5.04.19 And, another rule for all the hypocrites.

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Friday 5th 43/60F, brightening but will there be lots of sun or no sun at all? Eeny meany... The two Danish weather services are at loggerheads over sunshine again. "Y'all want grey with that? Or wall to wall sunshine?" It turned out sunny but with a milky sky and thin cloud.

Walked into the sun and a chilly, easterly wind to reach the woods by the steep climb. I watched as a Harrier twitched and wheeled over the fields looking for breakfast. Several large grey geese did circuits around me as they argued furiously before re-joining their brethren on a vast, tilled field.

The Danish government, aided and abetted by its extreme right wing, coalition partner, is heading for a change in the law. To allow 45kph scooters for 16 year-olds. 45kph is 28mph. The vast majority of road safety interests do not support the proposed change. Only those likely to profit from the change are in favour. 

The problem is that many young people are already exceeding even this higher speed limit thanks to a busy market for tuning products for the existing, age and speed limited machines. Those who are caught speeding on their 29kph[18mph] lower speed limited scooters face fines and even confiscation of their machines. 

There is one argument nobody has mentioned so far. The vast majority of drivers in Denmark pay no heed [at all] to legal speed limits or lane discipline. So why subject the young alone to such closely targetted hypocrisy? 

The problem with youth and speed is inexperience and their naturally competitive spirit. They exhibit spontaneous, emotional decisions without grasping the likely consequences.

There should be adequate training courses to prepare them for higher speeds and the often lethal consequences of their poor decisions. Longer braking distances and other road users matter. The latter will routinely, grossly underestimate the scooterist's approach speed.

Everything happens much more quickly as speeds rise. So reaction times and riding skill count far more in everyday survival than merely passing a written test.

The rural rider has far more room to make mistakes. But will quickly discover the myriad dangers of city traffic and phone-obsessed pedestrians and drivers. Drivers will always want to overtake the "nuisance" scooter if it inhibits their absolute, sociopathic right to drive like the criminally insane they obviously are.

The 45kph/28mph rule is very close to the maximum speed limit in built-up areas. I can easily see conflicts arising with motorists. Most of whom feel they have a basic human right to exceed the speed limit. Because the vast majority of drivers obviously carry the insane delusion that the road will be completely empty ahead. All it takes is for them to overtake that one "nuisance" directly in front of their vehicle. 

You see it on every single outing. Whether walking, riding or driving. Deluded drivers will take insanely suicidal and illegal risks. Just to gain one car space on a perpetually busy road. With nose to tail traffic and double white lines literally for miles ahead. They make exactly the same journey every single day but still think there is some "fairy tale" road situation. Where there is nothing to slow them down. Not even the law. And if the law intervenes and catches them [extremely unlikely in police-free, rural Denmark] then that is very unfair. What kind of "nutter" attacks a police camera van occupant or a fixed speed camera? That's right children: The criminally insane! Creepy!

The insane delusion always exists that the road is clear just in front of the next "Sunday Driver." So they all sit on the tail of the car they are following. Just waiting for that []highly illegal] moment to prove their supposed "masculinity."

Or their vehicle's natural superiority in the multi-tiered hierarchy of who has the best, gilt-edged ashtrays. Or imitation wood, plastic fascia. Or who has the best matched, colour coded valve caps on their Chinese, mass-produced, alloy wheels.

Or even, that "highly exclusive" stainless steel, exhaust, tail pipe. Reserved only for "exclusive" car models. You know the ones: The cars bought only by the most deluded and immature chumps. Just for the bragging rights in their scruffy, work's canteen or "down the pub" before driving home while unfit.

Reality escapes these people the moment they leave the car showroom. Or even before they enter it! Or, before they nose into the perpetual, daily, traffic jam just outside their own front door.

Will the newly faster, young scooterists be taught about these strange factors against their own survival? I seriously doubt it. You only have to see the local driving instructor's cars illegally speeding through the towns and villages. Or routinely crossing the double white lines to cut every single corner. Or overshooting the double white lines on every other corner while driving the opposite way. 

This is the harsh reality of everyday driving in Denmark. I'm still waiting to read the global headlines about the petrol tanker which hit the packed, school bus convoy head-on. As each driver performed their daily, minute by minute, hour by hour, suicidal rituals. To meet each other equally placed across the double white lines. Probably at 10mph over the legal speed limit. On one of the countless, completely blind corners.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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