(edit title) Government doesn't want to stop SMSs when driving Can't get my head around this Options

[Essingen]

The government doesn't want to prohibit the sending of SMS messages whilst driving a car because people wouldn't obey the legislation. Sorry, I can't get my head around the logic for this sort of reasoning. Maybe someone could explain it to me.

http://playrapport.se/video/2767963

You have the opportunity to precent this sort of thing....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10...going-jail.html

...and you decide that you won't bother because people might ignore it. Their brains must work in a different way to mine.

[JohnnyEnglish]

The government doesn't want to prohibit the sending of SMS messages whilst driving a car because people wouldn't obey the legislation. Sorry, I can't get my head a ... (show full quote)

The government doesn't want to prohibit the sending of SMS messages whilst driving a car because people wouldn't obey the legislation. Sorry, I can't get my head around the logic for this sort of reasoning. Maybe someone could explain it to me. ... (hide full quote)

It is called democracy.

[BritVik]

Sure - it's democratic to SMS etc whilst driving, and it is also democratic to run into other cars or run over people who happen to get in your way all of a sudden, when you happen to look at the road once again.
When you look at the list of countries that allow this situation then it does not put Sweden in a very good light. 'Sverige, Albanien, Serbien, Moldavien och Malta' according to SVT.
Volvo put Sweden on the road safety map, but this sort of laxity will certainly not keep it there other than for negative reasons. Texting on a phone requires two hands, or holding a phone to your ear makes do with one, which is still one hand less with which to control a vehicle - especially at motorway speeds.
The mind boggles at the way these MPs think - that is if they do - on this subject.

[Puffin]

yeah the government are reluctant to ban all mobile use - including hands free - which is what they would need to do to improve safety

[JohnnyEnglish]

Sure - it's democratic to SMS etc whilst driving,.... The mind boggles at the way these MPs think - that is if they do - on this subject.

I wasn't talking about texting whilst driving but the reasoning behind this. If the poeple doesn't want this law. The parliament shouldn't pass it.

[Yorkshireman]

Unfortunately this doesn't always hold true here ...

1955 referendum to swap left to right hand traffic 82.9 % voted NO ... Swapped anyway

1980 referendum on phase out of nuclear power ... with 3 alternatives ... result was interpreted by the sitting parliament as nuclear power should be phased out by 2010 ...Nothing has been done about this

Democracy in action

[Puffin]

1980 referendum on phase out of nuclear power ... with 3 alternatives ... result was interpreted by the sitting parliament as nuclear power should be phased out by 2010 ...Not ... (show full quote)

1980 referendum on phase out of nuclear power ... with 3 alternatives ... result was interpreted by the sitting parliament as nuclear power should be phased out by 2010 ...Nothing has been done about this ... (hide full quote)

Well they closed Barsebäck Nuclear Power station and must now import fossil fuel energy from Eastern Europe to meet demand

[jack sprat]

Unfortunately this doesn't always hold true here ... 1955 referendum to swap left to right hand traffic 82.9 % voted NO ... Swapped anyway 1980 referendum on phase out of ... (show full quote)

Unfortunately this doesn't always hold true here ...
1955 referendum to swap left to right hand traffic 82.9 % voted NO ... Swapped anyway
1980 referendum on phase out of nuclear power ... with 3 alternatives ... result was interpreted by the sitting parliament as nuclear power should be phased out by 2010 ...Nothing has been done about this

Democracy in action ... (hide full quote)

Sad thing is how the subservient population simply shrugs its shoulders and continues to accept being shat upon from a great height.

Whichever party is voted in, they all piss in the same pot and realize they can easily get way with treating the punters like a bunch of mindless zombies, ....which is what they likely will soon all be.

[Yorkshireman]

Well they closed Barsebäck Nuclear Power station and must now import fossil fuel energy from Eastern Europe to meet demand

Most likely due to political pressure from Denmark, since they never liked the fact that there was a Nuclear power plant 20Km from Copenhagen!

What fossil fuels from Eastern Europe?
Sweden is completely dependant on Denmark for Natural Gas. And one of the original plans for replacing nuclear power was gas powered stations (is it just by chance that the only nuclear plant closed was nearby )
Imports Oil from Denmark, Norway and some from Russia
Coal used to mainly come from Australia, and some peat imported from Ireland.

[BillyB]

If the poeple doesn't want this law. The parliament shouldn't pass it.

Do you think that's a sensible approach? Only laws that the majority of people agree too should be passed?

There are plenty of laws that the majority of people would prefer we didn't have, and even more that the majority would have voted against when they came in but now can see the benefit.
Seat belts is one example, vast majority of drivers didn't want to wear them so laws (unpopular with most at the time) came in to make it mandatory, now only a lunatic would argue its not a good thing.

[JohnnyEnglish]

Do you think that's a sensible approach? Only laws that the majority of people agree too should be passed?

Yes, I think that's a sensible approach unless there's a crisis of some sort. A government can only pass so many laws without popular support before they're voted out.

[oddsock]

To be honest, I don't think there is much opposition to such a law. Unlike the seat belt law, I think most people would be in favour of a law banning texting in the car. Caught doing it? A nice fine and a point on your license.

I think the Swedish government intentionally passes laws that the people don't want (Systembolaget, etc) and doesn't pass the laws that the people do want (ban texting in cars).

It's a part of the we-know-better-than-you mentality that the ruling class here has. Like a shit boss that intentionally does the opposite of what his employees tell him as some form of power trip. And then all the employees do as their told and look up to him.

Clearly there's a reason it's called Stockholm syndrome.

[Bender B Rodriquez]

Well they closed Barsebäck Nuclear Power station and must now import fossil fuel energy from Eastern Europe to meet demand

Not much. The electricity production (water, nuclear, wind) is about 145 TWh while the use is 147 TWh, so it is only at peaks one has to import. The import/export is mostly from/to Denmark and Norway since they are hooked to the same electricity grid. Eastern Europe is not.

[BritVik]

We sure get a wandering off the subject, don't we? From SMS's behind the wheel to nuclear power stations, and driving on the left-to-right.

Could it be that the government doesn't mind if we SMS from behind the wheel as long as we keep to the right on the road as we drive past the now-closed Barsebäck power station??

[Willy]

The import/export is mostly from/to Denmark and Norway since they are hooked to the same electricity grid. Eastern Europe is not.

http://www.swepollink.se/

Sure, the continental grids are not in phase with Sweden/Norway/Finland (and neither is Denmark west of the Great Belt), but you can easily get around that using HVDC links.