There are three very big problems with road safety and which, until they are sorted out properly, will result in very little difference being made to road accidents statistics, no matter what speed restrictions are imposed or how.

1) As long as Insurance Companies continue to relieve the vehicle driver/owner from the full monetary liability of the consequences of his/her actions a certain amount of cavalier attitide will always exist.

“I'm alright Jack...my cost are covered.” The insurance companies promote this view, but do their damnedest to avoid paying out. Some costs are eventually paid out, but the costs to the family of the loss of a breadwinner and parent is paid out by whom? Certainly not to the driver.(.... if it was his fault). If they did there would be a very rapid reduction in road accidents.

2) We live in a society where we are almost submerged in Health and Safety legislation to the point that we are looked after and cosseted at every point of our daily lives, from the quality of our food and drink to the environment in which we exist (you can not call it “living” these days). It is therefore ingrained in the subconcious that safety in all things is assured, and any breach of that safety must be someone elses failing.

However...in schools today it appears as though the one thing missing from the curiculum is “how to be a successful pedestrian”. They are taught about sex from a very early age, but the need for safe passage across the street is a much more common occurrence than the need for safe sex round the back of the bike shed. The entire curiculum is a waste of time if the pupil is wiped out under a bus because road safety was not included in it. Nevertheless pupils are allowed to wander across roads with the minimum of training, and their attitudes, generally, seem to suggest that they have, in some way, learned one thing about traffic, and that is that they are very special little people who have right of way under any circumstance, and the younger they are the more this is demonstrated.

3) It is always surprising me that in every town in the country vehicles are passing only inches away from pedestrians with so very few untoward occurences. With the amount of jostling and pram pushing that goes on it is amazing. It demonstrates how good most drivers are. It also demonstrates how hypocritical and hidebound the Professional OBE seeking Road Safety Lobby is when it comes to actually doing something possitive.

If a farmer wants to keep his sheep separate from field of turnips he erects a fence. He needs to make provision for moving his sheep and may need to erect a further fences to facilitate this, but it will ensure that his turnips are kept safe. If he wants to take his sheep over to the other side of the river he builds a bridge.

 I have a feeling that if these factors were corrected both drivers and pedestrians would alter their outlooks and speed limits would be unnecessary.  


Every silver lining has a cloud.

24/4/00

Dear Mr. Prescot,

I am looking for funding to complete the development of what is probably the most advanced road safety feature ever devised for use in motor cars. I have most of the detail worked out, but before I start to manufacture the final prototype I need to know if your Dept. would be prepared to stand some of the cost, since trying to do this work on an old age pension is not easy, (even after this last, more than generous, increase.) It will, without doubt, (or unquestionably, as you politicians like to say,) eliminate all road deaths and casualties presently caused by cars. I can also say, with certainty, that if fitted to wagons, coaches, buses etc. it would have exactly the same effect. Unfortunately it can not be fitted to bicycles or horses (yet).

It would fit in perfectly with your own personal aspirations, as far as motorists are concerned, in as much as it will still permit the motorist to spend as much time as he likes in his car, without causing traffic congestion or pollution. It will also save vast sums of money by minimising damage to roads and additionally reducing the amount of money needed to be spent in the upkeep of the immeasurable acres of red tarmac now necessary on our roads, thus allowing the Government to spend the road fund licence fees on other more appropriate projects.

It could be fitted as original equipment on any car, by any manufacturer, but I suspect that its fitting would have to be legally obligatory for cars sold in this country, as I can not see any of our European partners being so forward looking and dynamic as our current u.k. Government. This could be where harmonisation and “egalite” (Fr.) comes in.

 

 

The device is quite simple, and obviously I am not going to give you the precise details of its structure nor its electronic circuitry. However, what happens is this. The engine is electronically prevented from being started until the gearbox is in neutral and the hand brake is fully applied (this would need testing for MOT certification). When this set of conditions appertain the driver is allowed to start the engine, but, just as a gear is selected, and as the hand brake released, out of a compartment built into the dash, just alongside the ignition key, comes a miniature hand, and turns off the engine. Perfection!

I look forward to receiving positive details of how much your dept. would be prepared to grant me towards the completion of this inestimable contribution to road safety.

edit :- he never replied.  
 

Edited by - catgate on 27/01/2011 8:12:41 PM


Every silver lining has a cloud.