Why Buses Need To Be More Dangerous

HughPickens.com writes: Is there such a thing as being too safe? Jeff Kaufman writes that buses are much safer than cars, by about a factor of 67 but buses are not very popular and one of the main reasons is that if you look at situations where people who can afford private transit take mass transit instead, speed is the main factor. According to Kauffman, we should look at ways to make buses faster so more people will ride them, even if this means making them somewhat more dangerous. Kauffman presents some ideas, roughly in order from "we should definitely do this" to "this is crazy, but it would probably still reduce deaths overall when you take into account that more people would ride the bus": Suggestions include not to require buses to stop and open their doors at railroad crossings, allow the driver to start while someone is still at the front paying, allow buses to drive 25mph on the shoulder of the highway in traffic jams where the main lanes are averaging below 10mph, and leave (city) bus doors open, allowing people to get on and off any time at their own risk. "If we made buses more dangerous by the same percentage that motorcycles are more dangerous than cars," concludes Kauffman, "they would still be more than twice as safe as cars."

Comments

Re:Oh absolutely

[serviscope_minor]

Because this cannot go wrong, right? faster buses, people getting on and off whenever wherever...allow drivers to drive off before people are seated...

Spot Mr. Risk averse. It's funny that you prove the author's point. You're so petrified of risks you'd rather peolpe do someething more dangerous instead.

And er, since when do you need to remain seated on a bus?

To examine the ridiculousness of this I suggest that Kauffman get into his car;

FFS, cars aren't busses. Busses are much much safer. The two are not equivalent,

Even if he thinks this is a great idea and willing to do that with his kids how many of us will follow? -I sure aint.

Why wouldn't you? If it was safer than a car and all those things made it feasible to ride instead of a car, you're safer overall.

WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT!