Path: ...!npeer.as286.net!npeer-ng0.as286.net!weretis.net!feeder8.news.weretis.net!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: AMuzi Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech Subject: Re: Allez Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2024 11:29:59 -0500 Organization: Yellow Jersey, Ltd. Lines: 64 Message-ID: References: <4541cbd7-2127-42c6-913b-d04183eb5259n@googlegroups.com> <1bdd1e3e-bdbf-4a3e-8684-2233ee8a3a86n@googlegroups.com> <062476cc-f144-4afa-85f4-14a93580754fn@googlegroups.com> <3gghui9r9mt6u1i716uhh0fs2ruvkmak4q@4ax.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Injection-Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:29:59 +0100 (CET) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="153323409b28508cfb002c29dc494fba"; logging-data="1264040"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1+yfKRtoS0sPkIuom6UKWe3" User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Cancel-Lock: sha1:/443PEzZ/A63wdj8LDajELCp07s= Content-Language: en-US In-Reply-To: Bytes: 4086 On 3/25/2024 10:54 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote: > On 3/25/2024 11:08 AM, AMuzi wrote: >> >> Laws affect law abiding citizens. No effect otherwise... > > Nope. That's tremendously exaggerated. > > Yes, some law breakers escape punishment. Some others are > caught but delay conviction and punishment interminably, by > tactics like countless court delays and appeals. (That > usually applies only to the wealthy, of course.) > > But many law breakers are caught, and even those who are not > caught usually have their behavior affected, in that they > have to take steps to avoid being caught. That counts as at > least some beneficial effect. > > We shouldn't pretend we're as bad off as Mogadishu or > Port-Au-Prince. > >> ... as in the weekend news in Seattle: >> >> https://mynorthwest.com/3955536/18-year-old-charged-in-renton-crash-that-killed-3-children-1-mother/ > > I'll admit that if society institutes a law that says > "You're not allowed to do that" yet freely provides > equipment designed to do just that, there are bound to be > law breakers. > > So let's discuss other strategies. For example, why not take > away or restrict the equipment? > > Nobody needs to legally drive 112 mph, so why allow the sale > of cars capable of driving 112 mph? Car top speeds can be > regulated. In fact, current new cars usually "know" the > speed limit wherever they are, and in principle could be > limited to the legal speed at any location. > > If you don't want people to drive at high speeds in cities > and suburbs, why design freeway-like "stroads" that > encourage high speeds, via wide lanes, open vistas, large > radius curves, etc? > > Why not instead employ traffic calming mechanisms, of which > there are many? They range from narrower lane width, > landscaping, traffic lights synchronized for the benefit of > lower speeds, sharp-cornered intersections, horizontal > diversions like chicanes, and even vertical diversions like > speed humps that are fine at 20 mph but uncomfortable at 30 > mph. > > If that guy had hit a speed hump a few miles earlier, he'd > have gone airborne and the fun would have been over. It's > much more effective than relying on a "good guy with a squad > car." > So you're recommending collective punishment of the populace for crimes not yet committed? Really? -- Andrew Muzi am@yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971