Are cars 'safe as houses', or a false sense of security?

[reggit]

Originally Posted by MDS40

I used to drive motorbikes before passing my car test, just as the law regarding crash helmets came into force, i thought at the time this was a kind of bullying action by the state but now look upon myself as being stupid in the extreme at the time.
With regard to bikers these days, i have very little respect, whats with all this red line gear changes etc and using the road as their own private racetrack.

Sorry to any bikers on here who don't drive this way, but sadly you are not the norm anymore.

I’m guessing you are referring to ‘power rangers’ that are out on a Sunday afternoon. I’m a keen biker (prefer em to cars), but avoid riding when these idiots are out if at all possible.

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by reggit

I’m guessing you are referring to ‘power rangers’ that are out on a Sunday afternoon. I’m a keen biker (prefer em to cars), but avoid riding when these idiots are out if at all possible.

Without taking the original subject off to a tangent, the way some bikers ride you’d think they had a death wish but saying that I’ve some car drivers doing exactly the same too.

[DaveNP]

I've been pondering on this for a couple of days since on Friday as I came home from work about midday and saw a biker twice pull a wheelie coming towards me on a reasonably busy road. Given that bikers always seem to go on about how vulnerable they are his behaviour would seem to contradict the idea that vulnerability reduces risky behaviour. I accept that one stupid biker is not a very good sample of bikers as a whole and the vast majority are trying to survive, so it might seem safety levels have little to do with behaviour and some people are just stupid.

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by DaveNP

I've been pondering on this for a couple of days since on Friday as I came home from work about midday and saw a biker twice pull a wheelie coming towards me on a reasonably busy road. Given that bikers always seem to go on about how vulnerable they are his behaviour would seem to contradict the idea that vulnerability reduces risky behaviour. I accept that one stupid biker is not a very good sample of bikers as a whole and the vast majority are trying to survive, so it might seem safety levels have little to do with behaviour and some people are just stupid.

It’s Ego’s at work, car drivers with a sense of entitlement, thrill seeking bike riders etc etc.
I’m glad cars are built like they are these days with airbags, impact bars in the doors and so on. Image being in a smash in a 2CV or the original Mini that we’re little tin boxes with a seatbelt that was pretty much all the safety equipment the vehicle had.
I had a top of the V60 for a Courtesy car last week and the Active Speed Limiter was an eye opener. It was a little unsettling when the car started braking on its own and the car was braking a little early in places especially where there was speed change warning signs but other than that a bit of fine tuning an it’d be a great accessory. I appreciate that some people hate the thought of not having control over your cars speed but if it’s gunna save lives then it gets my vote. Boss Thong has already put that on our next car wish list.
Given the volume of cars on the road today I think greater emphasis should be put on devices like this even if the fast car fighter pilots hate the idea.

TT

[Grimble]

I'm probably going against the grain here (as usual) but I do firmly believe in Darwinism.
Do we really want (for the long term benefit of the human race) for the less intelligent to reproduce?
Is it better to design a heat resistant glove (aka automatic car safety systems as discussed in this thread) or not put your hand in the fire in the first place?
If you want to travel then take full responsibility for your actions or get the train.
The man with the spike idea was right.

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by Grimble

I'm probably going against the grain here (as usual) but I do firmly believe in Darwinism.
Do we really want (for the long term benefit of the human race) for the less intelligent to reproduce?
Is it better to design a heat resistant glove (aka automatic car safety systems as discussed in this thread) or not put your hand in the fire in the first place?
If you want to travel then take full responsibility for your actions or get the train.
The man with the spike idea was right.

Agreed but with or without those aids on the cars they’ll still drive like lunatics so it makes sense to make those around them safer and maybe clip their wings wherever you can.

[canis]

Actually, bikers are doing exactly that. They're taking full responsibility for their own safety, entrusting their survival to their skills instead of paying scant attention and relying on a bunch of airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners, automatic braking, collision avoidance systems - hell, pretty soon you won't even need to drive at all! Wait a minute... forget I said that.

Idiot bikers exist. But the percentage of idiot car drivers is way higher.

[andy_d]

as long as the morons driving OR riding like a moron only kill themselves its all good

far to many cockwombles use the "its safer" bs to nanny the clownshoes driving or riding like morons all that does is leave those with a sense of personal responsibility and accountability as the minority

auto speed limiting, ffs, if you cant See a sign and adjust the cars speed by yourself, WTF are you doing driving,,


yet again the "~oh noes" come out with bs "think of the safety" clapbollox ,

no think of People ,
Get the drivers without a licence off the road ~For life~
get the drunk and drug drivers off the road ~for Life~
get those without insurance or a mot off the road for life

and Redo the driving education to where people are Taught to Drive the car,, not taught how to pass the test

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by andy_d

auto speed limiting, ffs, if you cant See a sign and adjust the cars speed by yourself, WTF are you doing driving,,

So I suppose YOU never break the speed limit?

[AndyJudge]

OK I Agree the complete who thought that DRL's are only useful on the front needs shooting.


Another of my pet hates is those people who rely on the safety systems on the car whilst gazing longingly into the satnav screen they've stuck right in their line of vision & ignoring that fact they're sat in the middle lane at 60Mph (I see it a lot) even worse when they have the Satnav on daytime mode when travelling up unlit motorways.


Bit of TIC here - whoever gave permission to BMW & Audi to make indicators optional extras.


Cars have become far safer over the years but I do think at the expense of common sense for so many people.


I kid you not I saw somebody reverse into a wall the other day in a Car, they were clearly looking at the screen on the dash for the reversing camera which either didn't come on or the car didn't even have one. Some people really shouldn't be let loose on the roads.