Path: utzoo!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!bnr-public!schow
From: schow@bnr-public.uucp (Stanley Chow)
Newsgroups: ont.general
Subject: Re: Highway Driving Rules
Message-ID: <440@bnr-fos.UUCP>
Date: 27 Apr 89 02:25:12 GMT
References: <89Apr26.134028edt.9320@ois.db.toronto.edu>
Sender: news@bnr-fos.UUCP
Reply-To: schow@bnr-public.UUCP (Stanley Chow)
Distribution: ont
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 41

In article <89Apr26.134028edt.9320@ois.db.toronto.edu> jdd@db.toronto.edu ("John D. DiMarco") writes:
> [...]
>As for highway regulations: as I understand it, these laws are intended to 
>reduce highway accidents. If the majority of the population should decide 
>they don't like these laws, should they be changed? Would it be right to 
>abolish speed limits if their abolition led to a much more dangerous highway
>environment? Even if the majority of the population wanted their abolition?
>
>John DiMarco	* We will live in the light *	jdd%db.toronto.edu@relay.cs.net
>jdd@db.toronto.edu 	jdd@db.utoronto.ca	jdd@db.toronto.cdn
>{uunet!utai,watmath!utai,decvax!utcsri,decwrl!utcsri}!db!jdd	jdd@utcsri.UUCP

I am not sure if you asked the question rhetorically, but I like to answer
yes to them. Specifically, if the majority wants to drive faster knowing that
it is more dangerous, then the speed limit should be raised to suit. Note that
the speed limit is an upper limit, others can still drive slower,

The only valid argument for limiting the speed (in the context of majorities
and rights) is that allowing people to drive fast endangers the "slow drivers".
For this argument to hold, several factors must be present:
  1) there must exist the "slow drivers" who will not drive above 100 KM/hr even
     if the limit is raised to 300 KM/hr
  2) there must be evidence showing that "fast drivers" will endanger the
     "slow drivers"
  3) there must be evidence that raising the speed limit increases the danger to
     to "slow drivers"

The research that I have seen tend to say that it is not the absolute speed, but
the relative speed difference that causes accidents. It is also said that the
"slow drivers" cause more accidents for the "fast drivers" than the other way
around.

To summarise, low speed limit does not reduce accidents. Even it does, people
should be allowed to *choose* to live dangerously.



Stanley Chow    ..!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!show%bnr-public


Disclaimer: What? Me? Speak for the company? Surely you jest!