Big Brother / Nanny State topics

[Peter_W]

As US nanny state advocates increasingly push to follow the lead of Europe, please do not let this happen EU plans to fit all cars with speed limiters

"All cars could be fitted with devices that stop them going over 70mph"

"fitted with cameras that could read road speed limit signs and automatically apply the brakes when this is exceeded"

"which could also mean existing cars are sent to garages to be fitted with the speed limiters, preventing them from going over 70mph"

[rip]

I read that, but I have read many things which are just idle gossip.

Won't be implemented because it will be too expensive & they'll be no revenue from speeding tickets to pay for it

[Rob P]

I always live in wonder at the world we live in today, we have on the one hand the topic of limiting people to the speeds that they allow on the roads today by the use of technology but yet the car manufacturers continue to build cars that will do in excess of twice the national speed limit

Speed limiter on a Bugatti Veyron anyone..............doesn't this just make a mockery of it all

[Enright]

The worry is that the "they" who have to pay for it might be *US*!

Trialling of these in-car telemetry systems is already happening, with certain insurers dangling the carrot of cheaper car insurance. How long will it be before that carrot turns into a stick - i.e. massive insurance premiums unless said BBB (Big Brother Box) is fitted? It would be like trying to insure an Elan without a Thatcham approved alarm fitted, and of course without insurance, the car is impossible to tax, illegal to drive and can be picked up anywhere with ANPR and the owner prosecuted.

As usual, it would do nothing to deter genuinely dangerous practices such as talking/texting on hand-held mobiles, tailgating or failing to indicate, but would purely focus on speed.

[Rusty Wishbone]

The worry is that the "they" who have to pay for it might be *US*!

There is no one else.

[rip]

I cannot think of anything which has been retro-applied.

Emissions: Vary according to the age of vehicle.for the MOT.
Catalyst: If the car left the factory with one, then it must be there
Seat belts: If they were not fitted from new, they don't have to be there at all.
Horn: Sequential ones allowed if the car was built before 1972
ABS: If fitted from new, it must work. If not, don't worry.
Airbags: Elans have never needed these either. I fond it hard to believe a post-2000 car would pass the MOT without one.
Speed limiters on trucks: There was a time when trucks has 52, 56 & 60mph limiters on them, depending on age..the older the higher & these did not need to be modified. The vast majority with higher limiters will all have been completely worn out by now.

I would like to see an electronic speed limiter fitted to a 1920-something model T!

[Peter_W]

If the Big Brother / Nannies prevailed on this I could foresee (fortunately for us Elaners) ESM speed chips which would hack the telemetry systems to provide data at a fraction of actual speed, culminating with a Silverstone/Monza switcher