Safe Speed Forums

_________________
Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

I think that's worthy of discussion.

Can a road never be dangerous?

_________________
Views expressed are personal opinions and are not necessarily shared by the Safe Speed campaign

Intelligent definitions of 'dangerous' are founded on measurements of risk - or statistics of crashes, which are in turn measurements of risk.

So of course a car, a driver or a road can be 'dangerous' relative to their respective peers.

But there's meaning in the councillor's ill chosen words. He's saying that the vast majority of crashes are caused by road user error. He's also absolving himself of the responsibility to create a safe environment, which is slightly scary.

Everyone involved has a DUTY. The local authority (or the Highways Agency) has a duty to make the road safe. Drivers have a duty to use the road safely and DfT has a duty to foster safe behaviour from all through policy. Failure in any of these duties does not absolve the others from their respective duties.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Same drivers use other roads and have a lower risk of accidents, so the quality of the road must be a contributing factor.
.

At a somewhat simplistic level.

A "Safe" road is one that is safer than it looks.

A "Dangerous" road is one that looks safer than it actually is.

(EG A streight clear road with a hidden dip! There is one near where I live that has a dip big enough to hide an HGV! anyone unfamiliar with the road could easily feel safe to over take only to find themselves driving at speed into the front of a truck)

_________________
"The road to a police state is paved with public safety legislation"

Have the same near where I live, but it is well signed and I have not heard of any serious accidents there in recent times.

To be fair, this one is quite well signposted as well, But it is still somewhat alarming to see an HGV rise up out of the tarmac even when you are expecting it!

_________________
"The road to a police state is paved with public safety legislation"

Paul, allow me to praise you on this excellent post. You really must write a book.

_________________
p.s. I am still absolutely floored by Paul's death. May 2008 be the greatest ever for SafeSpeed. His spirit lives on.

Thanks again for your kind words. I admit I was quite pleased with that particular post.

Background work on the book continues but key to real progress is finding the right publisher.

Finding the time to write the book is challenging, to say the least. Assistance from an editor and a marketing department - not to mention a publisher's advance - would speed progress considerably.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety