Spain has seen the future and it is slow, dim and uncomfortable. A swingeing series of energy-saving measures announced by the Spanish government may be a foretaste of the kind of policies which will be forced upon an energy-hungry industrial world in the coming decades.

 

To protests from motorists and mockery in parts of the press, the Socialist government plans to cut motorway speed limits to 50mph and town speeds to 25mph. New austerity rules will be imposed on the air conditioning and heating of all public buildings. Street-lighting will be cut by half.

 

Whole article here : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/eu...hts-881401.html

 

 

Could this be our fate in the near future?

With the news that EDF failed in its bid for British Nuclear could we soon be switching off the lights?

What? 50mph on motorways? Mainland European motorways are generally very safe and quiet in comparison to UK one's. Tis a bit ridiculous, whatever the reason

Could this be our fate in the near future?

With the news that EDF failed in its bid for British Nuclear could we soon be switching off the lights?

 

I think unfortunately, this could be the case.... This is a symptom of how we as a species have totally over-populated the Earth and are taking WAY too much of its natural resources.... The planet's resources are finite, it seems that the Spanish Govt are the only Govt to finally realise this fact....

driving at 50mph would probs save them a fair wack in petrol.

driving at 50mph would probs save them a fair wack in petrol.

Yeah isn't 50mph the optimum speed for fuel consumption? But then why send town speed limits so low? -_-

Unfortunately I can see this happening, and bring in a stupid new law to fine people who leave porch lights on all night.

 

 

Could this be our fate in the near future?

With the news that EDF failed in its bid for British Nuclear could we soon be switching off the lights?

 

We already have, they started an experiment earlier this year switching the street lights off on certain main roads in Buckinghamshire. I don't know if any other counties have had similar schemes or not, but the idea is at least being investigated here.

Cutting street lighting is ridiculous on safety grounds

 

Women already feel unsafe on the streets at night and that is with existing lighting so to make main roads and other areas totally pitch black is irresponsible and a green light for muggers and rapists

 

Night time starts at 4pm in the winter so that would include people returning home from school and work

 

Its a crazy idea

 

As for the slowing of cars again it is ill thought out, it will lead to more congestion and traffic jams and it is cars standing idle and going slowly that causes smog and pollution not free flowing traffic

 

Whoever thought up this ill conceived rubbish should be in a straightjacket being spoonfed processed foods in an institution

Edited August 3, 200816 yr by Tim Barnes

Yeah isn't 50mph the optimum speed for fuel consumption? But then why send town speed limits so low? -_-

 

It is a socialist government in Spain

 

Socialists tend to be anti car tree huggers who would love us all to work in the fields and ride everywhere on bicycles so this is just part of the anti car socialist lobby sticking their beaks in where it doesn't belong

Edited August 3, 200816 yr by Tim Barnes

But then why send town speed limits so low? -_-

 

Bloody obvious one would've thought... The slower you drive a car, the better the chances a pedestrian you may hit accidentaly has of surviving, haven't you seen the road safety adverts with the little girl....? You tend to get a lot of pedestrians in towns mate.... :lol:

 

It is a socialist government in Spain

 

Socialists tend to be anti car tree huggers who would love us all to work in the fields and ride everywhere on bicycles so this is just part of the anti car socialist lobby sticking their beaks in where it doesn't belong

 

Stop talking Sh!te mate.... There are very sensible reasons for cutting down driving speeds in towns and cities... And perhaps if you weren't so much of a Jeremy Clarkson Car-humping FASCIST, you might actually see that if half of these idiots in London, Edinburgh or Manchester WHO DONT REALLY NEED TO MAKE THEIR JOURNEYS BY CAR actually did get on a bike for non-essential journies (like the Dutch do....) or used public transport, then it would actually be better for EVERYONE..... Including the people whose journeys are actually necessary..... - ie, delivery drivers, cabbies, salespeople, the Police, Fire-Service, Ambulances, etc, etc....

Bloody obvious one would've thought... The slower you drive a car, the better the chances a pedestrian you may hit accidentaly has of surviving, haven't you seen the road safety adverts with the little girl....? You tend to get a lot of pedestrians in towns mate.... :lol:

 

That is a seperate debate though, they are not doing this in the interests of road safety, you don't get pedestrians on motorways etc, they are supposedly doing this to help the environment when infact it will have the opposite effect and leave large swathes of Spain under a cloud of smog as the roads end up in gridlock

That is a seperate debate though, they are not doing this in the interests of road safety, you don't get pedestrians on motorways etc,

 

Er, but isn't the speed limit for the massive Freeways in the US actually 55mph....? So, it aint as if the Spanish are exactly doing something unprecedented here...... Just dont see the logic of your argument at all mate.....

 

Stop talking Sh!te mate.... There are very sensible reasons for cutting down driving speeds in towns and cities... And perhaps if you weren't so much of a Jeremy Clarkson Car-humping FASCIST, you might actually see that if half of these idiots in London, Edinburgh or Manchester WHO DONT REALLY NEED TO MAKE THEIR JOURNEYS BY CAR actually did get on a bike for non-essential journies (like the Dutch do....) or used public transport, then it would actually be better for EVERYONE..... Including the people whose journeys are actually necessary..... - ie, delivery drivers, cabbies, salespeople, the Police, Fire-Service, Ambulances, etc, etc....

 

I am a self confessed petrolhead and speed freak, I love driving fast and I feel far more relaxed and in control of a vehicle when I am going fast than when I am getting frustrated in slow moving traffic

 

I do not speed in areas near schools or in housing estates or anything but on motorways and dual carriageways and bypasses and everything it is pedal to the metal time so yeah to me my car is my favourite asset, if I had a choice of giving up my car or giving up my pc/plasma/dvd player etc they can all go and I would keep the car so yeah I am pro car and agree with 95% of what Clarkson says

Er, but isn't the speed limit for the massive Freeways in the US actually 55mph....? So, it aint as if the Spanish are exactly doing something unprecedented here...... Just dont see the logic of your argument at all mate.....

 

There is no speed limit on German Autobahns and Italian motorways yet we have a far worse death toll on the roads than |Germany or Italy

Edited August 3, 200816 yr by Tim Barnes

There is no speed limit on German Autobahns and Italian motorways yet we have a far worse death toll on the roads than |Germany or Italy

 

Yeah, mainly cos of idiot Boy-Racers, drunk-drivers and other assorted morons who drive like bloody maniacs.... NOT because we have a Speed Limit..... :rolleyes: The Germans are far more SENSIBLE drivers than we are.....

 

Yeah, mainly cos of idiot Boy-Racers, drunk-drivers and other assorted morons who drive like bloody maniacs.... NOT because we have a Speed Limit..... :rolleyes: The Germans are far more SENSIBLE drivers than we are.....

 

That is my point, speed doesn't kill, retarded drivers do

 

Cutting speed limits will solve nothing as still there will be the chavs trying to impress their mates, the pissheads coming back from the pub and so on

 

Cutting speed limits isn't the answer, taking out of circulation those that are a menace on the roads is

Cutting speed limits isn't the answer, taking out of circulation those that are a menace on the roads is

 

Even if you DID take these idiots out of the equation (which is pretty impossible anyway, there's just too many of them and the law as it stands is blatantly inadequate to actuall deal effectively with them..), you STILL cannot have unfettered, uncontrolled speeds on the streets of a city or town.... I'm just not convinced that the average British driver is as road-sensible as the average German or Scandinavian driver....

 

Even if you DID take these idiots out of the equation (which is pretty impossible anyway, there's just too many of them and the law as it stands is blatantly inadequate to actuall deal effectively with them..), you STILL cannot have unfettered, uncontrolled speeds on the streets of a city or town.... I'm just not convinced that the average British driver is as road-sensible as the average German or Scandinavian driver....

 

The law needs changing

 

Anyone convicted of drink driving as well as being banned for several years (ideally life) should have their cars seized and sold at auction by the government, likewise chavs who have caused problems on the roads should have their cars seized and either crushed or sold

 

 

Cutting speed limits will cause more problems than it solves though

 

1) Increased road rage - slower speeds will mean higher levels of frustration and anger on the roads

 

2) Health problems - increased blood pressure of drivers

 

3) Frustration - drivers totally losing the plot in anger and doing stupid manoevures

 

4) Smog - cars idling in traffic jams and bumper to bumper congestion in bottlenecks on the roads will create more smog