Speed

[skodatezzer]

I reaslise that I'll incur considerable disapproval from many people for saying this, but in truth I don't have much interest in what the law requires from me. Back in the 1940s I was brought up in a conservative family to be kind and considerate towards other people, to take care of what we had (which wasn't much) and not be wasteful. It was also expected that I would be law abiding, and I was. Unfortunately, for many years now the (increasing range of) laws have been made by politicians for whom I have little regard, as a result of which I heartily disagree with the overall approach to lawmaking. In my opinion it has placed far too much emphasis on stuff that doesn't matter, but still fails to serve us well in the things that do matter; at least to some of us.

An interesting perspective...

For many of us we have been brought up to automatically observe all laws - the approach which means that the UK tends to implement all EU regulations where some other countries perhaps take a more flexible approach!

However we need to balance that with remembering that the country's laws are simply a human process and humans are themselves falible... therefore not all laws are automatically good and we should retain our intelligence and judge how to react - we are lucky that there are very few bad laws in our part of the world (in contrast to other areas) bu there may well be a number of silly / frustrating / unnecessary laws...

Our laws are not infinite in term - get yourself elected with your friends and you can change them - therefore by definition they are not absolute... however I think that an individual's moral framework (such as faith / religion) might give them absolutes in parallel... of course amongst those absolutes may be the need to respect / obey those in authority!

but it should mean that we take an intelligent view of law and how we react to it - how does this affect speed - it should mean that a) there is a respect for the law in part, but perhaps there is also a wider thinking about danger / risk / lives (driver & others) etc. which all come into play... does 61mph on a clear NSL A road matter? possibly not, but 25 through a village and past a school in a 30 at the end of the school day might not be appropriate either...

and that is a lot of what AD is about - applying intelligence to all aspects of the driving

Alasdair

+1 It' s so much better when brains are in gear!!

[TripleS]

I agree that the laws apply to all of us, including the laws that we don't like, until such time as they can be changed; but I do struggle with the notion of respecting and obeying those in authority. To my mind too many of those in authority do not deserve respect, and therefore the laws they have devised, and seek to enforce, are weakened. Authority needs to be questioned and challenged more readily: then we might get a better framework of law and a higher level of respect for it.

I still like the approach that says "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men", but then I wonder about who qualified as being a wise man; and at that point I get anxious about being overly presumptuous.

[akirk]

I agree that the laws apply to all of us, including the laws that we don't like, until such time as they can be changed; but I do struggle with the notion of respecting and obeying those in authority. To my mind too many of those in authority do not deserve respect, and therefore the laws they have devised, and seek to enforce, are weakened. Authority needs to be questioned and challenged more readily: then we might get a better framework of law and a higher level of respect for it.

I still like the approach that says "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men", but then I wonder about who qualified as being a wise man; and at that point I get anxious about being overly presumptuous.

Is it possible to respect the concept of authority / the office of authority without respecting those currently holding that office?

Alasdair

[revian]

I agree that the laws apply to all of us, including the laws that we don't like, until such time as they can be changed; but I do struggle with the notion of respecting and obeying those in authority. To my mind too many of those in authority do not deserve respect, and therefore the laws they have devised, and seek to enforce, are weakened. Authority needs to be questioned and challenged more readily: then we might get a better framework of law and a higher level of respect for it.

I still like the approach that says "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men", but then I wonder about who qualified as being a wise man; and at that point I get anxious about being overly presumptuous.

Is it possible to respect the concept of authority / the office of authority without respecting those currently holding that office?

Alasdair

I think so... Or at least don't judge the principle by the current office holder.