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Banning legislation

Head Rambles Posted on by

I have just watched a couple of pigs fly across the face of a full blue moon.

Yes, indeed this is a rare occasion.

You see, I just read a report from our gubmint that actually made sense.

It suggests amongst other things that barrier fences at the side of the road be removed and that the likes of roundabouts should be heavily restricted.  It also recommends the removal of a lot of the signage clutter.  Brilliant!

The primary idea is that the barrier between motorist and pedestrian be reduced.  I would actually like to see it removed altogether.  At present, the motorist sees the road as his domain and God help any pedestrian who strays there.  What I would like to see is the abolition of the whole concept of “road” and “pavement” [or “sidewalk” if you’re an ignorant Mercan].

I have seen this in action in France, and it works brilliantly.  I have seen many examples where the road and the pavement are one and the same, and neither car nor pedestrian has right of way.  But surely that leads to chaos and danger, you say?  Not a bit of it.  It couldn’t be safer because both motorists and pedestrians are well aware of the situation so they keep a close eye out for each other.  Motorists don’t need a speed limit as they have to drive very carefully, keeping an eye out for errant pedestrians all the time.  Neither feels 100% secure so both take extra care.  The idea should be to confuse people rather than regulate.  Confused people approach a situation with extra care.

Another good move would be to remove all traffic-lights. 

Wouldn’t work?

Take a look.

 

Comments

Banning legislation — 22 Comments

      • Not only contrary to logic, but maybe also contrary to national cultural temperament. If something is forbidden, we got to taste it. Irish cultural attitudes re. parking regulations etc. are of the agin' mentality kind. Sorry Grandad, but I don't think Irish road users will ever behave like the French. BTW French accident rates can be high, so they are no paragon of road virtue.

        • One of the problems with Irish roads is that there are so many cars to the mile [much higher than in France].   There is no escaping that little problem.

          There is an attitude here though that tends to treat limits as a norm rather than an upper limit.  For example, drivers will try and drive at 60 on a country lane simply because that is the posted limit.  I imagine the same applies to drink – I'm allowed two [or whatever] so I have to drink two.  My contention is that without a posted limit, drivers would be more inclined to drive at an appropriate speed.  Maybe I'm wrong?  Worth trying?

          • Physical compulsion is one way to enforce speed limits near schools and hospitals. More speed bumps are the way to do it. Also could they try electronic sensors that will light up big nearby signs like YOU ARE DRIVING TOO FAST or SLOWER YOU ROAD HOG, when speed-busting vehicles fly past? Trip 'em and shame 'em, I say.

    • Looks to me like a shift in the light or summat.  I have been waiting for the conspiracy theories to start.

    • There was actually a case in the UK where they covered the road in strange diagonals and zig-zag markings on the approach to a dangerous junction.  It worked for a while but the locals got used to the marks!

  4. So, when there's a wreck or a knock down how are they gonna figure out who's at fault?

    Although, myself,  I have always considered red lights etc as mere suggestions.

    • Presumably the same way they do now – on evidence?

      When teaching the daughter to drive I told her to always change gear if the traffic light showed amber.  She asked if it was to help brake the car, but I told her it was to give better acceleration.

      • What do you mean evidence?? There won't be any fault if there are no laws to break. Imagine: Who ran the red light to cause the collision. Well, no one 'cos there wasn't a light. So who's at fault? No way of knowing. Who was supposed to give way?? Well everyone but also no one. Fucking stupid. Insurance nightmare. It's barmy.

        • Evidence as in … well, evidence.  You know – skid marks, eye witness accounts, whatever.  Any investigator will tell you that an accident is rarely a cut and dried case of someone "breaking some law" and therefore being in the wrong.  There is invariably contributions from both parties.  Nayhows, the point is that it works, is more efficient and cuts down on accidents so what's your worry? 

          • You're not getting it. There has to be laws to be broken to apportion culpability if only for insurance to work. If two cars come out of two entrances and collide and neither has the right of way it doesn't matter a nun's fart how many witnesses saw it. Skid marks and all.

            • If two cars come out of two entrances and collide, what law covers that? 

              To take a personal case – one of my more serious accidents involved three cars.  Taking the law as the yardstick, I was possibly technically culpable as I rear-ended one of the cars.  However, after a court case and an appeal to a higher court, statements from the police and other witnesses and other evidence I was found to be 100% in the clear.  That case was a victory for common sense and not the law.

  5. Every time I have been to Ireland, I have been impressed by the approach to signage.  Speed limits show the actual speed, not some lunatic crossed bar, and other signs are minimal when compared with the UK.  We have vast numbers of signs with little or no relevance, and usually in at least two or three (or more) copies every few yards.

    Cutting down can only make life better and less confusing for motorists.  And at much less cost.  As to "confused people approach a situation with extra care."  Yes, but then I'm always confused – probably a very safe driver if it were not from closing the M6 one day.

    • I don't know where you have been driving!!  Signage here is either too much [multiple warnings that aren't necessary] or too little [no fucking warning at all].  They also delight in putting up massive signs on motorways telling us how many people have been killed in the previous year.  I wonder how many of those deaths were due to people concentrating on the signs and not the road?

      • Sorry, GD.  It's a relative thing.  The uk has so many signs we tend to notice the difference in Ireland.  You probably expect so much less…

        Did I tell you about my first driving experience in your country?  Finding my way through a town near Rosslare, I was overtaken by a car which ran through a red light and turned, in front of oncoming traffic, to our right.  The same thing happened in Cobh, Cork and Limerick.  Are you all mad or simply have a deathwish?  There's an old joke about a taxi driver…

  6. Amazing that Cork City Council have recently installed the large signs with different messages flashing every 5 seconds – all within 50m of a junction.

    Looks like they did not get a preview of the report

    Or maybe not that amazing

      • I'd love to have control over the messages that appear on those signs, just for one day, it'd be great craic

        In Winter you could have a message saying "Ah Fuck Lads tis bitter out." or "Road prone to flooding, because it was built on a fucking flood plain"

        "Warning turn back, you are entering an EU controlled area"

        "James O'Reilly is a Fat Bastard"

        Oh how I could amuse myself, those long winter days would just fly by.

         

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