Speed limits are a limit. Not a target to beat.

[TheInsanity1234]

People demand changes to reduce risks and decrease the average death rate.

Therefore people in power make these changes to reduce the average number of people dying in a set time-frame and to keep themselves in power.

The death rate decreases, and all is well for about a year or so, then people demand re-newed changes to reduce the number of people dying even more.

The people in power make even more changes.

And it goes on, until the death rate reaches 0, which is impossible.

But it'll just keep going on.

[WhoseGeneration]

People demand changes to reduce risks and decrease the average death rate.

Therefore people in power make these changes to reduce the average number of people dying in a set time-frame and to keep themselves in power.

The death rate decreases, and all is well for about a year or so, then people demand re-newed changes to reduce the number of people dying even more.

The people in power make even more changes.

And it goes on, until the death rate reaches 0, which is impossible.

But it'll just keep going on.

Yes, a good reply and summation but and there's always a but, why do not people just do this theirselves?
It is within their power, why pass responsibility to any other?

[zadocbrown]

I think to a large extent society gets the road system it deserves, just as we get the government we deserve (collectively). We like to think of them and us, but the really scary truth is that 'they' are mostly a microcosm of 'us'. We all know that every local speeding crackdown ends up catching the very people who called for it. Sadly we are too busy attending to the specks in other people's eyes to take personal responsibility, which is why we are where we are.....

[MGF]

... We all know that every local speeding crackdown ends up catching the very people who called for it..

Is that the case? The amount of people who need to complain to get the Police to act is not large. Although most of those caught speeding will be local that doesn't mean they are the ones who complained.

[TheInsanity1234]

People demand changes to reduce risks and decrease the average death rate.

Therefore people in power make these changes to reduce the average number of people dying in a set time-frame and to keep themselves in power.

The death rate decreases, and all is well for about a year or so, then people demand re-newed changes to reduce the number of people dying even more.

The people in power make even more changes.

And it goes on, until the death rate reaches 0, which is impossible.

But it'll just keep going on.

Yes, a good reply and summation but and there's always a but, why do not people just do this theirselves?
It is within their power, why pass responsibility to any other?

Laziness, and the fact people are trying to protect their own hides.
We don't want to be seen as being responsible for something that might end up causing a lot of issues and that. It's much better to just out-source the responsibility to someone else, so if it gets cocked up, the other person will be blamed, not the person who had the original idea.
Also, it's probably more effective (in the short term) to get someone in power to introduce something to reduce deaths than to spend a long time trying to increase safety yourself, by educating people.

That is the other thing that infuriates me about a large proportion of life today, is that people are lazy, meaning they think it's better to introduce a simple thing, such as a speed limit, than to spend a long time educating children and young people on the dangers of driving at a speed which is not suitable for the conditions.

[WhoseGeneration]

I don't think WG will find noskilling preferable to deskilling.

That is true and it includes many other areas of life, in which those who legislate seek to limit action by citizens.
Then, I'm from a generation and background that means I can turn my hand to many disciplines.
Much like those who went forth and colonised.
Current politicians don't want an able population.

[jont]

Current politicians don't want an able population.

Well quite. The last thing they want is a population that realises just how inept the politicians are and how self-serving our current political system is.

“It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see..."
"You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?"
"No," said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, "nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford. "It is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?"
"What?"
"I said," said Ford, with an increasing air of urgency creeping into his voice, "have you got any gin?"
"I'll look. Tell me about the lizards."
Ford shrugged again.
"Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happenned to them," he said. "They're completely wrong of course, completely and utterly wrong, but someone's got to say it."
"But that's terrible," said Arthur.
"Listen, bud," said Ford, "if I had one Altairian dollar for every time I heard one bit of the Universe look at another bit of the Universe and say 'That's terrible' I wouldn't be sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.”


― Douglas Adams, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

[WhoseGeneration]

Current politicians don't want an able population.

Well quite. The last thing they want is a population that realises just how inept the politicians are and how self-serving our current political system is.

“It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see..."
"You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?"
"No," said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, "nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford. "It is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?"
"What?"
"I said," said Ford, with an increasing air of urgency creeping into his voice, "have you got any gin?"
"I'll look. Tell me about the lizards."
Ford shrugged again.
"Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happenned to them," he said. "They're completely wrong of course, completely and utterly wrong, but someone's got to say it."
"But that's terrible," said Arthur.
"Listen, bud," said Ford, "if I had one Altairian dollar for every time I heard one bit of the Universe look at another bit of the Universe and say 'That's terrible' I wouldn't be sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.”


― Douglas Adams, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

Cynics R US, age or study.
Then, your quote, along previous lines from others, 1984, Animal Farm, Brave New World, all just relegated to academic study and comment without their real truth becoming mainstream.
Hey ho, try to observe in the manner of one outside.