Reply to "How about a loan???"

quote:

Originally posted by Mike from West Yorkshire:
A few things - generally, like other gizmos, they lull the user into a false security so they are not as attentive as they should be.

Mike, I have a hard time blaming gizmos for drivers’ lack of attentiveness. I doubt drivers are less attentive today then they were before some of today’s gizmos. I know there’s some research(es) floating around that says ABS and 4/all-wheel drive causes drivers to be cockier, but I’m not sure how one can measure cockiness (Lexie, I know you’re tempted by that last statement). And, things like ABS probably helps someone that panics. One gizmo that definitely gives drivers a false security are brakes. I believe that if breaks were removed from all cars, that people would drive a heck of a lot slower (after the initial carnage) and be a lot more cautious, and perhaps stop driving entirely.

Traffic lights are another one of those gizmos, at least here in the round-about-less States. A better safety solution would be stop signs at all intercessions, thus it would take two inattentive drivers to cause an accident, versus only one being necessary with traffic lights.

And talk about faith in ones fellow-mankind, those little painted lines between oncoming traffic turn driving into a cult experience. On a road with a 55 MPH speed limit, the head-on impact speed of two cars would be 110 MPH, and that’s assuming both drivers aren’t doing 70. Compare to airbags, those little painted lines don’t do a lot for my safety concerns, although an impact at those speeds, I doubt the airbags would make any difference.

In fact, one could make the argument that seat belts “lull the user into a false security”. And they may add “extra complications” in the passenger removal system.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike from West Yorkshire:
Primary safety - prevention, not cure - would save more lives.

RIGHT ON, and by prevention I understand you to mean awareness. I’m of the opinion that all (or damn near all) traffic accidents are avoidable (including rear-end collisions) if at least one of the drivers doesn’t have the misguided belief that other drivers will do what they are suppose to do, or should do.