Re: Unintended consequences
" They couldn't block the hole; they couldn't remove or modify the guard rail; they could do nothing about educating teenagers not to walk in the road."
Bollocks - sheer unmitigated bollocks.
DfT guidelines state that guard rails (actually "pedestrian guide fencing[*]") should be removed immediately if pedestrians are walking on the "wrong side" of them as the danger is increased well beyond whatever point the guard rail was intended to protect from.
There are a number of UK govt publications pointing out substantial council misuse of guide fencing and berating councils for continuing to position the stuff to address non-issues, or making safety substantially worse. (The #1 complaint of the DFT is use of the stuff when bollards would be more appropriate)
At least 50% of fencing installations are unsafe and inappropriate. TFL has instituted a policy of removal of as much of the stuff as possible and is facing resistance from councils because of entrenched attitudes miscontruing the purpose of the stuff, despite long-term evidence showing that it's killed far more people than it's ever saved.
[*] Pedestrian guide fencing was created to try and guide pedestrians away from spots where it was dangerous to step onto the road. The moment people start walking around or jumping over it, its purpose is negated.
It's not "guarding" anything, nor is it "safety" fencing and it provides negative protection from vehicles - the negative stemming from the fact that it offers _zero_ protection from vehicular impact over 5mph and if a vehicle hits the stuff, anyone nearby is likely to be hit by the fencing as it breaks away from its mounts. This _has_ happened.
In addition the stuff kills cyclists/motorcyclists trapped between it and cars
I cringe when I see the local school yobs all clustered behind fencing on a dangerous corner and pushing against it/leaning out over it. It's actually encouraging them to loiter in a spot where they're in greater danger than if they were 20 feet away.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
