Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site rochester.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!rochester!sher
From: sher@rochester.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: 55 saves lives
Message-ID: <1983@rochester.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 18-Jun-83 00:47:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: rocheste.1983
Posted: Sat Jun 18 00:47:55 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Jun-83 02:04:46 EDT
References: <209@uofm-cv.UUCP>
Organization: University of Rochester
Lines: 31

While following my favorite hobby (studying the human race) I noticed an
interesting fact about discussions of speeding.  They seem to break up
along geographic lines.  People east of the appalacians (how do you
spell that rediculous name?) are not bothered by the 55 speed limit.
There are no roads that I have seen in NY or Connecticut or NJ that it
is sane to drive faster than 65 on anyway (it is a noted fact that
whatever the speed limit is people drive 10 mph faster).  We lack
those nhundred miles of straight line highways that you westerners
dearly love.  I probably wouldn't be a very safe driver under those
conditions regardless because I have never driven on a long straight
road.  I have heard that given that you have an accident the
likelyhood that the accident will be a fatalaty goes up dramatically
with speed.  (Remember that kinetic energy increases with the square
of the speed)  However time on the highway goes down inversely
proportionally to the speed.  This means that the danger of being on
the highway goes up the faster you drive. (This may be incorrect due
to any correction factor for your driving ability and how it degrades
due to time on highway and other factors however it is correct if you
assume that the other guy is the causative factor in accidents
especially if you blame driving while incapacited).  I also hate
people who ride 15+ mph below traffic speed in the middle lanes of
highways.  I hate them almost as much as I hate left exits which force
me to behave in that manner.  

(I save my real flames for net.religion)

-David Sher (ofttimes AI project)
soon to be -David Sher the blasphemer
or even seismo!rochester!sher
or maybe sher@rochester