[Tubby Isaacs]

And, from the other side, nationalizing water companies right now. The Government doesn't help itself by quoting bullshit figures for the cost, but hard to see how it's "virtually nothing" or whatever.

The Left right now remind me of the Right when John Major was Prime Minister. Nothing is good enough, because Jez/ Mrs Thatcher would have done it better. Major was unnecessarily grim on public investment, but some of it has aged pretty well (eg the public sector accountability stuff, like the derided Citizens' Charter).

[Boiler]

Comments on the changes to driving rules are predictable...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y ... o#comments

Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 13-34-07 Over-70s face driving ban for failing eye tests - BBC News.png (33.92 KiB) Viewed 255 times

Meanwhile, one from the gin and Jag set (assuming it's not sarcasm, of course);

Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 13-37-42 Over-70s face driving ban for failing eye tests - BBC News.png (14.48 KiB) Viewed 255 times

[The Weeping Angel]

Or it will be Labour is just tinkering around the edge instead of solving Britain's problems.

That one particularly bugs me. Why don’t the Government shell out a load of money on everything right now?

I suppose it comes about in part because of a strong sense of declineism among the online political types. The sense that only radical action is needed to reverse Britain's decline, and nothing less will do. A good example is someone on Bluesky saying Labour should abolish the Treasury, as Treasury brain is holding Britain back.

[AOB]

Journos and reporters have been really poor reporting this driving rule proposal. I don't think I've seen an article query or investigate what is meant by failing an eye test. In civilian life at least, there is no such thing as failing an eye test. The doctor or optometrist doesn't fail a person following an eye test. What are they failing them on? You obviously get recommendations following the result (maybe in an optometrists case not always fairly as you have money they want as much of as possible, but that's another matter).

Is the driver allowed to wear glasses when they take an eye test? If as I assume they are and they fail the test then are they allowed time to obtain glasses more suited to their current needs- perhaps the glasses they have are donkeys years old- and are they allowed to retake the test. This is what the reporters should be asking, instead of just shouting out a front page headline.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I suppose it comes about in part because of a strong sense of declineism among the online political types. The sense that only radical action is needed to reverse Britain's decline, and nothing less will do. A good example is someone on Bluesky saying Labour should abolish the Treasury, as Treasury brain is holding Britain back.

There's a reasonable amount of borrowing for investment considering how expensive it now is. What's non-Treasury Brain going to do different?

Everyone agrees radical action is needed, just not that radical action there. Like building houses.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Real wages have risen for two years, and housing affordability has been improving slightly. Not down to government policy necessarily- though the cuts Hunt scheduled may not have helped with wages- but aren't these positive? Some growth options there in terms of extra investment, better trade with the EU, easier planning. I really don't get the declinism. It does remind me of John Major- wages did well then too once the recovery kicked in.

[Boiler]

Is the driver allowed to wear glasses when they take an eye test? If as I assume they are and they fail the test then are they allowed time to obtain glasses more suited to their current needs- perhaps the glasses they have are donkeys years old- and are they allowed to retake the test. This is what the reporters should be asking, instead of just shouting out a front page headline.

Here's your answer: https://www.gov.uk/driving-eyesight-rules

You must wear glasses or contact lenses every time you drive if you need them to meet the ‘standards of vision for driving’.

You must be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres.

You must also meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) using both eyes together or, if you have sight in one eye only, in that eye.

You must also have an adequate field of vision - your optician can tell you about this and do a test.

[kreuzberger]

This testosterone-driven drivel really gets my goat, and that is largely the stuff produced in withering amounts by the protagonists. "Voters", as we call them.

We have the same nonsense in Germany. A kraut's castle is his carriage and woe betide any foolish politician who raises an eyebrow at their inalienable right to his 300 kmh on the Autobahn. It is fucking bonkers, as well as environmental vandalism.

Also, you get your licence and you are good for life. My FiL, who will be 90 next year, is failing be degrees. His sight, his hearing, his general cognition are all collectively headed south. He also likes a wee nip of prosecco (or three) for breakfast, yet there is nothing that will stop him driving. He rakes in way over €4000 a month in pension payments, so taxis are certainly not beyond his means for his thrice weekly trips to the cemetery and the butcher past three schools, over a level crossing and a transnational trunk road.

Right, so. I am the pearl clutching kill-joy of this parish, really?

[mattomac]

No, I actually think all drinking should be banned when driving.

[davidjay]

Comments on the changes to driving rules are predictable...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y ... o#comments


Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 13-34-07 Over-70s face driving ban for failing eye tests - BBC News.png

Meanwhile, one from the gin and Jag set (assuming it's not sarcasm, of course);


Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 13-37-42 Over-70s face driving ban for failing eye tests - BBC News.png

One of those "It's got to be... hasn't it?" posts.

[Abernathy]

Probably correct measures, But the roots of the road safety crisis in the UK aren’t really about pensioners with failing eyesight stubbornly insisting on still taking the Honda Jazz out on the road every day, or party animals having an extra glass of Lambrusco before getting behind the wheel of their Yaris.

The problem is enforcement, or more particularly, the near-total lack of it in recent years. It’s speeding, reckless, dangerous drivers driving like utter cunts, and getting away with it. And doing it because they know that they’ll get away with it.

Police resources have been so diminished by the last 14 years that the level of traffic enforcement required for our roads to be (as far as possible ) safe for all road users just hasn’t been there - and still isn’t.

Collar the cunts. That’ll fix road safety.

[Boiler]

Right, so. I am the pearl clutching kill-joy of this parish, really?

Nope.

In this article you can see the killed or seriously injured figures for drivers in Great Britain by sex and age group, as well as a recommendation by the AA.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8jpp3jwe32o

It is overwhelmingly the 86+ group that are the biggest danger, followed by 17 - 24 year old males.

[Boiler]

The problem is enforcement, or more particularly, the near-total lack of it in recent years. It’s speeding, reckless, dangerous drivers driving like utter cunts, and getting away with it. And doing it because they know that they’ll get away with it.

Police resources have been so diminished by the last 14 years that the level of traffic enforcement required for our roads to be (as far as possible ) safe for all road users just hasn’t been there - and still isn’t.

Collar the cunts. That’ll fix road safety.

One of my former colleagues was a Fast Response Driver for the Met - she often said she'd nick me for not making good progress if she still had her warrant card, compared to how she drives. But these days, I just prefer to drive in a defensive manner that will get me home safely because every time I go out, I notice the serious decline in road craft and I have to say, it got worse post-Covid. A couple of weeks ago we had two deaths on consecutive days on the dual carriageways around here; in one, a van went into the back of a stationary lorry.

I am glad I'm not doing 30,000 miles a year any more.

[Bones McCoy]

I've noticed BBC Scotland's news reports a startling frequency of people seriously injured or killed in "single vehicle incidents".
Early in the text we learn that the victims are usually in the 80+ age group.

I get the impression that this is a growing problem that had received very little attention until now.


My own anecdotes involve driving to visit friends in Helensburgh and Ayrshire.
Driving standards in town and on dual carriageways is usually pretty good.

It's out in the more rural areas where one encounters drivers blindly pulling out into traffic, randomly varying speed between 15 and 25 mph and weaving into the oncoming lane.

[The Weeping Angel]