THE CONSERVATIVE HIPSTERS
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Responsibility
A friend of mine recently returned from a holiday in Germany and our discussion turned to the autobahn (my buddy had rented a sports car and took full advantage) and I asked if he saw any major accidents.
His reponse was that he saw no accidents on the autobahn itself. He said something that appealed to the libretarian in me. Essentially he said that most people were responsible because the authorities cracked down hard on offenders. People were liable for their actions if they were found to be responsible for an accident, failed to maintain their vehicle or were otherwise at fault.
It seems to me that our present Canadian system contains many rules and regulations designed to keep us "safe" which repeatedly fail (handguns are restricted already people, the criminals aren't registering them) and when someone is found culpable, the sentences and consequences are so meaningless that there is no incentive to be responsible.
If I were justice minister, I would overhaul the Criminal Code of Canada to spell out dire consequences for those who, through their own actions, cause harm to others.
I am thinking specifically of those who use guns in the commission of a crime, but also drunk drivers.
Q
His reponse was that he saw no accidents on the autobahn itself. He said something that appealed to the libretarian in me. Essentially he said that most people were responsible because the authorities cracked down hard on offenders. People were liable for their actions if they were found to be responsible for an accident, failed to maintain their vehicle or were otherwise at fault.
It seems to me that our present Canadian system contains many rules and regulations designed to keep us "safe" which repeatedly fail (handguns are restricted already people, the criminals aren't registering them) and when someone is found culpable, the sentences and consequences are so meaningless that there is no incentive to be responsible.
If I were justice minister, I would overhaul the Criminal Code of Canada to spell out dire consequences for those who, through their own actions, cause harm to others.
I am thinking specifically of those who use guns in the commission of a crime, but also drunk drivers.
Q
# posted by Q : 10:38 a.m.
Comments:
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Having been stationed in Germany for ten years, i travelled the autobahn frequently..
I once asked a policeman why there were not a lot of phones along the vast stretches of roadway that connect the outer rings of the smaller and larger urban centres..
His reply was sobering..he stated that at the speeds that some people were travelling (200k+)..if they had an accident, there would be no need to rush to the scene too quickly..every accident he had seen had resulted in 100% fatalities..
I once asked a policeman why there were not a lot of phones along the vast stretches of roadway that connect the outer rings of the smaller and larger urban centres..
His reply was sobering..he stated that at the speeds that some people were travelling (200k+)..if they had an accident, there would be no need to rush to the scene too quickly..every accident he had seen had resulted in 100% fatalities..
This exact issue is being discussed on the Globe and Mail website (any my blog too). I welcome your comments to the discussion.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070809.wcomment0809/BNStory/National/home/
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070809.wcomment0809/BNStory/National/home/
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