[rescue] rescue Digest, Vol 49, Issue 17

[Phil Stracchino]

William Barnett-Lewis wrote:
> Let me ask you one thing - when is the last time you took 10 seconds
> to perform a lane change?

As a matter of fact, yeah, that's about what it takes me ...  EVERY
TIME.  Less on the bike, because a motorcycle can pretty much snap
across lanes in a way a car can't safely, but even then, you check your
mirrors, you head-check, you scan, then you head-check AGAIN right
before you switch lanes.


I re-iterate:  Speed is not inherently dangerous.

Careless drivers are dangerous.
Drunk drivers are dangerous.
Inattentive drivers are dangerous.
Unskilled drivers are dangerous.  (And the average American driver is,
honestly, appallingly unskilled.)
Reckless drivers are dangerous.
Drivers who don't know their limits are dangerous.
Drivers who think they own the road and everyone else should get out of
their way are dangerous.
Drivers who think they can talk on the cell phone while drinking coffee
while fixing their makeup while reading the newspaper and still drive
their SUV in morning rush-hour traffic at the same time are very, very
dangerous.  Possibly more so than drunks.
"Street stuntaz" who see no problem with 100mph power wheelies in
traffic are dangerous.
And yes, long-haul truckers who think their 80,000lb combination gives
them the right to bully their way in are dangerous.

But speed?  No, speed is not inherently dangerous.  If it were, the
carnage on the autobahn and autostrada (not to mention race tracks)
would be appalling.


-- 
 Same geek, same site, new location
 Phil Stracchino                     Landline: 603-429-0220
 phil.stracchino at speakeasy.net         Mobile: 603-216-7037
 Renaissance Man, Unix generalist, Perl hacker, Free Stater