Comment Re:What a crazy situation (Score 1) 149
Considering that #1 non-disease loss of life is due to car crashes (maybe it is guns in the US, but US is special in that regard) and significant portion of these involve speeding, they are not investing enough in speed traps. I would definitely welcome more speed traps. Speed kills, and clearly people cannot understand that basic fact.
So your solution to traffic accident deaths is to reduce the speed at which the accident occurs, thereby improving the chances of the people involved of surviving?
Wouldn't a better solution be to prevent the accident altogether? Since death can occur at speeds as low as 7-8 mph (a friend of mine was a cop, and saw it happen more than once - broken neck.), that means at best, reducing speeds will prevent some deaths, but not all. Not to mention the damage to vehicles that must be repaired, damage to the environment from leaking automotive fluids, etc.etc.
How about this: Get the complete morons who shouldn't be put behind the wheel of a golf cart off the road, and we'll have far fewer accidents, regardless of what the speed limit is.
I know, I know....study after study shows that accident rates increase when speed limits increase. Well, there's a very subtle, but massive selection bias in every single one of those studies. They only select people who've been in accidents. What they actually prove is that people who are likely to get into an accident are more likely to get into one at a higher speed. They don't include the guy who's been driving at 35 over the limit for a 40 mile trip to work and back for 40 years, and never been in an accident.
Have you seen those "<Country>'s Worst Driver" shows? Have you ever stopped to think that every incompetent, useless driver on every one of those shows has passed a driver's test? What is wrong with this picture? The problem isn't speed limits. It starts WAAAAY before we ever get there. The problem is, practically worldwide, we're letting complete incompetents behind the wheel of a car.
Here's another thing: Have an at fault accident in most jurisdictions, and you'll get fined. Have an accident that kills someone, and you'll probably still just get fined. Have another one 6 months later, and you'll get fined again. Barring your being drunk at the time, though, the chances of you losing your licence are slim to none.
However, if you fail to pay a $35 parking ticket, when you try to renew your licence, you won't be able to.
Road safety isn't important to the powers that be. They just want to make sure they get their money from you, that's all. Which is exactly the same thing as the GP claims, with law enforcement using speed traps as revenue generators.