SafeSpeed wrote:
OK. So think about what you actually do yourself to manage risk while you're driving. It isn't especially easy because risk management is largely a subconscious process. At the end of the day 'rules compliance' doesn't have much to do with it. It's more about skills and attitudes.
One of the main observations hereabouts is that powerful messages about rules compliance are contributing to worse attitudes, worse risk management and marginal de-skilling. In this way modern policy is actually striking at the core of genuine road safety values.
I drive at a safe speed, and these days always within the speed limits. I pay attention, and note traffic positions in my head. If I am forced to change lane I generally know where other vehicles are.
I am considerate, and realise that if I am in a 30 limit, people will expect me to be doing that as a maximum. I am courteous (outwardly
)
And always be ready for the unexpected. It will only happen a few times a year, but I'll be prepared. Like when you make an emergency manouevre and you know where all the vehicles around you are. Just as you carry out your emergency vicinity check... yep, there's someone doing 60 in a 40 because the lane ahead of them is 'clear'.
Skills and Attitudes is nail-on-the-head stuff. You've allowed for me doing something stupid, but have you allowed for the guy in front of me doing something stupid...? It's what I call consideration and reasonable expectations.
As I say, I am by no means a half-hearted driver. But I am humbled. I have a two-ton piece of metal with a potential kinetic energy I can't be bothered calculating. That goes whether it's our old 998cc, the 1398cc or the present 1798cc.
My scout leader taught me not to run with axes. My driving instructor taught me not to speed. I have no reason to doubt either.
Now, then, the second paragraph... what can I say? The law's not changed to my knowledge. I passed my test during the lovely hand-held days, no luminous yellow boxes then! To my knowledge, there is still the same emphasis on all of the rules of the road now as there was then.
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A mood breaker...
Got stopped by one of those hand-helds once.
"Occupation?" the officer asked
"cnut stretcher" I replied
"How do you do that?" he enquired
"well, first I put in my fingers, stretch a bit and open it out"
"And then..?"
"well, you get both hands in and stretch a bit more til your arms are apart"
"carry on..."
"Well, then you put your feet on the bottom and hands on the top, and stretch them way up here..."
"and what do you do then?"
"Give them a radar and put them on speed-trap duty"