Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!looking!grant
From: grant@looking.UUCP (Grant Robinson)
Newsgroups: ont.general
Subject: Re: Lawbreakers (was Radar Detectors (was Highway Driving Rules))
Message-ID: <3335@looking.UUCP>
Date: 18 May 89 15:38:52 GMT
References: <9584@watcgl.waterloo.edu> <3217@looking.UUCP> <3225@looking.UUCP> <264@sickkids.UUCP> <1942@yunexus.UUCP> <89May17.145618edt.11073@ephemeral.ai.toronto.edu> <8905172121.AA19911@genie.csri.toronto.edu>
Reply-To: grant@looking.UUCP (Grant Robinson)
Distribution: ont
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd.
Lines: 27

In article <8905172121.AA19911@genie.csri.toronto.edu> mart@csri.toronto.edu (Mart Molle) writes:
>
>It seems pretty clear that most "anti-speed" people are not uniformly
>anti-speed in the general case, or else we'd have cries of horror that
>commercial airplanes travel at almost *ten times* the speed limit on 401.
>But that's OK, because we have strict controls on pilot training, aircraft
>airworthiness, etc., right?   So what's the problem with considering the
>idea of improving the corresponding "quality controls" on the highway
>so that for the same (or lower) loss rate we get to drive a little faster???
>
The "problem" is that flying is perceived by the majority to be "dangerous", 
while driving is not. While the current reality is that flying is much 
safer (on a per mile travelled basis), many people will think twice before 
getting on a plane, while few will think twice before getting in a car.
Until this changes, we can expect heavy regulation of the airline industry
and pilots' licences, and continuing pitiful regulation of automobiles and 
driving tests which are wimpish to the utmost.  Have you ever seen anyone 
doing a "pre-drive" inspection (similar to a "pre-flight" check of a plane)
of their vehicle, other than perhaps putting air in their tires?  It may be
the case that most accidents are not caused by mechanical failures, but it
would have the advantage that a person would be aware of any signals and
lights which were not working (which I suspect may be involved in many 
accidents), and secondly, it heightens the person's awareness that they 
are about to perform a dangerous activity.
air in their tires).  
-- 
Grant Robinson, Looking Glass Software Ltd.      Waterloo, ON  (519)-884-7473