Quote:
Originally Posted by razor02097
When I am walking or cycling I follow my personal rule... might gives right...everything is bigger than me so I give them right of way unless they give it to me. I have seen so many people looking at their phone or otherwise distracted just step out in the road as soon as the crosswalk sign changes then almost get hit... I always look and make darn sure the car is stopping before I will cross.
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You have arrived at a natural and logical conclusion, which makes me wonder how in the world the U.S. law is that all pedestrians have the right of way? The law has the effect of making pedestrians feel safe knowing that cars must yield to them. If the law gave the right of way to vehicles, people would be very cautious; making darn sure they don't place their frail body in the path of speedy 2-ton metal battering rams.
On the topic of efficiency, why must something that weighs several thousand pounds, lacking much agility, and traveling at 40mph be forced to stop and yield to a 200 lb vehicle with great agility (person) traveling at 3mph?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Mechanic
I remember when Ralph Nader was writing "Unsafe at any speed" ... Road fatalities are close to half of their previous highest levels... I also completely agree with the fact that the more you make the vehicle "smart" the dumber many drivers will become, but that is a different scenario and requires better design, better education, and more serious consequences for irresponsibility.
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The result of that writing was the seat-belt mandate. It's interesting to observe that while wearing a seat-belt reduces the chance of death or injury in an accident, it increases the likelihood of being involved in an accident. According to
some sources, vehicle caused deaths have increased since seat-belt laws were put into effect.