Lifestyle Control: 15mph speed limit to force people out of cars

[Real World]

This is by far the biggest sham ever imposed upon the people of this planet. It's too bad too.


15mph speed limit to force people out of cars
By David Thomas

Last Updated: 1:57am GMT 25/03/2008

Speed limits of just 15 miles-per-hour are to be introduced on major roads in planned new towns across the country as part of an effort to reduce global warming.

Caroline Flint, the housing minister, will unveil the measure when she publishes planning guidelines later this week for up to 15 "eco-towns" across the UK, which will house 100,000 people.

New speed limits will be designed to encourage cycling
The Government wants the towns designed and built to encourage people to stay out of their cars.

It will introduce the low speed limit as a means of getting people to use public transport, walk more or use bicycles, with the aim of cutting pollution and increasing the quality of life for local residents.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../nroads124.xml

[Stokes]

Of course they ignore the fact that many people will probably just drive their cars slower, spend more time in traffic thus having their engines on longer, and end up increasing pollution! Also cars are pretty inefficient at such slow speeds aren't they? The MPG numbers go way down at that speed.

This reminds me of the idea some city planners had (and have actually put into practice in some places) to try and discourage city driving by making city streets impossible to navigate with things like speed bumps, 2+ lanes converging into one for no reason, lots of one way streets etc. There's a name for the idea, I can't remember what it is though, I read about it on Slate a couple years ago.

[mcbee]

Well, I think a good idea is to PLAN a city around walking instead of around cars.

That's why euorpean cities are amenable to biking/walking...because they were cities for centuries before they even had cars.