[londons_explore]

My government (UK) seems to struggle with communicating some things with citizens. There is no way so send a simple short message to every citizen.

For example, recently the law changed so that pedestrians had priority at 't' road junctions without traffic lights.

Ideally, every citizen would be send a small infographic showing the new law on the day it became law. They would click "okay" and go on with their day.

Instead, the government bought up TV ads and billboards across the country (very expensive) to try to get the message across - and still, months later, you have people honking horns and getting angry at pedestrians and drivers who don't know about the change.

[denton-scratch]

> There is no way so send a simple short message to every citizen.

1. Not every citizen possesses an SMS-capable device.

2. Many smartphone-enabled citizens don't want to be nagged by the government.

> Instead, the government bought up TV ads and billboards across the country

I don't watch TV ads. I haven't seen any of these billboards. And I didn't know there was anything unusual about the law on T-junctions in particular.

[afavour]

Are you not entirely proving the OPs point? A law has been changed regarding right of way and you’re not aware of it, potentially leaving you more likely to strike a pedestrian. Does that not highlight a failure of communication?

[denton-scratch]

> potentially leaving you more likely to strike a pedestrian

Well, not really. I don't own a car, and I haven't driven one for years.

But that's to ignore your point, which is that I'm ignorant of the law. Thing is, that's far from the only law I'm ignorant of; if every little change in the law had to be notified to all citizens via SMS, that channel would become so clogged as to be useless (nobody would check their messages).

[selfhoster11]

> For example, recently the law changed so that pedestrians had priority at 't' road junctions without traffic lights.

That's hardly a backwards-incompatible change that needs to be actioned immediately.

My attention has already been torn to shreds for years via smartphone usage (I'm in an on-and-off recovery). I don't need the government adding their two pence into what's already a bad situation.

If they care so much, mail me. Physically. That both gets my attention, lets the government constant me via a much less intrusive channel, and staves off the bankruptcy of Royal Mail.

[barrysteve]

You really think it's ideal to get new binding laws through text messages?

Don't look at your phone in the next five minutes, because Russia's invaded France and your iPhone goes ding.

Both you and me have been legally volunteered for conscription "at random".

And I wonder who's sons and daughters are magically missing from the man-power database, certainly not the engineers and politicians who built it. could never suggest such a thing is likely...

Bring it on, I say.