Watch The New Gold Wing Air Bag In Action!!

[radman]

I think the reasons ABS hasn't proven to be the panacea it was expected to be are twofold. One, is that with ABS, as well as seatbelts/airbags, people think they are now protected somehow from all harm-engineering has paved the way for them to drive like idiots, carefree, and it's better than a bobblehead Jebus on the dashboard. Secondly, ABS doesn't shorten stopping distances, and can actually lengthen them slightly. It does allow for better vehicle control , as in attempting to steer clear of harm. This ignores human nature however, the tendency in an emergency to jam both feet on the pedal, lock the arms in anticipation, and look to the aforementioned dash shrine for salvation, never making the slightest attempt to deviate from their chosen path for one that might actually take them out of danger, or that might dislodge the cell from their ****** ear. Engineers often forget that people don't respond quite like a calculated test program. Just look at some of the briiliant pieces of automotive engineering that have gone by the wayside because people just didn't respond.

 

[yamaholic]

I can see where this would benefit the rider in a head on, dead stop scenario. Driver turning left in front of you, you t-bone them...this device would help avoid massive head injury, IMO.

Now for minor collisions or non-dead stop scenario's (such as a deer strike), it's hard to tell if it would help or not. Probably depends on many factors...

I've never had an air bag deploy, but I do know a few people that have. The alternative would have been being tossed into the windshield head first. The minor burns and chafing it caused were small prices to pay...

 

[jestal]

del

 

[Bearly Flying]

So we went from basically 0% seatbelt/airbag usage thirty years ago, driving 4000 lb solid metal vehicles to approx 80% seatbelt/airbag usage in crumple zone, safety engineered plastic 2000 lb vehicles, killing as many or more people and we are saving lives????????

It's a good thing the Safety Nazis are going to save us from ourselves regardless of how much WE have to pay for it.

 

[jestal]

del

 

[Bearly Flying]

Yeah Right. If the same amount of effort was put into highway design and driver training, ya might be seeing better results.

 

[twowheelnut]

Just look at some of the briiliant pieces of automotive engineering that have gone by the wayside because people just didn't respond.

So that's why my 100 mpg carb never flew. Who knew?

 

[Grumpy]

Bearly Flying, I agree with your comments about driver training. However, we do kill fewer folks on our highways now than we used to. In '66 we killed 50,904, while in '02 we killed 42,815. The number of folks killed, when normalized by number of miles driven, show a continuous downward trend. This has been accomplished with, as you pointed out in a previous post, by seat belts and cars that do a better job of protecting the occupants. Additionally, the feds have spent money to "channalize" traffic to prevent headon collisions with the interstate median guard rails and guard cables being the most noticable of these. This is another reason you are beginning to see roundabouts being built. The roundabout eleminates fatalities at intersections! No longer can the oncomming driver turn left in front or into you, a huge improvement in safety!

Today the most common car crash fatality occurs on a 2 lane road where the driver runs off the road and runs into a solid object. In my opinion, the only solution to this and other common crashes today is an improvement in today's drivers with required drivers courses and real driving tests. No way should we allow relicensing by filling out a form or other means where the drivers don't have to demonistrate to an official their driving ability.

Don't get me started on drivers exibiting inattention with eating, cell phones, etc.!!

 

[Bearly Flying]

Grumpy: I agree with you on the Driver Training, its pretty much a joke.

The fatality rates may have declined slightly, but when you look at seatbelt usage versus the fatality rate decrease, I don't believe that the seatbelt is the BE ALL END ALL of traffic safety devices. If someone wants to wear one Fine, thats their choice. But if I choose not to wear one, I'm liable for great whopping fines.

There have been some improvements in the highway systems. But there still seems to be areas where they could do a lot better. Recently The Dept of Hiways Upgraded a prefectly good Cloverleaf overpass, They ripped it out and rebuilt it as a Diamond,so now all traffic exiting the major highway comes off the ramp up to a stop light, then must cross traffic on the secondary highway to make a left turn. The first couple months it was in service there were several accidents when people blew the stop light. I feel the design of the interchange is a major contributor to these accidents.

 

[jestal]

del

 

[Grumpy]

Bearly, I couldn't agree with you more when it comes to individual freedom............just as long as your freedom doesn't impact me and my taxes (pocketbook)! If you want to drive without a seat belt, or ride without a helmet, then I think you should be able to do so .............as long as you have insurance that covers any accident and the subsequent costs of recovery from that accident.

As long as we're being honest here, to make yourself more proficent, how many driving courses (car or motorcycle) have you taken and completed in the last 5 years?

As to your comments on the Ministry of Transportation reworking an intersection and making it more dangerous, why not send them a letter and ask them why they did this? Ask them if they had considered doing a roundabout instead of what they did? What you may find is that, unfortunately, the MOT's (DOT's) the world over work in mysterous ways!!

 

[Bearly Flying]

Jestal: Sometimes I think that all the Safety Improvements are a double edged sword, the intent is good, but sometimes it appears to be counterproductive. In that people start relying on the back up safety systems instead of learning to drive.

I would just about bet if you designed a car that had NO protective structure around the Driver, park his ass out in the open, the accident rates would drop very sharply.

Grumpy: I've been driving vehicles and or equipment ever since I was 8 years old, i've logged well over a million miles without any major accidents, a couple of deer over the years,( and 1 Moose) but thats about it. Any of the Driving courses I've taken over the years generally are so wrapped up in ********, that any driving skills are overshadowed by bureacracy. I work up in northern Alberta in the Oilfield and drive on all kinds of "roads" in all kinds of weather.

If it's got hooves, wheels, or tracks I'm pretty sure I can ride it, drive it or operate it

 

[jestal]

del