Safe Speed Forums

A new Road Safety campaign has been launched by the Government today, with the stated aim of jointly reducing both the accident rate and offsetting rising unemployment.

Following the success of the Government's Think!! speed-reduction campaign and the introduction of 20mph 'Safe Zones', Road Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has announced that the scheme is to be expanded in scope and legislation.

It is proposed that the maximum speed on most of Britain's roads will be reduced to 4mph, and all cars are to be preceded by a man waving a red flag in order to warn other road users and pedestrians.

The 4mph limit will be enforced by a nationwide network of average speed cameras, backed by a login system installed on the driveway of every house in the country. Any journey that exceeds 4mph average for its entirety will be subject to a fine of £60 per minute based on the differential between the actual time taken and the projected time at the new speed limit.

Mr Fitzpatrick said, "we know that if a child is struck by a car at 40mph they have an 80% chance of being killed. If struck at 30mph, there's an 80% chance they'll live. By reducing the speed limit, nationwide, to 4mph we can be certain that there will never be another fatal accident on Britain's roads - and the fine system will ensure that we have plenty of revenue to invest in our new retail banking business".

The Minister also explained that the draconian speed limit would not apply on motorways, where once a toll had been paid drivers could accelerate all the way to 15mph. He also added that the sending of text messages while driving would now become legal, as long as the sender could prove Labour Party membership.

While road safety groups and Guardian readers have welcomed the new plans, they have not met with universal approval. Top Gear presenter and renowned petrolhead Jeremy Clarkson said, "It's just another [CENSORED] attack by the [CENSORED] [CENSORED] Government, who [CENSORED] think that they're [CENSORED] when, as far as I'm [CENSORED] concerned, they can [CENSORED] [CENSORED] [CENSORED] [CENSORED] [CENSORED] with knobs on".

In other words stay at home so we know where you really are, and we know you can do no harm. Don't! let the them get to you, and drive like any decent driver would. This government must be really getting worried, can't they take the pressure anymore?

_________________
Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

Actually, I think road casualties went DOWN the year after the Red Flag Act was repealed!

Remember the fuel protests? What about a nation wide protest with people walking in front of cars with red flags?

Actually that could be quite a good publicty stunt. Would make Fathers for Justice look like amateurs.

Even with the 4mph limit they still had fatalities but of course the "speed kills" "experts" can't explain that one!

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

It's easy to explain, 4mph is technically a 'speed'

Lots of red flag carriers run over by the following vehicle

_________________
When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

Perhaps they should change their campaign to "Movement Kills". (or more specifically..."Life Kills"

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

The Corporate
Nazi's *[EDITED 19.04.09 by Site Owner : this Word and Comment is NOT the OPINION of Safe Speed's, but purely that of a poster who speaks entirely for him/herself. And is NOT to be debated, in this driving Forum ]*
want 20 Mph limits because instead of killing a few potential wage slaves you get lots of brain injury permanent cripples. The plan is to battery farm them in private nursing homes ( once their parents get to frail to look after them ). Of course this will cost our welfare state a fortune, and now they are tightening up the criteria to claim disability benefits so if you don't go into a nursing home you starve freeze to death at home. They also want 20 Mph speed limits in order to sell potentially expensive Average Speed Cameras to theoretically enforce them.

Of course compensation claims will rocket, thus forcing up the cost of motor insurance, but like everything in safety policy sponsored by the stock market parasites via university boffins they think like Professor Marcos in the Ealing comedy The Lady-killers. " Its OK to steal ten thousand quid in an armed robbery because its only a farthing on all the policies "

A relative of mine was once an ambulance driver who was praised for saving the life of a young girl after a road accident. He went to see her when she was allegedly recovered, but all she could do was sit in a chair, almost a total vegetable. It distressed him so much he almost immediately quit the ambulance service and became an undertaker.

Some might say that its OK if you get adequate compensation, they have just increased payments for profoundly disabled servicemen. However speaking for my own experience of relative disability the money is no good to you if you have lost any chance of independence in your life and are unable to do the things most people take for granted. At least for some intelligent people, becoming severely disabled for life could be a fate worse than death.

Indeed it does

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

In accordance with their current stance I expect the IAM is already preparing training courses for future red flag carriers.

Best wishes all,
Dave.