Free to Move

Martin Cassini's Blog – August 2009 Archive (5)

Artificial trees

The proposal to build artificial trees to soak up and store CO2 from the atmosphere seems a good idea, but of course if all those anti-social, carbon-hungry traffic controls were removed, there would be less CO2 to soak up in the first place. Story here. [Back tab to return to site.]

Added by Martin Cassini on August 27, 2009 at 11:00 — No Comments

In Pursuit of Elegance

After reading Matthew May’s book, In Pursuit of Elegance, another element fitted into place. If you magnify a fractal, or a slice of nature - e.g. a section of coastline or segment of a tree - the underlying pattern in the close-up will replicate the pattern in the wide shot. Just as there is deep symmetry in apparent chaos, we can expect the elements that pertain on a micro scale to pertain on a macro. Thus the efficient filtering which breaks out whenever traffic lights break down at a… Continue

Added by Martin Cassini on August 26, 2009 at 21:30 — 1 Comment

Enforcement expands, individual liberty shrinks

This graph sent to me by Chad Dornsife of the Best Highway Safety Practices Institute shows US accident rates falling between 1961 and 2008 as speed limits are relaxed or removed. Accident rates continue to drop steadily as cellphone use rises steeply. In the teeth of this evidence which shows that most people behave sensibly, the bandwagon of enforcement is gathering pace and finding new ways to… Continue

Added by Martin Cassini on August 20, 2009 at 22:00 — No Comments

Phantom fear

Guided group cycling commutes - "pelotons"- are being organised in London. Fearful cyclists learn to negotiate the dangerous roads and are guided down quiet side streets. Often the group gets separated by traffic lights that don't give them enough green. Note the unquestioning acceptance of a system which makes roads dangerous in the first place. Under the system of priority, the hierarchical pyramid is inverted. Vehicles are allowed to own the carriageway to the detriment of vulnerable… Continue

Added by Martin Cassini on August 15, 2009 at 11:30 — No Comments

Knaves' new world

More evidence of asinine red-light law and disorder here (back tab to return). In an early cut of In Your Car No-one Can Hear You Scream! a driver spoke about penalty points and a fine he received for entering a bus lane on the Euston Road to let a fire engine pass. They even refused his appeal. We live in a new world of knaves (technocrats).

Added by Martin Cassini on August 6, 2009 at 15:27 — 1 Comment

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