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The Physics Behind Car Crashes
Guinnessy writes "Physics Today has an article on Vehicle Design and the Physics of Traffic Safety. The article analyzes in detail typical crashes experienced between cars, and cars with SUVs'. According to Marc Ross, Deena Patel, and Tom Wenzel, "The evidence is compelling that body-on-frame light trucks cannot safely coexist with passenger cars under existing conditions. That problem is critical because so many light trucks are used nowadays as car substitutes." They suggest some ways in which both cars and SUVs' can be redesigned to improve safety. Meanwhile Detriot News reports on a Pediatrics journal study says that claims that children are no safer in SUVs than cars because of the rollover risks."
"They should charge more for vehicles who are likely to injure the occupants of other vehicles."
If you choose to drive a death-trap where you're likely to die in a crash, why should other people be penalised for your poor decisions?
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They don't deserve money for their work anyway, we enjoy it therefore it should be free.
Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but I'm not quite sure why you consider me some kind of sick voyuer sadist. Let's take a look at the relevent quote.
Now, I felt my meaning here was quite clear, if delivered with less tact than some might say was required. It's not the collision itself, or the direct injuries or deaths resultant from it that "delights" me so. It's the fact that two dangerous, life threatening people have temporarily or permenantly, stopped being a threat to other innocent people around them. I think everyone should be relieved when this happens. It's like two maniacs knifing one another to death in a barfight. Messy, disturbing, perhaps even tragic for friends and loved ones, but at least they won't kill anyone else. It's a good analogy, because like manaiacs, bad drivers kill and main people every day.
You have somehow taken this to mean that I take sadistic pleasure in all accidents. I don't. But when two grown adults, who have made a decision to put their lives and the lives of those around them in mortal danger for no good reason, end up killing or otherwise injuring only themselves, I'm afraid I'll have to say it couldn't have happened to a nicer pair.
Which is absolutely not to say that I would be happier if they died horribly; screaming in agony as the exposed marrow of their shattered bones slowly froze in the morning mist, or if their last breaths were of stagnant ditch water, as they lay trapped, contorted in a slowly sinking car. I certainly would not. What would make me happiest of all is if these two bozos simply totalled their respective death mobiles and walked away blinking without a scratch. That would be perfect. But if they die or are severly injured, to be honest, there's only so much sympathy I can have.
Fisher Price transmission, how very cute and educated.
I felt it was relatively witty. And I'll stand by it. I've heard lots of people tell me that automatic transmission is safer than manual, and that it enables the driver to pay more attention to the road. Yet the only people I know who have automatic transmissions are boy racers.
Now that is a personal observation. But it is the case that in the UK, where manual transmission pervades, per capita road deaths in 2003 were 5.81 per 100,000, while in the same year in the US, where automatic is the trasmission of choice, roads deaths were 14.75 per 100,000. [Source] Now that's just comparing two countries, but it would be interesting to compare stick vs shift on similar data.
Guess what, when you have a proven driving record your rates go down, when you get older you get better rates, being married gets you better rates, and various other indicators of being a responsible adjusted adult. Well I'm sorry you feel so threatend and wish to respond in such a childish manner.
You need to read my first post again. My main point there was that due to poor drivers, I have been in effect priced off the road, despite the fact that I am not one of these sterotypical reckless drivers. Consequent of this, and because of teh way insurance works, as you say, once I do start driving, i will be paying more insurance that these individuals. thus in effect, I am subsidising their behaviour. I do not feel threatened by this. I feel robbed.
My point is without knowing anything about the situation about the wreck in the parent post your immediate response is about how incompetant they both are.
Actually the original poster decribed the situation rather well. The first driver was reported
May the Maths Be with you!