Get ready for life in the slow lane

There is now a move to lower the residential speed limit to 30 km/ h from the present 50 km/ h. Let’s consider the impact. First, everything would move slower. That includes delivery trucks, meaning that you would wait perhaps a day longer or even more. Con- struction projects would take longer because the vehicles supplying the project would take nearly twice as long to keep the project going. Taxis would take longer to arrive and reach your destination. Public transit would also slow down. Be sure to wear really warm clothing in winter if you are going to be standing at a bus stop.

Adjusting to a slower world will not be easy. When the commute or the downtown shopping trip takes much longer than it does now, a lot of people will have a problem complying with the new limits.

If, on the other hand, reducing pedestrian injuries is all important, then let’s reduce the residential speed limit to 10 km/ h. That should give any pedestrian time to stroll out of the way of the car crawling towards him.