Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dual.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!dual!paul
From: paul@dual.UUCP (Baker)
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.consumers
Subject: Re: 55mph speed limit
Message-ID: <991@dual.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Apr-85 12:50:32 EST
Article-I.D.: dual.991
Posted: Tue Apr 23 12:50:32 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Apr-85 03:46:41 EST
References: <5500003@petrus.UUCP> <3560@alice.UUCP> <298@dolqci.UUCP> <1818@hplabs.UUCP> <770@ccice5.UUCP>
Organization: Dual Systems, Berkeley, CA
Lines: 41
Xref: watmath net.auto:6523 net.consumers:2201

> > > I know of no argument for the 55 mph speed limit
> > > that cannot also be advanced for a 35 mph speed limit.
> >
> > Enforce it, give mass transit an exemption, and we'd see some good
> > mass transit systems pretty quick.
> > -- 
> 
> No, you would get millions of people breaking the law and several politicians
> would be looking for new jobs.  Mass transit would still stink.
> 
It is, of course, the cars that stink.  Even with pollution control devices,
they still stink.

They have plenty of other problems as well.  They kill thousands of people a
year and maim thousands more.  For any other consumer product, killing a few
people a year is normally sufficent grounds to withdraw the product and attract
quite a few law suits.  For some reason cars have never been subject to the
same rules as other products.  Homicide by auto seems to be quite socially
acceptable.

Cars have made the centres of most cities and towns decidedly unpleasant
with their stink and roar.  In many cases large parts of cities and towns
have been demolished to accomodate the wretched things.  I am not even
allowed to cross the road where I want to (in the Land of Freedom?),
because we even have laws that favour cars over people.

A large percentage of the world's resources are squandered fuelling and
manufacturing automobiles.  Most cars are so poorly built that they
only last a few years, even if their owners manage to avoid driving them
into something or someone during that time.  Vast amounts of land (and
Tax Money) have been used to build freeways and other roads.

Standard Oil, General Motors, Firestone and a few others spent a lot of
money and effort in a illegal conspiracy destroying Mass Transit around
the country in the 40s and 50s, just to try and make you buy their
products.  This is a large part of the reason why Mass Transit isn't as
good as it might be.

Just a few of the reasons that cars stink.

Paul Wilcox-Baker.