From: lowry@watson.ibm.com (Andy Lowry)
Subject: Re: Seat Belts Releasing in Crashes: Institute for Injury Reduction
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 19:28:08 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
	<1992Nov20.224828.12509@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>
	<1992Nov22.035043.10022@news.acns.nwu.edu>
	<1992Nov23.153142.29891@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

In article <1992Nov23.153142.29891@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu> crpresto@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Charlie Preston) writes:
 > >then the less likely it is that incompetent people will drive?!
 > Almost, if there is less armour on a car, then fewer people will
 > drive. I made no comment about a car being unsafe.  IMHO collision
 > survival equipment is not necessarily safety equipment, especially
 > the stuff that doesn't become effective until there has already
 > been a collision.

Some people have to drive.  Some people recognize that driving is
hazardous, even if they have lots of collision survival features in
your vehicle, and even if they're a very skilled and defensive driver.
They still drive.  I don't feel safe in my car because of all its
features, but for me, driving is important enough that I drive anyway.
I drive defensively and I use the collision survival features
available to me.

I don't think there would be a big decrease in the number of drivers
or the quality of their driving even if people could be convinced that
their chances of walking away from a collision were very low.  Most
bad drivers don't view themselves as bad drivers.  And the "it won't
happen to me" syndrome is extremely powerful.

 > My preferred mode of transportation (when temperature is above 20
 > degrees F) is a motorcycle.  Many people think motorcycles are
 > unsafe because they don't have large bumpers, steel beams on the
 > sides, roll bars, etc., ad nauseatum.  But my 10+ year old
 > motorcycles can swerve, accelerate, and brake to avoid hazards much
 > better than my 1991 compact car (purchased new).  When riding a
 > motorcycle I face many more hazards than when driving a car.  The
 > greatest hazards are the incompetent car drivers who refuse to
 > recognize motorcycles in traffic (who after a collision say 'I
 > didn't see the motorcycle.')  These car drivers 'feel safe' because
 > they have the latest collision survival devices but they are unsafe
 > because they have become lazy and don't search aggressively for
 > other people using the street/road.  So with their large bumpers,
 > steel beams, air bags, ad nauseatum they go about maiming/killing
 > motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians, etc.  Sometimes they get
 > another car driver too.

Your motorcycle can certainly respond better to many road hazards than
any car.  But there are other hazards that favor automobiles.  For
example, if you hit a grease or ice slick with only two wheels and
lose traction, you're not likely to stay upright on a MC.

Obviously, collision avoidance is (should be) the number one goal of
all drivers.  But sometimes you simply cannot avoid a collision.  Then
you start going down the list: do you have enough control to have a
choice as to what you'll collide with and how?  Then make the choice
that will minimize likelihood of death first, then minimize likelihood
or severity of injury second, and then minimize property damage third.
If your car is equipped with collision survival features and you use
them properly, then you've already taken responsible steps to make as
many options as possible available to you (because you know, e.g.,
that colliding with a parked car, which puts you at risk, is less
likely to cause death or serious injury than colliding with a totally
unprotected pedestrian).  

If some people are deluded into thinking they don't have to worry
about collision avoidance, then they should be educated to see that
they're wrong.  Likewise, it sounds to me like you need to be educated
to see that you're wrong in not worrying about collision survival.  In
my mind, the only responsible approach to driving takes both aspects
into account.

 > >There will be a time, where your reflexes are not going to be fast
 > >enough, and there will be a time where you will be just cought
 > >between a rock and a hard place, becuase the guy next to you can't
 > >drive.. what are you going to do then?
 > 
 > If I become afraid of a situation like that I hope I have the sense
 > to stop driving/riding.

It's not a question of whether you become afraid of this situation.
Whether you're afraid or not, it might happen to you.  If you're in a
position to stop driving without totally disrupting other aspects of
your life, I suggest you stop driving now.  It *is* dangerous.  If you
think it isn't, I'd say you must be one of the deluded "it can't
happen to me" folks.  The fact that it hasn't happened to you in 15
years is in part a testatment to your driving skills.  It's also
partly attributable to luck.  I hope you'll recognize this before your
15-year record comes to an abrupt end.

Anecdotal illustration: I was on my MC one night driving down I-80 out
of Salt Lake City.  There were very few vehicles on the road.  Way
ahead of me I saw a car's brake lights flash several times.  I assumed
there was some problem, and I slowed way down.  Eventually I came
across a long 4x4 that was lying across 1-1/2 lanes of the highway.
Due to its color, I didn't see it until I was almost upon it.  I
expect that the car went over it.  Had I come upon it at normal speed,
I'm certain I would have been unable to avoid running over it.  And I
doubt I could have kept my MC upright had that happened (another case
where the 4-wheel car has the safety edge on a MC).  If I had collided
with that piece of wood and survived, I'm sure I would have been able
to attribute a large part of that survival to the fact that I was
wearing a helmet and heavy-duty clothing and boots -- all collision
survival equipment.

Collision avoidance is not the total answer.  Neither is collision
survival.  Pay attention to both, and even then... cross your fingers.
--
Andy Lowry, lowry@watson.ibm.com, (914) 784-7925
IBM Research, P.O. Box 704, Yorktown Heights, NY  10598