Increasing numbers of Lollipop Rage incidents will be combated in the UK by the government's law enforcement tool of choice: cameras. Lollipop Ladies and Lollipop Men, known in the US as crossing guards, help kids cross busy roads on their way to and from school (yup, kids in the UK still walk to school).
Even though the Lollipop stop sign they carry is accorded the same legal status as a red traffic light, drivers are ignoring them in droves. David Sparks, chairman of the Local Government Transport Board, is incensed, and to prove it he adopted the tone of a tabloid newspaper:
The new, custom made Lollipops, costing £900 ($1788) each, will have two cameras facing in opposite directions to capture cars which harass or plain ignore the guards. Normally this would be the cue for a rant about the pointlessness of cameras and the surveillance culture etc. but the issue here is the drivers. Who on Earth could be so selfish as to hate on somebody helping schoolkids to cross the road? What next? Giving the finger to ambulance drivers when they try to pass?
UK "Lollipop" traffic rage fight goes technical [Reuters]
Photo [rightee/Flickr]
