Driving standards
Discussion
Another day, another multiple pile-up on the roads (A1M in Yorkshire now for those that haven't heard). I've just heard Sky News exclaim that the accident was caused by fog. Rubbish. Fog is inanimate, it can't cause an accident. The accident was caused by people who failed to react to the conditions properly, due to a disastrous combination of wilful arrogance, stupidity, total ignorance and inattentiveness.
The same will be true of the incidents on the M40 and the M5 yesterday. The M4 incident the day before is more closely defined. Simply a person given licence to operate a one ton projectile at high velocity, beyond his physical and mental capability.
I've already heard a radio debate yesterday with the usual suspects talking about excess speed and the need to control traffic flow. So we are faced with the usual scenario - the vocal minorities hijack the events and use them as a stick to beat the majority.
As far as I'm concerned, the real problem is directly traced to the attitude that driving has become seen as a right, rather than a privilege. The driving test is designed to enable the vast majority of people to take to the road and as such is dumbed down to the lowest common denominator, in much the same way as education and television have been. The result is obvious - standards decline.
The more incompetent drivers we have on the roads, the more money the makes from taxation and the more ammunition it has for ever more stringent driving controls. It can't nanny drivers if they are all highly able enthusiasts. It is received with open arms by clueless numpties who really believe that speed kills and that anybody who enjoys driving is endangering the whole world around them. This is why we are all getting lights flashed at us and enduring crude gestures merely for daring to make a safe overtaking manoevre.
Meanwhile the same people reacting this way will be talking on their phones, dealing with the kids on the back seat and swerving all over the road oblivious of other drivers around them. They do this because they believe that in their "safe" comfort bubble, they can.
The motorcycle test is approached differently. A stringent multi-stage process that is tough to pass and demands a good standard of competency. The Government doesn't want people to take to two wheels and makes it as difficult as possible.
The roads will become less and less safe, and legislation more and more onerous, until the Government addresses the causes at source and totally reappraises the licensing system,so that driving becomes a privilege that must be earnt. It's the people who are not competent to drive that should be forced onto the Labour Party's beloved public transport.
The same will be true of the incidents on the M40 and the M5 yesterday. The M4 incident the day before is more closely defined. Simply a person given licence to operate a one ton projectile at high velocity, beyond his physical and mental capability.
I've already heard a radio debate yesterday with the usual suspects talking about excess speed and the need to control traffic flow. So we are faced with the usual scenario - the vocal minorities hijack the events and use them as a stick to beat the majority.
As far as I'm concerned, the real problem is directly traced to the attitude that driving has become seen as a right, rather than a privilege. The driving test is designed to enable the vast majority of people to take to the road and as such is dumbed down to the lowest common denominator, in much the same way as education and television have been. The result is obvious - standards decline.
The more incompetent drivers we have on the roads, the more money the makes from taxation and the more ammunition it has for ever more stringent driving controls. It can't nanny drivers if they are all highly able enthusiasts. It is received with open arms by clueless numpties who really believe that speed kills and that anybody who enjoys driving is endangering the whole world around them. This is why we are all getting lights flashed at us and enduring crude gestures merely for daring to make a safe overtaking manoevre.
Meanwhile the same people reacting this way will be talking on their phones, dealing with the kids on the back seat and swerving all over the road oblivious of other drivers around them. They do this because they believe that in their "safe" comfort bubble, they can.
The motorcycle test is approached differently. A stringent multi-stage process that is tough to pass and demands a good standard of competency. The Government doesn't want people to take to two wheels and makes it as difficult as possible.
The roads will become less and less safe, and legislation more and more onerous, until the Government addresses the causes at source and totally reappraises the licensing system,so that driving becomes a privilege that must be earnt. It's the people who are not competent to drive that should be forced onto the Labour Party's beloved public transport.
I have raised this with Essex County Council, and have asked for a few of the sorts of suggestions seen on this site to be implemented (higher speed limits on M-ways and A roads with more strict enforcement of 30mph URBAN limits). I'll let you know what they come back with..
I personally fail to see why we should accept those whose driving is appalling when it is other peoples lives that they can take with their 80mph round a blind corner and on the opposite side of the damn road.
If Plod spent more time nailing these drivers (and school run mums, and 4*4 Drivers) then I would believe that they are interested in road safety and not a section of the Inland Revenue. I know that it is all about Govt Crime Targets though, so the easy to persecute will always be attacked, i.e. Mr Speeder.
I personally fail to see why we should accept those whose driving is appalling when it is other peoples lives that they can take with their 80mph round a blind corner and on the opposite side of the damn road.
If Plod spent more time nailing these drivers (and school run mums, and 4*4 Drivers) then I would believe that they are interested in road safety and not a section of the Inland Revenue. I know that it is all about Govt Crime Targets though, so the easy to persecute will always be attacked, i.e. Mr Speeder.
Have a look at the photo all the online news sites are using of this 'accident'....
www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/news/top_story.html?in_review_id=537135&in_review_text_id=502907
Notice the shed-puller at the front of it all.. and the complete absence of anything in the inside lane..
www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/news/top_story.html?in_review_id=537135&in_review_text_id=502907
Notice the shed-puller at the front of it all.. and the complete absence of anything in the inside lane..
quote:
Have a look at the photo all the online news sites are using of this 'accident'....
www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/news/top_story.html?in_review_id=537135&in_review_text_id=502907
Notice the shed-puller at the front of it all.. and the complete absence of anything in the inside lane..
Shed pullers , ban them from the roads
Umm haven't any of you lot realised this yet? -
Heir Blair is only interested in numbers - the number of students passing A-Levels, the number of patients waiting less than 6 months in the NHS, etc. As there is no way of quantifying 'numptiness', the police/government have to concentrate on something than can put a number to - speeding.
But this obsession with numbers has a more sinister purpose - crimes solved figures. With 'normal' crimes (eg. burglary, mugging, etc.), the amount of crimes reported compared to the amount of crimes solved can be easily calculated. But with traffic offences, the vast majority of offences are reported by the police officers themselves who also solve (ie. prosecute) the crime, thus earning the force a 100% success rate in solving traffic crime. Adding this to the force's overall success rate gives an artifically high prosecution rate for crimes, thus satisfying the current government's obsession with achieving big numbers.
Until this trend stops and they no longer publish exam league tables, police force prosecution rate, etc. we cannot be safe from officers trying to reach targets, rather than upholding the law.
Heir Blair is only interested in numbers - the number of students passing A-Levels, the number of patients waiting less than 6 months in the NHS, etc. As there is no way of quantifying 'numptiness', the police/government have to concentrate on something than can put a number to - speeding.
But this obsession with numbers has a more sinister purpose - crimes solved figures. With 'normal' crimes (eg. burglary, mugging, etc.), the amount of crimes reported compared to the amount of crimes solved can be easily calculated. But with traffic offences, the vast majority of offences are reported by the police officers themselves who also solve (ie. prosecute) the crime, thus earning the force a 100% success rate in solving traffic crime. Adding this to the force's overall success rate gives an artifically high prosecution rate for crimes, thus satisfying the current government's obsession with achieving big numbers.
Until this trend stops and they no longer publish exam league tables, police force prosecution rate, etc. we cannot be safe from officers trying to reach targets, rather than upholding the law.
quote:
Umm haven't any of you lot realised this yet? -
Heir Blair is only interested in numbers - the number of students passing A-Levels, the number of patients waiting less than 6 months in the NHS, etc. As there is no way of quantifying 'numptiness', the police/government have to concentrate on something than can put a number to - speeding.
But this obsession with numbers has a more sinister purpose - crimes solved figures. With 'normal' crimes (eg. burglary, mugging, etc.), the amount of crimes reported compared to the amount of crimes solved can be easily calculated. But with traffic offences, the vast majority of offences are reported by the police officers themselves who also solve (ie. prosecute) the crime, thus earning the force a 100% success rate in solving traffic crime. Adding this to the force's overall success rate gives an artifically high prosecution rate for crimes, thus satisfying the current government's obsession with achieving big numbers.
Until this trend stops and they no longer publish exam league tables, police force prosecution rate, etc. we cannot be safe from officers trying to reach targets, rather than upholding the law.
Im afraid im going to have to agree with you nige it's all statistics , this country has gone to the dogs , and one of them is a pit bull called ann widecombe (spelt that wrong!)
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff