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Re: Solve speeding by limiting cars!

In article <48bmlk$1go@gap.cco.caltech.edu>, addam@cco.caltech.edu (Adam
Neil Villani) wrote:

> In article <4895bo$oar@nntp.atlanta.com>,  <dwarner@atlanta.com> wrote:
> >Strangely enough, I'm still alive, and the only times I've suffered bent 
> >sheetmetal were in parking lots and bumper-to-bumper traffic..  Oh, I
> >also ended up in a ditch after missing a turnoff on a dark rainy night at 
> >about 10 MPH UNDER the posted limit, "proving" that low speeds 
> >cause accidents.
> 
> Good point. I'm only 22 and have only been driving for 5 years, but despite 
> nearly always exceeding the speed limit I've received no tickets and the only
> time I've ever had a collision was when I was pulling out of a driveway very
> slowly on a residential street and hit a parked car, breaking the cover on
> my taillamp. That PROVES that low speeds cause accidents, too.
> 
> 
As part of the previously proposed European legislation to restrict bikes
to 100bhp the argument went something like... more powerful bikes go
faster and since speed is a major factor in motorcycle accidents ban more
powerful bikes.

The European bike organisations like FEM, BMF, MAG etc all succesfully
argued that most motorcycle accidents occur at lower speeds and within the
speed limit.... therefor power and speed are not major contributing
factors in M/C accidents.

It was also shown that (and I don't remeber the figures) while the power
of bikes had increased the number of accidents as a proportion of bikes
registered had decreased over time - this was largely attributed to the
increased rider training and increased safety awarness of bikers. The
conclusion here was that the proportion of accidents caused by other road
users and perpetrated against bikers was increasing as a proportion of the
number of accidents involving M/C's, and was largely attributable to poor
cage owner training / awareness.

So in conclusion we shouldn't be tempted to assume speed is 'the' factor
in bike accidents .... and should turn our attention to improving the
training and awareness of cage owners.

-- 
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    "'
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