Bricklynn and Civitown: Speed Limits (Pt. 1)

Is Social Security the third rail of politics?

Perhaps. I don’t know a single politician who ever got elected by telling his constituents, “Let’s cut Social Security expenditures to seniors.”

That would almost be like trying to become the CEO of a company by telling the senior executives, “You know… we get paid far too much for the work we do. Let’s cut our pay and while we’re at it, reduce our executive pension programs.”

In a similar vein, raising speed limits tends to get a similar reception with most county and city governments. The lost revenue. The safety issues. The ‘children’. When discussing this idea in any public meeting, you’re likely to get little more than a combination of glazed eyes and hard stares from city officials.

But it’s a bit different in Bricklynn. That’s because Bricklynn’s citizens are a bit more involved in their town’s decision making than usual.

You won’t find speed traps anywhere in Bricklynn. Why? Because they consider it bad for business and highly unethical.

A person who gets pulled over due to an arbitrary lowering of the speed limit, without any reasonable change in road conditions, is one ticked off person. To put it in an even more blunt manner, stealing and inflicting hardship on your fellow citizens is a non-negotiable in the town of Bricklynn.

What is open to discussion in Bricklynn are the speed limits. There is a common belief with many folks throughout all levels of Bricklynn’s society that unreasonable laws encourages disrespect and lawbreaking at all levels of society.

Speed limits are seen as the most frequent law most Bricklynnites will deal with over the course of their day. They have to be safe, reasonable, and they have to encourage respect for the law. If city officials instituted a 40 mph speed limit on a road where cars routinely drive at 55 mph, it would represent a complete breakdown of the social contract between citizens and their government.

So in Bricklynn… speed limits are limits.

In the United States most federal and state traffic laws promote an 85th percentile for speed. However there is a well-established theory, based on extended long-term studies of driving behavior, that raising speed limits on most roads only has an impact on compliance with that law. Accidents, fatalities and even the speeds driven are not substantially changed by instituting more reasonable speed limits.

Speed is not the primary concern for most Bricklynnites these days anyhow. It’s distracted driving and other safety issues that are due to neglect and carelessness.

You can have a handheld cell phone in your car. Just don’t use it while the vehicle is moving. There are a few mobile signs that state the following,

“Need to use a phone? Pull over! Stay safe!”

Most folks will simply get a warning the first time they violate this law. The second time always results in a fine and confiscation of the handheld device. The law is written in Bricklynnese. But here is the English translation.

“Bricklynn has banned the use of handheld cell phones, text messaging devices, laptop computers and similar wireless gear in moving vehicles. The secondary penalties for violation of this law shall include fines of up to $500. Confiscation of the mobile device. Immediate impounding of the motorized vehicle, and in the case of reckless driving that results in injury or property damage, all of the above along with jail time. As a level three misdemeanor, the period of imprisonment for violating this law, will be no less than three days and no more than 30 days. All violators will be given one warning, and one warning only. No exceptions!”

Bricklynn has considered many other laws that avoid traffic congestion and encourage public safety while respecting the constitutional rights of their citizens. Most of them have not passed due to the lack of interest in making Bricklynn an expensive guinea pig in a process they can not control. There is also a general distaste for employing high tech solutions such as the ones enacted in nearby Civitown. Most notably those traffic enforcement tools that effectively cede the local government’s traffic enforcement to third party private vendors.

There are a few cameras which monitor busy intersections. But those are owned by the city, and the long pauses between light changes make those intersections unprofitable for the private sector.

Unlike Civitown, Bricklynn is always open to new ideas from the public they serve; especially those that exact minimal to no cost for their citizens. So if you have any concepts or systems that would be worth discussing, please feel free.

The world should always be open to better ideas.