Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!watcgl!watsup!kim
From: kim@watsup.waterloo.edu (Kim Nguyen)
Newsgroups: ont.general
Subject: Re: Highway Driving Rules
Keywords: what a silly argument
Message-ID: <9523@watcgl.waterloo.edu>
Date: 4 May 89 15:08:55 GMT
References: <89Apr26.134028edt.9320@ois.db.toronto.edu> <440@bnr-fos.UUCP>
Sender: daemon@watcgl.waterloo.edu
Reply-To: kim@watsup.waterloo.edu (Kim Nguyen)
Distribution: ont
Organization: PAMI Group, U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 38

In article <440@bnr-fos.UUCP> schow@bnr-public.UUCP (Stanley Chow) writes:
>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.

It inspires fear in me to see educated, intelligent people
advocating that "SLOW" drivers are the problem on highways.  Pardon
me, but isn't it the drivers who disregard the law, common sense, and
civility who endanger the lives of law abiding (well, relatively
speaking, since we ARE talking about speeding :-), courteous drivers?  

If I am doing 120 on the 401 and some nutcase comes screaming up
behind me, weaving in and out of the lanes and slams his brakes on
right behind me, which one of us is the dangerous one?

According to Mr. Chow's statement, perhaps we should have
everyone (including the dangerous, incompetent drivers, and people
driving cars which are about to fall apart and are uncertifiable
(althought the drivers are perhaps certifiable)) at the same HIGH
speed...  

I believe that we will never be rid of maniacs on the road, so no
matter what speed limits you set, there will always be violators.

Although I can see Mr. Chow's point, especially when I encounter
doddering senior citizens and the occasional inexperienced highway
driver.  The solution to this (perhaps unimplementable) would be to
have better training  and license renewals, as well as to instill a
sense of responsibility on the roads.
--

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Kim Nguyen 					kim@watsup.waterloo.edu
Systems Design Engineering  --  University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada