How would roads and speed limits work in a jurisdiction following Biblical law?

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Roads are (usually) rights-of-way along land boundaries. Biblical law supports the right of travelers to cross properties (a form of "innocent passage") as long as they are not causing property damage outside of the right-of-way, and not posing a danger to others. There is even a Biblical example of this type of innocent passage. Moses was speaking to the King of Edom in Numbers 20:17:

17 “Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink from the water of the wells. We will go along the king’s highway. We will not turn away to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border.” Numbers 20:17WEB

Although this is a descriptive (narrative) passage of scripture, Moses is articulating principles which are already implied elsewhere in the law:

  1. Property ownership must be respected.
  2. Property damage (e.g. crossing fields or vineyards in a way that damages crops) must be avoided (or reimbursed).
  3. Rights-of-way should be followed, if they are available.[1]

Additionally, a land owner is allowed to make special rules for his own property which someone entering will be expected to follow (as long as these rules do not prevent, de facto, the right of "innocent passage").

The following is one proposal for how to organize private property owners, voluntarily, to manage roads. Most property owners are going to be highly motivated to cooperate on roads, for economic and convenience reasons.

Roads are on private property, and thus managed collectively by the property owners. The property owners have the authority to coordinate their rules, so that they can ensure the safety of any travelers, for example, from vehicles traveling at high speeds along the road. Because these road owners control the use of their property, they are authorized (both individually and collectively) to limit who moves large, fast vehicles, like cars and trucks, onto the road. This might be done through a gate system which allows licensed, large vehicles, but which doesn't prevent pedestrians, bicyclists, pack animals, or other low-speed, "low-damage" travelers. Since these are private arrangements, the property owners must work out the rules (including weight limits and speed limits) which would apply over various sections of the road.

What if someone violates the rules?

A property-owner can legitimately use proportionate force to remove someone from their property who is either not exercising a right of "innocent passage" or else poses a risk of harm to others. Proportionate force, in this case, is enough force to remove the person from the property and/or prevent them from re-entering it, but not deadly force. To clarify, this is not a civil government authority, it is a family/property-owner authority, inherent in the responsibility that a property owner has for the safety of those on his property. Just as he is required by Biblical law to fence in dangerous animals (Exod. 21:29), and fence around dangerous drops (Deut. 22:8), he has a responsibility and corresponding authority for the safety of anyone on the rest of his property.

If a traveler becomes an imminent and possibly deadly threat to other persons on (or off) the property, the owner would have the usual right to use deadly force (see the related question on self-defense and defense-of-others). As far as how access to the road is "policed," efficiently, this is a practical matter which can be worked out among the property owners. Perhaps they can hire someone who they authorize to act on their behalf to ensure the safety of the road and remove anyone who is violating the rules.

  1. Otherwise, property boundaries should be followed, if possible. There are Biblical law requirements for a land owner to allow gleaning in the corners and edges of their fields: see Lev. 19:9 and Deut. 23:24-25. This implies that the owner must not totally prohibit access to these areas, which will probably coincide with property boundaries.