I was off visiting relations over the weekend so didn't get the opportunity to post an irrational hatred - and I'm shortly off to visit a client site so won't be around for much of today or tomorrow. I didn't want my loyal readership to think I'd forgotten them though, so here's a belated irrational hatred to keep you both entertained till I can find some time to post something more substantial.
This week's irrational hatred is speed bumps. Actually, I don't know if my hatred of speed bumps is particularly irrational as I hate them for what I think are two very good reasons. The first of those is that they are uncomfortable and potentially damaging for my car - particularly at the moment as most of them are crumbling and potholed following the recent cold spell and sharp frosts.
I've particularly noticed this since the Alfa was "customised" by a German 4x4 driver who thought that a particularly icy road was a good place to test out his tailgating technique. Since then I've been driving around in my brother's ancient Land Rover which, for all its endearing qualities, lacks a certain comfort factor at the best of times. When driving over speed bumps, though, one might just as well allow Mike Tyson to deliver a rabbit punch every 30 yards or so.
The other reason I hate speed bumps, though is that they represent the attitude of liberal progressives to law enforcement and law making. The "purpose" of speed bumps, allegedly, is to deter speeding - but the vast majority of us are deterred from speeding by speed limits backed up by the possibility of punishment if we transgress. Those people who do speed are not deterred by speed limits OR speed bumps.
Worse still, because speed bumps are often designed with gaps to one side and in the centre of the road, they encourage speeding drivers to drive recklessly as they swerve around the speed bumps to maintain the best speed with the least inconvenience. We've all seem them do it - whether it is the teenager in the dressed up Vauxhall Nova or the company director in his BMW 5 series - and at speed, the more you steer the more likely you are to lose control and plough into some innocent driver or, worse, pedestrian.
So speed bumps do nothing to stop speeding motorists and may actually encourage reckless driving. What they do do, though, is punish the law abiding motorist. In essence, this is the thinking of the liberal progressive establishment in every day practice. Because of an unwillingness or incapability to prevent the law breakers from misbehaving, the liberal progressives resort to punishing everyone else.
That is the attitude of liberal progressives. They fail to understand the basic principles of law and law enforcement - that the law should be made to achieve either the greatest good or the least inconvenience for the many. Instead they introduce laws and law enforcement methods that benefit few, but have a considerable impact on the many.
That is why they love speed bumps and that is why I hate them.
3 comments:
Nothing irrational about hating speed bumps, Stan. On a serious note, they are something of a nightmare for ambulance drivers, especially when they are attempting to transport somebody who has just suffered a spinal injury.
Perhaps the Dept of Transport could do us all a favour and use the tarmac from the speed bumps to fill in all the potholes. That would be just the ticket!
"Perhaps the Dept of Transport could do us all a favour and use the tarmac from the speed bumps to fill in all the potholes. That would be just the ticket!"
Practical and efficient! I take it you're not in government?
Post a Comment