The power and impact of just one law or the British auto industry drove for Mozhaev Bashny.Net

In the middle of the XIX century, Britain was in the lead editorial in the development of emerging road transport. However, owners of railway and horse-drawn carriages seen in cars threat to its existence. And unite against a potential competitor. In 1861, they lobbied for a law that restricts the speed of the "road locomotives" of up to 10 miles / hour outside the city and up to 5 miles / hour in town. In the management of the machine must have been at least two people.

But this was not enough for them, and in 1865 adopted the "law of the red flag." The law limits the speed of the cars in the city and 2 miles / hour (about 3 km / h). In addition the law obliges the crew to have at least three people: a driver, a stoker, and a man with a red flag. Signalman with the flag, walked in front of the vehicle at a distance of 55 meters and notify passersby of the impending danger, waving a red flag.

The law was pushed through parliament by the most pious pretense. It was alleged that the cars smash roads frighten citizens and their horses. "The law of the red flag" effectively destroyed the nascent automotive industry in the UK - and more machines broke designers from France and Germany.