Fear

[kneeshooter]

I was at a conference today on e-Saftey (the old term "Internet Safety" not being sexy enough) and the first main speaker was from the National Crime Squad. Superficially he made a lot of sense, anecdotes about armoured Land Rovers during his service with the RUC and talking about the internet as "any public space". But then he started going off as police officers sometimes seem to - trying to shock us and, I realised after, instill a real sense of fear.

Fear about paedophiles; fear about babysitters; fear that we had to help the police and fear that we're probably all criminals in one way or another.

It was all faintly distasteful. Another copper I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

Later it lightened up a bit later with the Juvenalian question "Quis custodes ipsos custodies?" which had been put up as "Quis custodiet ipod custodes?" - "Who's guarding the guard's ipod?".

I don't like fear. Instilling it is just rude.

Comments

Re: I'm scared.

[purplewizard.livejournal.com]

I suspect you've just branded as morons about 95% of all drivers...

IMO there are very few drivers who don't exceed a speed limit on a regular basis.

cooljules is keeping to all limits and is finding it very difficult, not only because of the stupid and inconsistant signing and altering of speed limits in this country but also because of the number of drivers running right up behind her and generally flashing and hooting to try and get her to increase her speed to above 30mph etc...

Re: I'm scared.

[ikkleblacktruck.livejournal.com]

I don't have any problems at all and I don't see why anyone else should - but if 95% of drivers do indeed speed on a regular basis (and I suspect that figure is too high), then removing them from the road would indeed create a much safer environment.

It's not difficult to ignore the fools who try and intimidate you from behind, slow right down even more and let them overtake. Don't let them get to you, they'll be in the next pile-up, not you. And buy a tank, people don't try and intimidate tanks.

Re: I'm scared.

[purplewizard.livejournal.com]

Of course if we took everyone's car away then the roads would be much safer for pedestrians :-)

Forget a tank - buy a cute car then everyone notices you - especially if you also use it to advertise your business at the same time :-)