Dob in a Dickhead
Posted by jas | Posted in Interesting, Politics, Rants, Recommendations, Sad | Posted on 18-03-2007
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It seems like the road toll is increasing disproportionately to the increase in drivers. I guess it could be a media beatup – but ultimately, that’s not my point.
Any road trauma is a problem.
I’ve been hearing lots of arguments about how to lower the incidence of these events – but many are expensive and others will be ineffectual.
I agree our roads suck. I agree that "traffic calming" devices actually have the opposite effect on many types of drivers. I agree that speed limiting vehicles is dangerous in and of itself – and pointless – 90km/h is still too fast in a school zone.
So what other options are there?
Initially I thought using a GPS with GPRS feeding data back to a central computer would be useful. Not *that* expensive, technology is already here but I can forsee the outcry over "Big Brother".
The only option I see now is a cultural one. If we can’t stop drivers acting irresponsibly and outrageously we have to get over our fear of dobbing in a mate and report it. Every time.
Yes – there will be issues of malicious reporting and other such foul play… but I don’t think that should stop it. You can always warn those who make frivolous reports.
Perhaps it could take a number of complaints about the same driver within a certain period of time from different people before anything is done. All it would need is for 3 drivers to report that Green Lancer heading north at 130km/h+ on the Kwinana – and they get a visit from the Plod.
I know that in effect this can already happen, but if the Government is willing to spend millions on campaigns for drink driving and seatbelts, surely a "Dob in a Dickhead" campaign would be even more effective?
It’s a big cultural mindshift for us to make, but with the amount of people (families, friends, innocent bystanders) currently being affected by idiot drivers surely we can all agree to report the goons who are clearly risking not just their own lives?
I’m not a particularly politically motivated person – but I’m almost pissed off enough to get this whole "Dob in a Dickhead" thing going myself.
