London speed limit to be 20mph

And monitored by big brother cameras.

...He said today: "Twenty miles per hour speed limits save lives and make our neighbourhoods better. These measures will build on what we have already done so that the quality of life in our local neighbourhoods is improved for everyone. I think if you can say 20mph zones without the road humps there won't be any opposition."

According to City Hall, nine out of 10 pedestrians will be killed if hit by a car travelling at 40mph, two out of 10 will die if struck at 30mph but his drops to one in 40 at 20mph. ...

As a practical matter, is it a good thing for society to encourage continued survival of idiots who put themselves in a position to get run over? I would argue no, its not. They might breed and propagate another generation of morons. The occasional person gets whacked when some auto jumps a curb and careens down the sidewalk, but those are the exception, plain old bad luck.

The vast majority of urban pedestrian fatalities are due to ordinary stupidity. Crossing the street against the signals. Crossing in the middle of the block. Not looking each way before crossing. These sort of things are preventable if a few neurons are firing. If the guide dogs for the blind can manage it, those who can't really don't deserve much sympathy in public policy.

I'll admit my position on such things has a distinctly Spartan ambiance to it, but pandering to the bad habits of idiots simply isn't sound public policy. By the time I was 5 years old, I had been taught how to cross a road safely.

Of course its "Red Ken" Livingstone who is behind this new wave of nanny stateism.

posted by Purp at 10:06 PM

| Access Comments