I don't intend this to sound negative, but as an American, it is amazing to me to see the way that the English accept the creep of the "nanny state" in so many areas of their lives without protest. Of course there is a population in our country that does the same, but we still have a large group of rebels that reject what we see as the increasing over reach of government control in our lives. It is stunning to me that on a forum dedicated to love of cars and driving, that there is no hue and cry against this type of system. Of course it's intent is to make the roads "safer" for our children, cyclist, pedestrians, etc... , that is always the promise. Maybe the safest thing would be to have the government provide little autonomous pods that bureaucrats allow us ride in when they deem it necessary for us to get to work, or another approved trip, all while taxing us to pay for their system and it's operators. (I'm sure they will be clean, neat, efficient, never break, and never have an accident)
I have visited your country many times and dearly love it and it's people, but I can't figure out how you so quickly and easily cede power to faceless and inefficient bureaucrats so that they can control every aspect of your lives for your betterment. Can't you do it best by doing it yourself? Don't you want control of where you go, and how you do it? In my opinion, government programs like this alway start our with lofty intentions, but quickly become a tangle of unmanageable rules and regulations that cost time and money to comply with, only to the benefit of those that enforce them. Again, not a criticism, but an observation from an outsider who loves visiting your special little island!
You voice one of the many aspects of Americans that I admire.
I wish I could think of an effective way of fighting...take our recent "Smart Motorways"fiasco. Six of the most ordinary fellows in a Pub could have predicted what a cock up it would turn out to be....but how to protest?
Nick
