How do Brits put up with this?

Is this a debate on guns or a debate about the topic?

If it's a question of firearms - we don't need 'em. Sure there are criminals over here who have them, but the average Brit doesn't require a firearm, doesn't want one and our country is a better place for not having them.
Cry freedom and personal rights all you like. But Britain isn't America and guns don't have a place in our society.
We neither have the room for them or the use for them. You'll get the odd one or two people who will tell you that a gun might have saved them in a certain situation but the truth is that half the time they're either speculating and the other they're merely saying it because they want the forbidden apple.
# any amedment - it is my right NOT to have a gun.


As for the topic and the car killer? Well, you have to remember that this is just a news report. Because of the state of our transportation systems over here, we get # like this thrown at us all the time. We're living on a tiny island with a large population of motor owners. We are nothing like the States where you can jump in a car and cruise for hours on highways that go off over the horizon. The truth is that our roads over here are completely screwed - we're almost third world. Go out in your car and you can expect to stop start, stop start, sit in a jam, for most of your journey. Traffic mass and the quality of our road system not only makes a journey tedious but also dangerous.
So we get suggestions like the one at the start of the topic. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to be put into place. But it does show what a desparate situation our roads are in over here. People will make the wildest ideas sound like they could become reality just to slow us down, make us drive safer or try and keep us off the roads altogether.

Personally I couldn't give a # about this so called speed button for two reasons:

a) It will never happen.
b) If by a total miracle it was ever brought about? I would disconnect the #er within a second.

Just to take the topic back to the original post for a second, I am not for the idea of authorities having the ability to remotely disable a car as this can be a serious safety risk to both the driver and others around him/her.

But I must admit the law isn't very stern on speeding despite the numerous automated speed guns, cameras and new speed laws constantly being introduced. As has been said, alot of the time the speed cameras are vandilised or simply don't work!

Speeding is a very serious issue here in England which I don't think most Americans would realise unless they have spent some time over here.

Having spent decades on both continents I think I can neutrally say the average road here is at least 2 1/2 times narrower and there isn't a town in the UK without a 17 year old townie blazing down these narrow streets in their Vauxhall Nova at 60MPH. This is one of my many pet peeves here, but the younger generation are extremely dangerous and don't realise the risk they are presenting, regularly travelling residential 30MPH and 40MPH zones close to 80 or 90... and I haven't even mentioned a motorway (highway)!

As for the comment about parents swearing at childrens' football matches, obviously you haven't heard some of the parents I've been around. I'm sure any football fan is aware of England's football hooliganism problem, well its not restricted to Internationals but even down to the local children's club too.

I certainly sympathize with folks wanting cars to slow down where pedestrians and occupied buildings are nearby. I live on a street that used to be rural, but has been built up rapidly and is now very residential. The speed limit is 25 mph, but folks regularly do 60 mph or more. I do not think that putting devices in cars to remotely control them is the answer. The answer is to make the penalty for speeding so severe that it will actually deter somebody from doing it. For somebody doing 30 mph over the limit I would make a week in jail mandatory on the first offense.

i think the idea of citizens carrying firearms stupid, the criminals in the UK that carry guns shoot random people anyway, all it will do is just make them shoot more random people because they think they are armed, basically it will result in more dead people, so not a good idea.......

Thank you for this insite on British life, and a return to the orginal post. However, if i may carefully disagree.

Originally posted by SimonGray
Just to take the topic back to the original post for a second, I am not for the idea of authorities having the ability to remotely disable a car as this can be a serious safety risk to both the driver and others around him/her.

Nice to see, i feel it also is a dangerous power for one to possess, even more so, in a country where it is hard to protect yourself

But I must admit the law isn't very stern on speeding despite the numerous automated speed guns, cameras and new speed laws constantly being introduced. As has been said, alot of the time the speed cameras are vandilised or simply don't work!

ey'

Speeding is a very serious issue here in England which I don't think most Americans would realise unless they have spent some time over here.

It can be a problem in u.s.A. also, i must say, however i have never been to Britain.

But based on the "Police Chases" shows on tv that were recorded in Britian, i laugh.

It seem so minor/silly compared to American "Cops" or u.s. "Police Chases"

However, i can not judge yet, i have not seen it in my own eyes.

Having spent decades on both continents I think I can neutrally say the average road here is at least 2 1/2 times narrower

i'll bet you haven't seen some towns up here, they got two way streets that are about the size of one car.

and there isn't a town in the UK without a 17 year old townie blazing down these narrow streets in their Vauxhall Nova at 60MPH.

it is a problem here to, but the fines are quite heavy, and often deters such recklessness.

This is one of my many pet peeves here, but the younger generation are extremely dangerous and don't realise the risk they are presenting, regularly travelling residential 30MPH and 40MPH zones close to 80 or 90... and I haven't even mentioned a motorway (highway)!

Youth drivers, (i'll admit i was the same way) are terrible in judgement and in comprehension. They'll fly though school zones, without a care in the world.
It takes time, and lessons to be learned.

As for the comment about parents swearing at childrens' football matches, obviously you haven't heard some of the parents I've been around. I'm sure any football fan is aware of England's football hooliganism problem, well its not restricted to Internationals but even down to the local children's club too.

there are problems over here too, but i have noticed, it almost always at soccer (european football) or hockey games. Reason why? I wish i knew. However i feel that the idea that were presented in the article, are severely overboard.

After living in South Africa for 30 years now I yet have to be the victim of crime in any definition of the word.
This is despite the fact that I supposedly live in the most violent country in the world...... Um yeah right thanks to Western media sensationalism compliments mostly of the British networks.

Yes I do carry a firearm but I am responsible and discreet about it and train regularly at the range as I am a SWAT member in the volunteer police service here.
Yes I get shot at for free... crazy I know I know!

Now whilst I was in the UK for a few months not so long ago I was the victim of a stabbing in London and the place I was living at in Portsmouth was burgled TWICE!!
In general I found British society violent, depressing, confrontational and the hospitality sucks. I truly did not feel safe there and could not wait to get back home to South Africa.

There's a certain irony to that.

I recently bought a sign for my gate that reads " Never mind the dog, the owner has a gun"

The speeding thing is partly the manufactures fault too. Humans are obsest with speed so car makers have only filled that obsestion by making cars that can do 120mph when the limit in the UK is 70mph. Also why make a car that can go from stand still to 60mph in 5 seconds? When you move off from lights you shouldn't even get to 60mph when the limit is 30mph.
Make a car that does 200mph and people will want to make it go that fast. I've driven a few high performance cars in the past and it scarey just how soon you go over the speed limit.

OH and speed cameras have nothing to do with safety and more to do with getting more revenue for the local cops.

Speed limits are there for a reason.
Speed does kill.

As for the kids footy thing. I've been to a few kids matches and I must say it ain't nice hearing a perant swearing like a trooper at their 8 year old kids when they lose the ball or miss a shot. What is this behavior teaching the kids I hate to thing.

Originally posted by Jo
After living in South Africa for 30 years now I yet have to be the victim of crime in any definition of the word.
This is despite the fact that I supposedly live in the most violent country in the world...... Um yeah right thanks to Western media sensationalism compliments mostly of the British networks.

Yes I do carry a firearm but I am responsible and discreet about it and train regularly at the range as I am a SWAT member in the volunteer police service here.
Yes I get shot at for free... crazy I know I know!

Now whilst I was in the UK for a few months not so long ago I was the victim of a stabbing in London and the place I was living at in Portsmouth was burgled TWICE!!
In general I found British society violent, depressing, confrontational and the hospitality sucks. I truly did not feel safe there and could not wait to get back home to South Africa.

There's a certain irony to that.

I recently bought a sign for my gate that reads " Never mind the dog, the owner has a gun"

Uhmm That reminds me of a couple of stories the American press love to print to prove that the British Society is more violent and crime ridden than America.

!. 2 20 something lads from a rough part of teh Bronx came to England on holiday. They believed England to be the Marry Poppins, quaint villages and so on often portrayed by the US press. They decided to stay in MAnchester, in an area called Moss Side, which, Ironically is called the British Bronx by the media, who also gave MAnchester the nickname of Gunchester. To cut a long story short, these 2 New Yorkers had until then avoided any form of crime but in Manchester one was shot, they were robbed 5 times, they were beaten up a couple of times by pissheads etc etc. They went home to the saftey of the Bronx (something which must sound very odd to many).

2. A group of students ( i just tried to find a link but cant think what to search under, there are diffenately some there). from the mid west of America moved to Longsight, Manchester to study. A similar story as the 1st. A gang kicked their door down one night and burst in, sticking guns in their faces and keeping them hostage until they get themp every bit of money they possibly can. This comingf after other incidents they again, decided to move back home.



I have also had a gun puilled on me. I have been a witness to a shooting and many other things that i forget as they are quite commen place but I still feel absolutely no need to carry a weapon.

And, I am sorry you had a poor time over here, maybe you choose your areas badly. If we go to NYC or South Africa, we are normally told the areas to avoid but i dont think people coming to this country are.

That said, there is no argument that SA is by far a more violant country than England/Britain and pretty much anywhere else, come to that.

That said, there is no argument that SA is by far a more violant country than England/Britain and pretty much anywhere else, come to that.

You been to SA or are you talking from a media broadcast point of view?

If you've been here... well what can I say, that's your opinion.

If not .... I remember meeting your type in the UK.
We've gone way of topic here so I'm booking out of this conversation for the sake of those who wish to discuss the real topic at hand.

My sympathies.