<VV> Not quite -accident rates- no real Corvair

[Frank DuVal]

The market would have never asked for the saftey features, that are now 
mandated, in great numbers. I can see there is a cost for these saftey 
features. I am not pleased with the cost of new cars or the fact  that I 
can not buy a new car comparable to my 1969 Subaru 360. But then again 
I'm not sure I want my 16 year old daughter to drive the Subaru until 
she gets more experience out on the road.

Is the cost worth the lives saved? What is a human life worth? Yours for 
instance. Or a close family member.

How many lives? Back in the 1960's I recall automobile death totals 
being over 50,000 people per year. Now there are a lot more drivers in 
this country (possibly double or more) and a lot more miles driven 
(again double or more per driver per year). So the death rate per mile 
is probably a fourth or less of the rate in the 60's. That is 160,000 
people per year still alive compared to the 60's rate. These numbers do 
need to be researched to make sure they are reasonable, as they sound 
farfetched even to me. But the point is made, we are not saving just 
10,000 people per year.

 But even if we were, there needs to be some moderation with regulation. 
Taken to absurd limits we could lower the national speed limit to 45MPH 
and have factory governors required to enfore that and even more people 
would live.

So I have talked a full circle. Thanks for listening.

Oh, and don't get me started on rotary mower regulations. There should 
be some personal responsibility clauses!

Frank DuVal


But,
Bill Elliott wrote:

>
>
> I've said all I intend to on the subject. Most everyone is missing the 
> point... concentrating on the fact that cars improved instead of 
> seeing at what cost. Bottom line is that the public likes being taken 
> care of and Nader (and the socialists) have already won. Many of us 
> see our individual freedoms slipping away daily "for the good of 
> society"... it's only a matter of time before it will get bad enough 
> that the general public notices... and by then it will already be far 
> too late.
> .
> Bill Elliott
>
>