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The powers that be (whoever they are) used insist that cameras are located at locations with a high incidence of accidents. I recall that the logic for this was challenged as random incidents/accidents would inevitably produce "blackspots". A little like the probability of tossing a coin which...

I worked for ~20 years in the private sector (manufacturing and engineering) and then ~20 years in the public sector in mainly middle and senior management roles. I found material differences in culture, possibly driven by timescales and impacts on attitudes towards risk. Nations and...

Radar detectors are illegal across all or most of Europe. I am not sure how the UK managed to avoid this sort of legislation when in the EU. In car sat navs with camera warnings are also frowned upon - I think the alerts can be disabled. AFAIK the use of map based warnings cannot be detected...

For 20 years between 1988 and 2008 government spending was 35-40% of GDP. Cynically one could conclude spending more has had the effect of making things worse, not better. There are some longer term large projects which need public investment. Equally the private sector is able to take...

Those you describe as confused and bewildered see themselves rather differently: hard work and entrepreneurial effort should be rewarded people not government are best able to decide how their money is spent high taxation encourages avoidance and evasion, not innovation and investment allowing...

The key issue is the quality of outcomes delivered by a health system. Research across countries similar to the UK (size, economic level, population, etc) show UK health spend close to the average, outcomes overall close to average, and assessed as fairly efficient. There are outliers - the US...

Many of the suggestions made seem a little overengineered with cost and effort implications. This is a short length of fence probably largely sheltered on most sides on a housing estate, not an exposed structure on a hillside, or subject to coastal storms and waves. Assuming the existing dwarf...

Those actions which impact very adversely upon others are understandably illegal - murder, theft, exploitation of minors etc. There are those actions whose principal impact is upon those who indulge - obesity, smoking, alcohol, gambling etc. "Principally" as drink, smoking etc can impact on...

From the website you linked: Sentient Media is a nonprofit news organization that is changing the conversation around animal agriculture across the globe. They clearly have an agenda, I explicitly excluded arguments around the efficient use of land, and they failed to answer the question about...

I don't understand the fuss about meat consumption so far as climate change is concerned. This is quite separate from other arguments about the efficient use of land to feed the masses, moral arguments about how humanity treats other mammals etc etc. If land is left fallow, grass, weeds...

The figures can be massaged to produced pretty much whatever answer is wanted - another plausible quote: The cost of smoking to the UK Government is approximately £12.6 billion a year, made up of £1.4 billion spent on social care for smoking related care needs, £2.5 billion spent on NHS...

Banning smoking will not work. Nicotine is addictive. Despite the huge sums spent on trying to slow or stop the supply of illegal drugs, there is a thriving black market. I suspect banning tobacco would create a similar market with a far greater number of current users looking fo a fix...

Seems a good idea. Had I never started in my early teens (packets 5 Park Drive from the sweetshop near school) I would never have needed to give up. It is unquestionably something the government should enforce to promote the well being of the whole community. The "add a year" tactic has been...

The statistics are clear - speed vs probability of pedestrian severe injury or death increases geometrically. At 20mph = ~10%, 30mph = ~33%, 35mph = ~50%, 40mph = ~75%+. Average speed in urban areas tends to exceed the posted limit (congestion permitting). Limits are usually policed (if at...

Initially though that looks a good design - then thought a little further: the perimeter boards work if the duvet/blanket is tucked in, but most duvets tend to "hang" rather than be tucked in. Won't look quite so neat. a hard perimeter with sharp corners could be hazardous to overhanging legs...

We recently moved and the 15 minute concept was key to our choice. We now live in a small town with a "traditional" small high street (butcher, baker, newsagent, pubs, restaurants etc) + a large national supermarket all within 10 minutes walk. Some facilities are a little further - eg: doctor...

Money may not be the dominant motivator for those with the money for a 2nd home. they may be interested in the investment and capital gain that a property may bring property may be part of a balanced wealth portfolio along with shares, bonds, etc owning a place means that you can go on a whim...

As a hypothetical thought - what would be the consequences of banning 2nd home ownership in (say) Cornwall. The price of property would fall, no longer buoyed by relatively wealthy weekenders and holiday rentals. Some local businesses would suffer - pubs, restaurants and leisure, reducing...

Staying in a gear beyond the point at which the car is capable of using a higher gear means maintaining higher engine speeds which must have a consumption penalty. Conceptually: Based on the above simplistic model, - on a motorway optimum speed would be ~55mph in 6th gear. In town at 20mph...

Last year 41000 people paid IHT. Over 30m paid income tax. As a vote winner a 1-2p cut in income tax will benefit 80 times more people than stopping IHT. Ditching IHT may be a vote winner for the aged wealthy voter demographic but unlikely to win much support from those with more average...