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Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!decwrl!sun!megatest!yin
From: yin@megatest.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: 55 saves lives revisited - (nf)
Message-ID: <206@megatest.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Jun-83 09:27:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: megatest.206
Posted: Wed Jun 29 09:27:30 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Jul-83 00:06:38 EDT
Lines: 39

#R:utcsstat:-72700:megatest:4500001:000:1706
megatest!yin    Jun 29 08:50:00 1983

Individual cases DON'T prove a statement.

I know of someone that survived a car crash because he wasn't
wearing his seat belt and was thrown out of the car before the
passenger compartment was crushed.

I also know of someone who got through a car crash without any
broken bones while his passenger was in traction for several
months. His passenger was asleep while he was driving. He fell
asleep and the passenger woke up just before the crash and 
screamed, tensing up. It was considered that his relaxed state
was what saved him a prolonged visit to the hospital.

Despite these examples, I still feel that wearing seat belts is
a good idea and falling asleep at the wheel is a bad idea.

I don't happen to believe that 55MPH is a good idea or law. Most
of the cars I've owned have had their optimum mileage point in
the region between 60 and 70. I also feel much more alert at
speeds exceeding the speed limit. (In this respect, the
California Highway Patrol is fairly reasonable. Their philosophy
is to maintain a presence on the road. If you're alert enough
to spot them, then you are probably alert enough to be driving
at that speed. Regardless, you shouldn't be on the road at all
if your mind isn't on the road as well.) I've never seen any
statistics that proved that 55MPH saves lives. And I spend enough
time on the road, not to want to spend any more.

I think we ought to return to a 70MPH limit on our highways, with
constraints based on traffic and road conditions. Good judgement
should determine the the speed limit, not an arbitrary law (would
you want someone on the road next to you that didn't have good 
judgement?).


                          yin shih (...!lbl-csam!megatest!yin)