| Re: BBC News - This Always Happens |
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Group: uk.transport · Group Profile
Author: GraculusGraculus Date: Aug 23, 2008 12:00
[removing OT newsgroups]
"allan tracy" hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1f8c1945-412a-4819-b964-71fec75b3ce9@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...>>
>> But don't your comments contradict your previous stance about how there
>> should be less government interference in people's lives? Aircraft and
>> trains are safer because there are so many strictly enforced regulations
>> controlling what can and can't be done. For example if the government
>> made car manufacturers fit governers that prevented them from exceeding
>> the speed limit, the likes of Jeremy Clarkson would be making those nanny
>> state comments that you often do.
>
> As for speed governors on cars, that would be a sad day but
> unfortunately there are enough total mad bastards out there that will
> certainly do their level best to make it inevitable.
Just imagine:
a. You're following someone doing 35 in a 50, and go to overtake them. As
usual, they speed up a bit as often happens, so normally you end up doing 60
to get past and then slow back down once the manoeuvre is over. But instead,
your speed governer kicks in at 50 and you spend far longer than you really
want sitting on the wrong side of the road. Sooner or later (more likely
sooner) this will end in tragedy somewhere. I'd much rather briefly exceed
the limit to get past some slowcoach than spend more time than is necessary
on the wrong side of the road. (Indeed in some US States, briefly exceeding
the limit to overtake is allowed.)
b. You're doing 70 on the outside lane of a dual-carriageway passing an
artic. You're nearly past when he decides to start pulling out, having not
seen you. You'd much rather blip the throttle and swiftly complete the pass,
but you can't. Instead, having already wasted valuable time realising you
can't accelerate out of the danger zone, you have to slam on the brakes,
which may take longer for you to get out of the danger zone, and vastly
increases your chances of being rear-ended. There are many other example
where accelerating out of danger is preferable to braking. Again, sooner or
later, tragedy would ensue.
For these reasons (as well as numerous technical reasons) I don't think
we'll be seeing this any time soon.
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