Standards have sunk so badly (From Gazette & Herald)

Standards have sunk so badly

I ARRIVED at the traffic lights, behind another car, just as they changed to stop us, as can happen at any time, depending on your luck. However, the driver in front immediately switched on the direction flashers, so that through the whole sequence, until the next change, I was subjected to his/her bright flasher hypnotising me. This is bad enough in daylight, but at night, and when wet, it's ten times worse. In my opinion, this is not either thoughtful or considerate and appears to be the result of being told never to fail to signal one's intentions, which, in consequence, shifts the brain into permanent automatic when driving rather than allowing it to think for itself and adjust to different conditions.

A signal just prior to moving off, or at the amber stage seems to be quite adequate, which also indicates that the driver is thinking about what he is doing.

On the subject of St George's flag, I didn't get the opportunity to have a check round the two towns this year to see who was acknowledging our English heritage, but I did notice, the following day, that Old Malton War Memorial hall was, once again, true to form, with the cross flying proudly in the breeze, as was St Michael's Church, which had been without a flagpole for some time. St Peter's Church hit a snag, so Bill Ankers tells me, for they went up the tower to put the flag up and found the rope had parted company. It is now going to be necessary to take the pole down to thread a new rope through the pulley at its top before a flag can be flown again. As they say in Yorkshire - "The's allus summat."

My list of next 'recommended' dates for flying the Cross of St George gives May 26, being the birth of St Augustine of Canterbury. And for the flying of the Union Flag, May 24 is quoted, being Empire Day and the birthday of Queen Victoria. After that comes June 2, Coronation Day.

Dates for flying the national flag (Union Flag) are by command of the Queen, and government buildings should follow those instructions. In my humble opinion, 'government buildings' should also include local government buildings, but whether this is the case I haven't established. It's time that all buildings of these categories should, without being cajoled, fly their country's flag with pride.

I note a headline in the Gazette & Herald in which the coroner calls for A64 improvements. This often happens following a fatality which always appears a little strange to me because, invariably, the fatality is due to driver error, and one cannot make roads and junctions absolutely fail-safe. If all roads were straight lines, with a wall at either side, there would still be drivers who would run into the wall. As has been said many times, road safety is in the hands of the individual, so we're back to education again. I think we ought to have hard-hitting signs approaching 'blackspots', warning drivers in their own language, so to speak. A pointing finger - "ten motorists died here - slow down - now." A skull and crossbones wherever a fatality has occurred, or a crucifix - but whatever, something less bland than currently obtains. And, of course, a rethink, and action, whether popular or not, on speed limits, on country roads and lanes, and especially in street villages. As for sentences for causing death by dangerous driving, these should reflect exactly what has been done - something akin to murder by motor car.

Many are bound to agree with Mary Isaacs in her list of unacceptable annoyances - she has certainly listed everything, in her reader's letter (May 7), which I would have done. Yet standards have sunk so badly that so much of what so many of us find objectionable is considered to be the norm. It seems a lot of undesirable instances emanate from the BBC, or other television sources, which in themselves sink lower and lower. The BBC once was the mainstay of standards around the world. It is no longer, sadly, and has thus lost its respect. It becomes so easy to sink along with the rest, unwittingly, and this is what is happening. Even the word 'popstars', which tumbles off so many folk's lips without thinking, is surely an absolute misnomer. I cannot think of any 'stars' today that can qualify for that title, although I expect you'll say "but what about so and so", and so it ends up as a matter of opinion.

Like the whinging over aircraft noise which has raised the hackles of certain people, and we have "aggravating, pollution, intolerable" etc to describe it. One can get incensed over many things, until such time as it is brought into perspective. Until one rationalises what is annoying, it can drive one up the wall. Complaining helps a bit, but seldom solves the problem. There is one major difference between the things which Mary Isaacs listed, and aircraft noise, and that is that aircraft noise is a necessity. We have a need to train pilots and crews for our defence and, so many times, for the help we give to under-developed countries in times of trouble. Perhaps H O Griffiths might think of both sides in his 'campaign' and ask those who have been rescued from sinking ships, mountain-sides, earthquakes and even car crashes, or who have been oppressed, for their opinion of flying training.

Chaos. "There is nothing stable in the world; uproar's your only music." John Keats (1795-1821).

Updated: 13:16 Wednesday, May 21, 2003