Sunday 5 September 2010

Hearing - and safety !

Today's newspapers report the story of a young woman killed in a Sydney street accident. She was hit by an ambulance responding to an emergency - and apparently didn't hear the siren because she was wearing headphones and listening to music.

This raises an interesting question !

We are heavily fined if we drive a car and use a mobile phone at the same time. We are punished if we ride a pushbike or a motorcycle and fail to wear a safety helmet - and we will be unmercifully prosecuted if we dare drive a car - or permit a passenger to ride in that car - with seatbelts unfastened.

Fair enough ! The state is looking after our safety - and as we all know and understand - the state is far wiser than us individuals. It is not about the money ! These ever increasing fines are not revenue raising. The kindly old state is merely looking after our welfare because they need our votes at election time.

So - could this be a missed opportunity !

Surely - in the interests of safety - we need a new law to make it illegal - and to impose a draconian fine - for anybody who dares to don headphones and listen to music - while they are driving a car, riding any type of two wheeled conveyance - or walking on a public footpath.

Just think of the people potentially saved. All those idiots who listen to music while taking a walk - will eventually have to cross a road and be at risk.

And - of course - a new source of fine revenue is always handy to those kind government people who rule our lives !

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