because there were no statistics, and second because seat belts wouldn't prevent you from having an accident, only save you from the worst consequences of one. But then most people reason, incorrectly admittedly, on not planning on having any accidents in the first place. Candles in the wind and all that. As to phones, potentially there are in fact far worse sources of distraction, animated James O'Brien conversations on the radio, talkative passengers who can't be ignored as is possible on the phone "sorry I'm losing the signal", fast tempo music which has been shown experimentally to affect drivers speed. While above a certain basic level, mainly brakes and lights the need for a lot of car maintanance is totally unnecessary supported as it by manufacturers routine service intervals designed mainly to protect *them* from warranty claims. Not all of it, but a lot of it, michael adams |