HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle

Great Moments in Unintended Consequences (Vol. 7)

Views: 798
Good intentions, bad results.

Watch the whole series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oztz17JUpr0&list=PLBuns9Evn1w9XhnH7vVh7C65wJbaBECK

https://reason.com/video/2022/05/04/great-moments-in-unintended-consequences-vol-7/
-------
Part 1: Road Kill

The year: 2012.

The problem: Driving fatalities on Texas roads!

The solution: Implement a simple, cost-effective awareness campaign by displaying crash death totals on highway message boards.

Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions, what could possibly go wrong?

In order to read these messages, passing motorists must look away from the road. 

Accidents along roads with new displays increased by 4.5 percent within 10 km of the sign, according to one study—amounting to an additional 2,600 crashes and 16 deaths per year in Texas.

Not good news, considering more than half of states in the nation have deployed these signs on their roadways. 

Part 2: Bottle Throttle

The year: 2013

The problem: Bottled water consumption at the University of Vermont creating waste!

The solution: Eliminate single-use bottled water from campus vending machines, give away reusable containers, and spend $100,000 to add filling stations around campus.

Sounds like a great idea with the best of intentions. What could possibly go wrong?

Students don't always remember things, like their reusable water bottles. Faced with limited choices, a study revealed the demand for sugary drinks on campus surged 25 percent and plastic bottle use per capita had increased by 6 percent.

Some ideas shouldn't be recycled.

Part 3: No Way, Fiancé

The year: 1900

The problem: Argentine bachelors sucking up valuable resources without producing more citizens. 

The solution: A bachelor tax! A strangely popular feature of the time, but with a special waiver for those gentlemen whose proposals were turned down. No need to pour salt in that wound come tax day. 

Sounds like a bizarrely antiquated idea, with the best of intentions, what could possibly go wrong?

The tax exemption gave rise to an entirely new vocation: professional rejectors! These entrepreneurial ladies would swear to authorities that a gentleman tried—and failed—to win their hand. And all for a fraction of the cost of the tax itself. 

Proving the old adage: you can't buy love, but rejection is on sale.

Written and produced by Meredith and Austin Bragg; narrated by Austin Bragg.
@ReasonVidsfollow
Thumbnail for Democrat Jared Polis: Most Libertarian Governor?6:25
Democrat Jared Polis: Most Libertarian Governor?
ReasonVids
999 views
Thumbnail for Rebuttal to "Hitler Took Away the Guns"6:27
Rebuttal to "Hitler Took Away the Guns"
bestofupgoat
377 views
Thumbnail for IJ Fights to Unleash Free Speech1:40
IJ Fights to Unleash Free Speech
IJvids
940 views
Thumbnail for Libertarian James Bond4:49
Libertarian James Bond
ReasonVids
843 views
Thumbnail for but holocaust!0:49
but holocaust!
x0x7
800 views
Thumbnail for The value of life. Senator Cornyn gets infanticide advocates to show their hands6:47
The value of life. Senator Cornyn gets infanticide advocates to show their hands
bestofsaidit
912 views
Thumbnail for He Stops You On The Street, What do you do?0:12
He Stops You On The Street, What do you do?
bestofupgoat
43 views
Thumbnail for Slashing Spending in Post-Soviet Slovakia: Q&A with Richard Durana5:04
Slashing Spending in Post-Soviet Slovakia: Q&A with Richard Durana
ReasonVids
926 views
Thumbnail for Primitive Technology: Making Charcoal (3 Different Methods) | Primitive Technology15:16
Primitive Technology: Making Charcoal (3 Different Methods) | Primitive Technology
invidious
464 views
Thumbnail for Wehrmacht Wednesday - Hell March6:13
Wehrmacht Wednesday - Hell March
voatcatbox
568 views
Thumbnail for Sex Offender Brunch!6:12
Sex Offender Brunch!
ReasonVids
896 views
Thumbnail for Will Whole Foods Destroy Brooklyn?2:21
Will Whole Foods Destroy Brooklyn?
ReasonVids
901 views
Thumbnail for Director Jason Reitman on 'The Front Runner,' Gary Hart, and the Private Lives of Politicians7:44
Director Jason Reitman on 'The Front Runner,' Gary Hart, and the Private Lives of Politicians
ReasonVids
869 views
Thumbnail for Sen. Barack Obama on Sen. John McCain's Plan for an Economic Commission1:04
Sen. Barack Obama on Sen. John McCain's Plan for an Economic Commission
ReasonVids
805 views
Thumbnail for Rancho Relaxo (The Simpsons)2:35
Rancho Relaxo (The Simpsons)
clips
925 views
Thumbnail for "I'm Not Gonna Assume Your Gender"1:27
"I'm Not Gonna Assume Your Gender"
voatcatbox
251 views
Thumbnail for Increase in whale beachings blamed on offshore wind farms2:16
Increase in whale beachings blamed on offshore wind farms
bestofupgoat
478 views
Thumbnail for Bitcoin and the Constitution:  Is Code Speech?39:14
Bitcoin and the Constitution: Is Code Speech?
IJvids
884 views
Thumbnail for Ukrainian life hack1:04
Ukrainian life hack
bestofupgoat
86 views
Thumbnail for Why the Feds Banned Four Loko (And is your favorite drink next?)3:26
Why the Feds Banned Four Loko (And is your favorite drink next?)
ReasonVids
878 views
Thumbnail for In The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Everyone Just Wants to Be Left the F*ck Alone4:12
In The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Everyone Just Wants to Be Left the F*ck Alone
ReasonVids
821 views
Thumbnail for SomePkmn-LovingDude47:07
SomePkmn-LovingDude
kanneknezz
97 views
Thumbnail for Police: If You're Carrying Condoms, You Might Be a Hooker (Don't cops have better things to do?!)1:46
Police: If You're Carrying Condoms, You Might Be a Hooker (Don't cops have better things to do?!)
ReasonVids
901 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian, reason magazine, reason.com, reason.tv, reasontv
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle