Bollards of the Nanny State
July 17, 2023
As loyal readers are well aware, yours truly puts on a lot of miles on two wheels. In the nearly nine years since my defection from the SPRM, I’ve got over 19,000 miles (that’s miles, not kilometers – take your Trudeau-metric and shove it) under my belt. In fact, the superior cycling infrastructure is one of many reasons that drew me to this part of the world.
As a result, one might think I’d be pleased as punch to see the new bollards on Scott Street, a pilot project from the city.
City staff and council working for staff and council.
But I’m not.
For starters, they’re just not necessary. Scott Street doesn’t see nearly the level of traffic as, say, Cannon Street in Hamilton, where there is a two-way cycle track alongside several high-speed car lanes. It’s an unnatural situation where the bollards and concrete barriers are necessary. The real hazard on this stretch of Scott Street is cars pulling in and out of the strip mall. Bollards do nothing to help with that. They might actually make things worse by giving cyclists a false sense of security and further instilling the culture of the government being this almighty fatherly figure delivered from on high to protect us from harm. For example, look at all the rules put in place for children when they get on and off school buses. There are flashing lights to stop traffic in both directions. Barriers to keep the kids from running in front of the bus. Yet all this has done is create a generation of kids who think nothing of darting across busy streets without the slightest regard for their safety. Down the road, this will cause far more injuries and deaths than if these measures weren’t in place.
But what really bothers me is that our rudderless council, the nonentity who occupies the office of mayor and city staff desperately continue to be on the lookout for any and all ways to justify their own jobs and the taxes they forcibly collect from us. Scraping the bottom of the barrel to create demand for their unwanted “help.” Working for themselves. Not for us. Reinforcing the fact that politicians are the most non-essential segment of society.
If I want their “help,” I’ll ask for it.
Otherwise, you tend to your knitting. I’ll tend to mine.
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