State Of Fear

[MSTRS:Me]

Just finished reading this book by Michael Crichton (of Jurassic Park fame).
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Fiction dealing with both sides of the environmental 'debate'.
The author has obviously researched the subject in depth and in his Author's Message section, one comment stood out for me....
"The current near-hysterical preoccupation with safety is at best a waste of resources and a crimp on the human spirit, and at worst an invitation to totalitarianism. Public education is desperately needed."
This stuck me as being the ethos displayed by motorcyclists, hence posting this on KB.

[Disco Dan]

Fear is a very real barrier, although there for a reason, it can cause us to react in a way that actually creates more danger than was there to begin with.

Training our survival reactions to work with us not against us seems to be the key...

[MSTRS:Me]

Ah, DD...perhaps I wasn't clear enough. The ethos I refer to is that which many/most of us display is the disdain in which we hold the safety nazis etc, who if allowed to continue unfettered could end up controlling every inch of our lives....

[Disco Dan]

Ah, DD...perhaps I wasn't clear enough. The ethos I refer to is that which many/most of us display is the disdain in which we hold the safety nazis etc, who if allowed to continue unfettered could end up controlling every inch of our lives....

ahh, righto... I instantly remebered an episode of Top Gear where the team built a road in the country.... all those safety messages!!!!! Was lunch time before they even turned the machines on!

[86GSXR]

I know exactly where you're coming from and totally agree John. I get totally fed up with wave after wave of expensivly produced patronising propoganda hurled at us on a daily basis.

I recently drove all over the US, and was impressed by their message on seat belts. Quite simple and effective road signs which simply stated " This state requires the use of seatbelts - it's the law". Easy! And cheap.

[sAsLEX]

ahh, righto... I instantly remebered an episode of Top Gear where the team built a road in the country.... all those safety messages!!!!! Was lunch time before they even turned the machines on!

by far the best Top Gear safety message is Jeremy's Level Crossing bit

[chanceyy]

yes the saftey pc brigade is certainly in overdrive at the moment ..


I agree with 86 .. simple message stating a law - without being all pc is far better than having it rammed down ya throat.

[vifferman]

Yeah, I've read State of Fear. Excellent book.

The ethos I refer to is that which many/most of us display is the disdain in which we hold the safety nazis etc, who if allowed to continue unfettered could end up controlling every inch of our lives....

I hope that there will one day be a backlash (apart from people like us "living life dangerously") against all the SafetyNazism. I for one am getting REALLY fucked off by the overabundance of rules and regulations. FFS! No wonder people have no commonsense any more; we've developed a nanny state mentality where every time anything happens, people run around like headless chooks and scream "There should be a law against it!"
Example: the guy who got run over in Roundabout-A during illegal street races. "Someone should do something about it!"

So? It's sad, but he took a risk, and got run over. Nothing needs to be done, no new laws need to be written, no taxpayer money needs to be wasted coming up with a "solution".
"Their" solution? Clamp down on 'boy racers'. Impound more of their cars. Impose curfews. Increase policing. Fine them more. More punishments. More restrictions. What a load of crap!
My solution? Stop trying to make life bland, boring and 'safe'. Repeal laws.
If you can't ignore the 'boy racers' then help them: give them places like industrial areas or racetracks where they can have some fun. If you can't/won't do that, then ignore them.
Use the police for policing REAL crimes, like rape, murder, burglary, assault.
Use the law for important things. We have TOO MANY laws on the statute books now! We didn't need any "Boy Racer" amendments - everything in these amendments apart from stealing their cars in a fit of pique was already there!

Life is a terminal disease!
It has a 100% mortality rate!
The more the NambyPambyBrigade try and make things safe, sanitised and sensible, the more anyone who isn't a grey-suited, grey-faced bureaucrat is going to try to squeeze some fun out of it.

[MSTRS:Me]

My point exactly Vifferman!!! It's odd that it is those who 'do' dangerous stuff think this way.....

[Swoop]

The united nations.
European community.
World Bank.
Etc, etc.

Totalitarianism is rife and ready. You will be assimilated.



I'm off to run around the office while holding scissors.

[Storm]

That idea can get fucked. Safety Nazis- same thing. Labour govt- you know what you can do

[vifferman]

I don't think the sheeple think things through - just blindly accept that "it's good for us".
Example: If I take off briskly from the lights, don't exceed the speed limit, don't crash or cause an accident, I am running the risk of getting a ticket. Why?!?
If I accelerate, but once again don't exceed the speed limit, don't crash or cause an accident, but inadvertantly (or advertantly - who cares, same difference!) allow the front wheel to lift off the tarmac, I am running the risk of getting a ticket. Why?!?
My bike currently has a problem with picking up road spooge (someone else's wanky vehicle is jizzing on the road!) on the tyres, and so it spins up in the damp. If I spin it up a bit while waiting at the lights, to clean the surface of the tyre and re-stickify it, I am being very,VERY naughty. Why?!?

Somehow, the traffic laws stopped really being about SAFETY, and became all about CONFORMITY with a set of mores, values and morals many of us don't agree with.
I guess some would argue that noobs might spin up their tyres, loft their front wheels, accelerate briskly, etc., lose control, and crash. So funkin what?!? If they do, there are consequences.

[Storm]

I guess some would argue that noobs might spin up their tyres, loft their front wheels, accelerate briskly, etc., lose control, and crash. So funkin what?!? If they do, there are consequences.

Indeed so. Little thing like the laws of physics and our dear friend Mr Murhpy. And like the song says- "I fought the law, but the law won"
Bring back the days when experience was how you learnt.(ie you dont have it till just after you need it ! )

[86GSXR]

And it's very annoying having millions of tax dollars poured into funding all these advertising campaigns, law drafts, enforcement, etc, when the effect on those it's vainly attempting to reach is to cause them to laugh and go faster or whatever they do anyway. While those with the common sense to act responsibly, will do so without being 'told'.

And judging by the increase in lawlessness, truancy, drunkeness, and general social problems in this country at the moment, all these 'public awareness' campaigns have had very little effect anyway. Sheesh!

[MSTRS:Me]

.... all these 'public awareness' campaigns have had very little effect anyway. Sheesh!

Of course they have. It's called 'Reverse Psychology'....see, the Govt wants more lawlessness, cos then they can enact more laws and justify their own existences....