Braking News

Imagine that in the future, you'll no longer be allowed to drive your car without offering a ride to a government official whose exclusive task it is to make you slow down whenever you're going too fast. Well, the future's almost here, albeit that the speed-regulating bureaucrat happens to be a virtual one.

In England,

Ministers are exploring the introduction of devices — expected to cost hundreds of pounds — which automatically cut the throttle on motor-bikes to bring them within the speed limit. Known as Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), the devices will also be able to track bikers’ journeys and store data about each motorbike’s speed. 

Such plans — yes, for cars, too — have been bandied about for at least a couple of years, both in the U.K. and in Canada. My money's on the Brits to implement the scheme first, seeing as the local population will put up with pretty much any sledgehammer blows to civil liberties that Tony Blair's government sees fit to inflict.

More often than I care to remember, I've had to accelerate my car out of harm's way. Passing and accident-avoidance maneuvers both require a bit of quick, surefooted throttle action, usually resulting in a violation of the posted speed, however briefly. Being able to make those driving decisions can be a matter of life and death. So of course, having a speed-limiting device in your engine is a recipe for disaster.

The measure is intended to reduce traffic fatalities by eliminating speeding, but it's entirely possible the plan will cost more lives than it'll save. Apparently, that's of little concern to the proponents. A few more toe tags is nothing to them as long as traffic rules are obeyed blindly and to the letter, and fuck you if you ever need to accelerate out of a dangerous situation or you're speeding your oxygen-starved asthmatic toddler to the emergency room.

Comments

[The Wine Commonsewer]

"More often than I care to remember, I've had to accelerate my car out of harm's way"

As a former pocket-rocket addict I can assure you that this is true in spades for those who ride murdercycles.

[Windypundit]

Hmm. I don't think this will ever happen in the United States. What would happen to all the cities and towns if everybody stopped speeding? Speeding tickets are a huge source of revenue.

[ben]

Speeding tickets? That's really old-fashioned. Of course the throttling device will be owned by the government and you will be charged a monthly fee for its use in your car. There is no such thing as a free lunch ...

[GreginOz]

Hmmm, a bit like here in Oz. The prick that runs The Pedestrian Council of New South Wales has suggested that fixed speed cameras (each one earns $250,000/year minimum) are useless now coz everyone knows where they are and drivers are slowing down in the trouble spots the cameras are mounted at. Gee, I thought that was their job! Nope, he wants concealed cameras scattered everywhere so that drivers are constantly being monitored, what a fkn STASI. But then, it's fer da chillun'! OR possibly, it is so he expands his mini-mandarin setup? NAH! That's too cynical...huh?