[Crosseye_Jack]

> I assume if I run out into the middle of the motorway, I'm likely to get hit by a car. That's why I don't do that.

The problem with this is that governments are now requiring you to cross the motorway if you wish to continue having the friends you have already made, but promise that the motorways are now safe for you to cross and they will hold to account anyone who makes crossing motorways unsafe, and the DoT have said "Its fine, we have put in crossings on the motorway to allow you to do so safely!"

Your avg joe is going to take those reassurances made by multiple parties and assume the activity that would otherwise be risky is safe under these circumstances.

When people go on thrill rides at amusement parks and get injured because the operator or manufacturer fucked up, we don't blame the rider "saying they should know better, look at all of those ride failures in the news!", as they expected the ride to be built to a high standard, it be maintained, operated corrected, and have safety watchdogs keeping an eye on everything.

[LadyCailin]

I find it interesting where society draws the line in victim blaming. Because it is absolutely a spectrum, and there isn’t really a pattern. Personally, I don’t victim blame in this case, except for the people that explicitly voted for these short sighted “think of the children” politicians, but of course there’s no way to single them out here.

[ryandrake]

There's definitely a spectrum. Plenty of examples of people getting hurt through no fault of their own, and I would never assign blame to them. You're out walking your dog and get mugged--you did nothing risky, so you get no blame. But when you decide to do something risky, like skydiving or running in traffic or sending your government ID over the Internet (!!), and you suffer the known and anticipated downside risk, you need to at least share some of the blame. On the other side of the spectrum, if someone buys a penny stock and it loses all its value, that guy gets most of the blame.

Some other reply posted "Victim blaming!" as if that shuts down the discussion. It shouldn't.