arnsider wrote:It bewilders me that the government, whilst pleading with everyone to cut out uneccessary travel, have neither, for instance, rationed fuel nor imposed a lower blanket speed limit.
Okay, rationing fuel might be a very difficult proposition, but may be necessary if we start to run short, due to international tensions or refinery staffing problems. A low speed limit might discourage travel and might lessen the possibility of more serious injury due to high speed collisions and the resulting strain onA & E resource.
Only key workers need the use of a vehicle.
A twenty limit on all urban roads should be enforced and a priority given to HGV's on all trunk roads and motorways.
Car drivers on trunk roads should be obliged give way to HGV's.
I am in the vulnerable group, virtue of my age and I am seriously considering a SORN for my car.
I can do all my shopping either on foot or on the bike.
I appreciate that people in outlying areas still need to food shop by car so if fuel rationing was introduced, it could be tied to a notional round trip of say once per week.
Another remedy might be a personal shopper with a van who could obviate several trips and resultant waste of resource.
All this might seem far fetched, but if we drag on in lock down for say months,drastic measures may be needed.
Delivery drivers doing vital work will struggle even more if we reduce their speed below current limits. And frankly, people are not catching C19 when they are driving. Driving was a factor in the Foot and Mouth outbreak, but not for this disease. If you were aiming to reduce forms of travel during which transmission is possible you would be looking at walking and cycling! But for both of those keeping your distance from others removes the problem.
In our household the legitimate and allowed reasons for us driving around are our jobs, which are essential, attending to my elderly mother's needs, and shopping for ourselves and neighbours who are self-isolating. That is a fair few trips over the course of a week.