Politicians and the Boring Subject of Safety

Most Governments try all sorts of things to keep us safe from harm, especially ourselves. The problem is that these decisions are made by people in board-rooms by folks who hardly ever leave the building. Not in the cafe around the corner, were we, who live in the real world make all the important decisions. Of course we, in the real world have no clout so our opinion doesn't count, it seems.

One of the more bizarre decisions was to ban smoking in bars, restaurants, and public buildings.. To ban smoking in restaurants and public buildings is understandable; nobody wants to tuck in a steak with cigar-smoke wafting over it. Nor do you want to enter a City-Council building where the staff have cigarettes dangling from their mouths in a casual way, only seen from cowboys in old movies. However, now these same mouths are in constant movement with chewing-gum while answering your questions, so it was not a real improvement.

The ban on smoking in bars got an outcry from the public. What was next, no drinking in bars? This was exactly what a bar was about, wasn't it? To do slightly naughty things in a completely legal way. But the law went ahead and on punishment of a hefty fine the bars caved in. Now you see smokers huddled in front of the bars, on the pavement , littering the streets with cigarette-butts. When you look at their faces you see a slightly guilty look while puffing away.Inside it's empty, only the owner of the bar is in attendance, leaning over a broom.

The idea they were looking into a while ago was even more bizarre. While seat-belts are a good idea, and applauded by many, including myself, the Wise Men and Women want to ban talking on cell-phones, while driving. This might be a good idea as well, since I have seen cars swerving from left to right while the driver was talking to his girl-friend (or boyfriend). Then the idea sprang up to ban smoking in the car. The next thing would be, logically, not to eat,not to listen to the radio, not to turn on the heater/air conditioner, not to drive old/young/middle-aged people around, not to turn on the window-wipers, in short it would better to leave the car at home and walk everywhere.

Now the En-lighted Spirits are seriously looking at wearing a helmet while driving a car.I thought that that was an interesting idea and thought of doing a little experiment myself. No doubt the next decision will be wearing a padded suit with motor-cycle boots, so I wanted to try it out for myself before I vote again for these people. I like to anticipate their decisions you see.

While it is quite summery outside, I put on my helmet, visor down because now I can't wear my sun-glasses, A Puffer feather-down jacket that reaches to my knees, ski-pants and large hiking-boots with steel caps. This is for extra-safety just in case I get in an accident and the front of the car crashes. This way I will still keep my toes, while waiting for the rescue-team to get me out, because I'll be stuck between the steering-wheel and seat in all my safety-clothes. I decide not to turn on the air conditioning, because I anticipate a ban on that as well, and this experiment needs to be as realistic as can be. Of course the smoking-ban in cars will be redundant, because I cannot possibly squeeze a cigarette inside the helmet. And even if I could, I would set myself on fire, if it dropped onto the Puffer-jacket.

I get into the car, which has heated up quite nicely, it's about 45 degrees Celsius in there. My helmet doesn't quite fit in, so I lean over to the other seat and start the engine, so I can drive off my driveway. With my head at an angle the world looks different. I want to look over my shoulder to see if anybody is on the road, but the helmet is in the way.I would also like to turn the steering-wheel but I can't, the Puffer-jacket is very thick and I can't move my arms. The only thing I can actually do is step on the gas.Sweating profusely now I do just that, only to hear a loud "Bang". So now I know there was another car coming! Thankfully the safety-bag has exploded in my face, but I can't see the other, very angry driver, only hear his muffled voice, before I passed out from a heat-stroke.

I have not seen any politician anywhere in the world driving around in a car wearing so-called safety-gear, i.e a helmet, Puffer jacket,and sturdy hiking-boots. So don't make the mistake thinking it is a politician when you do see someone driving around clad in this gear, please wave; it's me!