<VV> What is safe anyway?

[Joel McGregor]

It seems that people lump safety into one big pile.  Surviving an accident is different from avoiding one in the first place.  I would agree that my wife is safer in her CTS than she would be in a Corvair.  I would argue that I am significantly safer in my Corvair than in her CTS.  Her car lets off the gas and hits the brakes if it thinks you are cornering too hard.  Hard cornering and even sliding is often what is needed to avoid a solid object or idiot in the road.  My Corvairs always go where I point them but her CTS is too busy letting off the gas and braking to always go where I want it to.
I would much rather avoid something than worry about surviving the impact.
There are some new cars that do both but most I've driven understeer.  Certainly not as bad a stock vehicles of the 70's but still dangerous for me.  I believe a car should still be controllable when you have all four wheels sliding.  That's the difference between a safe, fun car and a boring, dangerous car.  Obviously my wife (someone who isn't a good driver and isn't really interested in learning) is closer to the target customer than I am.
Joel McGregor