From: Jeremy Eastman <jeastman@appliedtheory.com>
>Don't take this as my having a grief with seat belts or good brakes (I
have
>'em both), but there's a theory here about modern automotive safety
devices
>and traffic fatalities that some ole trucker's might find interesting.
>
>Risk Homeostasis and the Futility of Protecting People from Themselves
>http://www.i2i.org/SuptDocs/Personal%20Freedom/RiskHomeostasis.htm
>
>Basically, [steel dash = more perceived risk = safer driving]
>(Or, if we all had 2 gallons of nitro under the dash, would there be as
>many traffic accidents?)
Problem is, all those other drivers have rubber dashes and air bags.
I think about this often, as my other hobby is motorcycle touring, where
there is no such thing as a "fender-bender." When I was growing up, the
only reason there were infant/child car seats was so the kid could see
out easier. I/we found it was easier for me to stand up in the seat. I
also rode in the back of pickups and trucks every once in a while. Seat
belts? I never used one until I was old enough to vote. I survived my
childhood. Did some kids die who would have lived had they been
following todays laws? Sure, but I think that people, in general, had
more common sense, and gave more thought to the consequences of their
actions 40 years ago than they do now. Why? I don't know, but it
_could_ have something to do with the fact that the government is
"offering" to to so much of our thinking for us, anymore. Why should it
be necessary to tell us to keep fresh meat refridgerated or frozen, for
instance?
I'm not suggesting that safety features should not be used. If I had
kids in my home, I'd use car seats, and I use seatbelts all of the
time - and a helmet when I'm on the motorcycle. I do agree that some -
many? - people use "safe" cars as a reason to be a less "safe" driver.
I'm sure that there will soon be a law against being an 'un-safe"
driver. :-)
Lewis - K7LVO Valley of the Rogue-Medford, OR
"The Forty" - 40 Chevy PU - One Owner
http://www.teleport.com/~losborn/1940.html
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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