New Speed Limits

I have written about speed limits, speed cameras, and those stupid flashing signs that tell you to slow down or that its a 30 limit before. To continue in their effort to spoil driving the government is set to lower speed limits in an attempt to "save 1000 lives a year".

The plan is to drop a lot of the 60mph de-restricted roads to 50 and many of the 30 limits, especially near schools, to 20. Funny, because we all know that when children are going in and out of schools there is little change of doing 5mp past anyway because of all the 4x4's and people carriers parked ready to take little Chav and Chavney 400metres home.

If it was about saving lives, or stood any chance of working how fantastic it would be. But it won't save lives and its not about that anyway. It is about other things.
Firstly it is about raising money, if they lower the speed limit there is more chance of people exceeding them so more fines.

The second point is a little less obvious and connected to another government announcement. Remember that they plan to give a £5000 incentive to people to buy electric cars? OK, I know there are no cars that will be eligible for the grant, but ignore that for the moment. Imaging there were and the roads were busy with millions of electric cars. What will be needed.

You are off on holiday, its 300 miles to Cornwall and your electric car does 50miles per 1 hour charge what do you need, you got it, millions of electric sockets on the route.
To connect you dead battery car to a socket you need an extension cable, the chances of you running out of power right by are socket are slim so you will connect to the closest one.

Yours won't be the only car on charge so there will be cables all over the road. Snagging your bumper on this jumble of cables, especially near schools where children could easily be caught up in them, will be a major new road safety hazard.
So the obvious solution, you got it, slower speed limits.