Comments on: Britain’s seat belt law should be repealed http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:09:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: johnadams http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-12101 johnadams Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:26:30 +0000 http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-12101 Further reply to Maskell (20 December 2006)on the subject of drinking and driving. I last visited this subject in "Risk and Freedom" (http://john-adams.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/risk%20and%20freedom.pdf (pp 119 – 122)). My conclusion then was that when legal sanctions run ahead of public opinion there is a conspiracy involving police, judges, juries and motorists to settle for a level of enforcement that accords with the public view of the seriousness of the offence. This appears to remain the case. The decline in drinking and driving in Britain since the early 1980s has mostly been achieved without any change in the law; it has become much less socially acceptable to drink and drive. Further reply to Maskell (20 December 2006)on the subject of drinking and driving. I last visited this subject in “Risk and Freedom” (http://john-adams.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/risk%20and%20freedom.pdf (pp 119 – 122)). My conclusion then was that when legal sanctions run ahead of public opinion there is a conspiracy involving police, judges, juries and motorists to settle for a level of enforcement that accords with the public view of the seriousness of the offence. This appears to remain the case. The decline in drinking and driving in Britain since the early 1980s has mostly been achieved without any change in the law; it has become much less socially acceptable to drink and drive.

]]> By: Roger Viggers http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-11210 Roger Viggers Fri, 12 Oct 2007 08:41:02 +0000 http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-11210 It's good to learn that my long held gut instinct is supported by competent research. Thanks for publishing. I fear that efforts to have the law repealed will be long and frustrating since most people, including our legislators, are incapable of thinking about anything or anyone except themselves. Thus their decisions and responses will be based on a knee-jerk "I'm all right" attitude. I recall a comment by one of the newspaper's motoring journalists when driving a pre-war car (obviously no seat belts) in which she said that she felt unsafe. That, to me, is how every driver should feel, all the time. It’s good to learn that my long held gut instinct is supported by competent research.

Thanks for publishing.

I fear that efforts to have the law repealed will be long and frustrating since most people, including our legislators, are incapable of thinking about anything or anyone except themselves. Thus their decisions and responses will be based on a knee-jerk “I’m all right” attitude.

I recall a comment by one of the newspaper’s motoring journalists when driving a pre-war car (obviously no seat belts) in which she said that she felt unsafe.

That, to me, is how every driver should feel, all the time.

]]> By: johnadams http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-35 johnadams Sun, 24 Dec 2006 15:07:38 +0000 http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-35 Laws against drinking and driving criminalize behaviour that puts others at risk. Laws against drinking and driving criminalize behaviour that puts others at risk.

]]> By: Duke Maskell http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-31 Duke Maskell Wed, 20 Dec 2006 18:10:24 +0000 http://john-adams.co.uk/2006/12/16/britains-seat-belt-law-should-be-repealed/#comment-31 What about drink-driving, then, eh? What about drink-driving, then, eh?

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