Cars and Roads
Cars are lethal weapons
Handguns are not allowed to be used by the general public because they can easily kill people but we have motor cars allowed to be driven by anyone with the suitable permission which are equally capable of doing the same thing. Cars need to be better equipped so they can be stopped from killing people.
Speed is one aspect of cars which should be able to be electronically monitored so that it cannot be exceeded from that allowed in the current time or place. Otherwise sensible drivers can end up demolishing their car on a tree if they travel too quickly for the current conditions.
Another aspect is the permitted driver of the vehicle. It is easy to see that with suitable devices cars can be rendered immobile if an unauthorised driver attempts to use them.
Many deaths on the road are the result of young drivers speeding in their own cars or stealing cars and driving too fast. These two measures would stop this practice.
This obviously sounds a lot BIG BROTHERISH but with thousands of people killed and injured on the roads here each year we need to accept it just as we in Australia accept that handguns should not be readily available to the general public.
Driving lessons in NSW
The latest bit of political stupidity has resulted in the following headline on the ABC.
Driving lessons for kids as young as 12 proposed in bid to help reduce NSW road toll
A member of the NSW Parliament has come up with an idea which he should have kept to himself. The problem is one of attitude, not aptitude. Young drivers have to be capable drivers to get a licence in Australia and it is not the place of schools to engage in driver education. The problem is the attitude of the young drivers when they get behind the wheel. This might be augmented by excess alcohol or drugs but “it ain’t necessarily so”. Being young frequently means being a danger to other road users. The only solution is for cars to be equipped with devices so they can only be driven by the appropriate person, so that they cannot be driven dangerously, and they can safely be immobilised by internal or external means.
What is the function of roads?
They are to allow people to get to work or play as quickly and comfortably as possible.
For this purpose Australians buy and drive a motor car.
The ability of the car to successfully traverse the road system in a quick and comfortable manner is frequently impaired by persons on bicycles who are slow and a hazard to the driver.
Cars are quick; cyclists are slow. The two are incompatible.
Cyclists should compensate society for the construction of bike paths which allow them to ride their bikes safely and without hindering drivers. If bike paths are not available they would need to ride on some roads.
All roads are not safe for the use of both cyclists and drivers. The roads which are main pathways for vehicles should be cyclist free and designated as non-safe roads. Roads safe for both cyclists and drivers should be clearly marked and known to the users. Cyclists should be banned from non-safe roads.
Cyclists riding on non-safe roads should have their bikes confiscated.
Bike helmet stupidity
The following is from an item on the ABC.
The chief executive of the ACT's peak cycling body, Pedal Power, said a possible relaxation of the laws would have to be carefully tested.
Ian Ross said the group welcomed the review, but they supported mandatory helmet laws.
"There are really good reasons why one would wear a helmet," Mr Ross said.
"I have on two occasions come off my bike and hit my head and have been very grateful for those laws."
The dumbass is saying that he could not wear a helmet if it was not a law to do so. What stupidity.
