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The traffic lights went out in Amsterdam and the world didn’t end. Portishead liked their lights-out test so much they took the traffic lights out permanently. Other cities around the world have tried (successfully) to make restriction-free roads…but still people are afraid of anarchy on the streets. Today James broaches the conversation on spontaneous order by taking you for a ride on the streets of Japan.
SHOW NOTES
What happens when the traffic lights suddenly go black?
One has to wander, is the purpose of some of the rules they make us follow just to remind us that we are slaves? Apart from the makers of traffic lights, it hard to answer the cui bono question in this case. And traffic seem to flow better, less exidents etc.
I thought about the same thing last time I was flying. How many ridiculous rules do you have to follow each time you fly to another country? Show passport, show tech, have water confiscated, stand in line, don’t cross lines,a camera in the face sometimes, “naked-scanner” etc. And on the plane: tech off, belts on, table down, bag under seat. Have those meausures stopped many lifes? Or are they, perhaps, worried that people will forget that they are not free men when they look out over the clouds?
Are some of the rules just to remind us our serfdom?
YES. That is what school prepares us for,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQvMIVGYPRQ
what the 1040 and TSA are all about. I’d say, “Go to the head of the class,” but your are over 100 years late.
James, did i detect that you are driving a hybrid car? Are you math challenged, too?????? I’m bitterly disappointed.
As far as I can see, the typical urban roadway intersection set-up with red lights and red light cameras, performs its intended* functions quite well. It generates fines which the municipality and red light camera company share (not to mention, not that I would, the kickbacks certain officials receive from red light camera companies), the fined drivers pay higher premiums to mega-insurance companies, and last but not least, politically-connected ambulance-chasing lawyers receive sustenance from the personal injury and wrongful death cases spawned by intersections festooned with red light cameras and the inevitable shortened yellow timing.
So some town in Europe took out some traffic lights, big deal. This is America, where BUSINESS is what it’s about. Go forth good citizen – bend some sheet metal, break some bones, and pay up…sucker.
*If you actually believe government EVER intends to make a given situation “better”, how in the heck did you end up here?