Shafting The Motorist!

I've just had the journey from hell. I live around five miles from Lancaster but it took forty five minutes. Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire Police seem to hate motorists. In recent days we have had numerous new speed limit signs appear in our streets, and invariably the speed limits have changed. 30mph limits are down to 20mph limits. 40mph limits are down to 30mph and so on. The same stretch of road, no change in population or building density, and it suddenly changes from 40 to 30mph for no apparent reason. Then bang, you hit a speed camera.

This whole area is suddenly plastered with speed signs. It looks to me like they are splashing out on speed signs to use up their leftover budgets before the end of the financial year. Or some dodgy bureaucrat or councillor has shares in a sign company.

There is ample evidence that the less 'furniture' there is cluttering our streets the safer they become. The idiots in control in this country seem to think that turning our streets into obstacle courses with warning signs every five yards, chicanes, speed humps and ever more complex traffic light sytems is helpful. Well it's not you pillocks! Like every other aspect of life piss off and get off our backs, life would be much more bearable if you did!

Read this article about shared space in Drachten.

Or this article about shared space in Bohmte.

Problem here is your nanny state doesn't trust you. And don't even get me started on those patronising effin' signs that light up a smiley face if you are under the limit and frown if you are speeding. Or bloody mothers who treat other motorists like potential child killers, then drive abominably and park even worse when picking up little Kylie or Jason from school because the fat little pampered brats can't waddle the mile home on their own.

They deserve their own post. But I'm off for a brew now.

Congestion Lies

A report in Manchester Online proves how the government and the 'Yes' campaigners in Manchester lied about the level of congestion. While they lied about possible gridlock traffic levels were actually going down.

Sean Corker of Manchester Against Road Tolls, said: "Tens of millions of pounds were spent on the congestion charge plans over a two-year campaign, and now we are told congestion is going down.

"Someone has not been telling the truth and it is time somebody resigned."

Thankfully the overwhelming majority of Mancunians had the good sense to vote against the proposed congestion charge in December. All we need to do now is scrap bus lanes, chicanes, speed humps and traffic lights. Hey presto, congestion will virtually disappear.

Liberating the Motorist

Here is an article I have written that is featured on the UK Independence Party website. It was prompted by some discussion and comments on an earlier post on this blog.

Thanks to those who contributed and prompted me to delve a little deeper, especially Mark Wadsworth who has some posts on his blog along similar lines well worth looking at.