There has been a suggestion to introduce a 20 mph speed limit everywhere except on Motorways although I have no idea who on earth would suggest such a thing.
I believe vast swathes of London now have a 20mph speed limit although whenever I have the misfortune to visit London I find it quite an achievement should I attain the giddy heights of 20 mph.
This ridiculous idea must have been suggested by one of these climate change activists in the misguided idea that it will stop vehicle emissions but on the contrary I suggest it will add to them as one will be travelling in a lower gear and using higher revs.
It has been said that Lord Palmerstone’s 1865 Locomotion Act generally known as the Red Flag Act which required that any self-propelled road vehicle had to be proceeded by a person walking at least 60 yards ahead carrying a red flag, effectively stopped any innovation in powered transport for over a quarter of a century.
The act brought in the first speed limits of 4 mph in the country and 2 mph in town with a £10 fine for speeding, however as motoring innovation progressed these speed limits looked more and more ridiculous until in it was finally repealed on 14th November 1896 where the flag was scrapped and the speed limit raised to 14 mph.
In celebration of this momentous event the Emancipation Run, a car rally from London to Brighton took place, starting with breakfast at the Charing Cross Hotel preceded by the symbolic ripping of a red flag in half by Lord Winchelsea, an event which still takes place today.
Now it seems with this suggestion of a 20 mph speed limit we are trying to put the clock back 156 years which is apparently someone’s idea of progress, how very strange.
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About The Diary of a Country Bumpkin
I am a retired actor, although to be honest I only retired because I wasn't getting any work due to losing my agent when I became a full time carer to my mother who had dementia. and the option of becoming an unemployed actor/waiter at my age was ludicrous, especially as my waiting skills are non-existent.
Having said I’m retired, I don’t think there really is such a thing as a retired actor for I am still available for work, I just don’t have an agent or any connections with regards to obtaining any worthwhile work.
I have over the years done student films when there is nothing else available, always low paid (if at all) the only incentive was always the promised copy of the finished film for your show reel which nine times out of ten always failed to materialise.
I spent many years looking after my aged mother and shortly after her death I was lucky enough to run into an ex-girlfriend of many years ago and our romance blossomed once again, resulting in us getting married in 2013.
My move to the countryside inspired me to write The Diary of a Country Bumpkin which tells of my continuing dilemmas in dealing with the rigors of the countryside from the unexpectedly large number of pollens, fungal moulds and hay products waiting to attack the unsuspecting townie.
I enjoy writing, see my play Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori on The Wireless Theatre Company, The Plays Wot I Wrote and The Battle of Barking Creek both available on Amazon.co.uk and am very fond of classic cars so my ideal occupation would be acting in a film I had written set in the 1930s/40s, we live in hopes.
I am delighted to say that since venturing to the countryside where space is not quite the premium it is in town, I have due to the availability of two double garages acquired more classic cars to form a small collection the pride of which are a 1947 Bentley Mk VI and a 2000 Bentley Arnage.
My various blogs and websites are continually evolving and I’m sure that by following the appropriate links you will find something which will edify or amuse.
I have written a number of different books all available on Amazon, so don't be shy should you feel the urge to purchase. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Joe-Wells/e/B06XKWFQHT/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
The Diary of a Country Bumpkin 
I knew nothing of Palmerstone’s act. Love learning something new.
I suppose electric cars are exempt as, at 20 mph, batteries don’t get optimum charging…
The one salient fact, hidden midst all the ‘Greenie’ woke brigade ( usually those without the need to run their business, employ people and pay taxes), is; Batteries have a life of 4 years if you are lucky, Lithium batteries require a mineral called, Lithium, mined using fossil fuels usually in polluted atmospheres. Insufficient energy and flexibility to be a clean process. Ok, so the product is a paradox in the Greenie world. But than comes the real crunch!
Disposal of the most poisonous, indestructible mineral on the planet! You can’t bury it, it seeps into ground water, you can’t burn it, the emergent gases will kill populations faster than methane from cows in 100 lifetimes, I suppose Elon Musk wants to start interplanetary waste disposal, let’s chuck it into outer space! Problem with that is, the Boomerang effect, space rubbish has a habit of coming back and, if there are other intelligences elsewhere in the solar system, doubt they will consider sending toxic material to their universe very friendly!
It’s a shame the media are so beholden and allegiant to the left wing and Green brigade that, news and facts are ignored in favor of licking the hands that feed them.
It’s only going to be a few years before we get people claiming for compensation. ‘Were you miss sold an electric car?’ I’m just waiting for the development of synthetic petrol which is underway at the moment for F1 cars and then we can go back to using sensible ICE cars!!
Actually Joe, there are two patents that expire before 2025, one is for a water based hydrogen engine, Detroit bought, I think in 1975, the other is a gasoline water mix, that expands the gas milage but expels mostly water vapor as opposed to Monoxide. I think this electric car push is to try and get ahead of the innovations now in production. As you probably know, clean hydrogen combustion engines have been around for decades but the major manufacturers contrived to keep them from production. Henry Ford actually killed the steam engine that was gaining favor from agricultural use in Tractors at the time. Great torque but poor acceleration.
Funny how the automotive industry has shot itself in the foot!