Suzuki Samurai was Re: [geeks] SPARC proprietary (waaaay

[Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez]

> Do you *really* want to slam on your brakes when you *know* that a
> large portion of the population follows too closely anyway?  Are you
> *really* going to take that chance for a squirrel?  Is that *really* an
> acceptable risk?

The point is that you really do not know that it is a squirrel, you see
SOMETHING jumping into your field of view. Humans are designed to react to
fast moving objects that come into our peripheral view. OK? I do not have
to worry about the fact that someone may be following me and has a problem
with over speeding while towing or lack of proper maintenance in their
cars. Every driver has to react to the dangers in front of him or her, on
top of that you are shifting the burden of those drivers who are not able
to react to the dangers in front of them... to those who did deal with
them? I was taught to drive under the assumption that you can not make
any assumptions about the state of hte traffic in front of you. If you can
not react to a stopped vehicle, same can be said for a fallen tree, road
emergency condition, etc. So yes, if you were not able to stop... it is
your fault.


> > "small" part? Jeez I guess momentum just somehow is a small detail, as
> > well as bumper positioning, etc. SUVs tend to give bad drivers an
> > extra degree of confidence, and that in certain occasions is a very
> > very dangerous combination.
> >
>
> OK, granted (as far as phusics) but the difference between a 3200 pound
> car and a 4000 pound SUV isn't earth-shattering.  But who's fault is the
> bumper position thing?  What if I say that it's the fault of the small
> sportscars and micro-commuters?  If they put their bumpers and body
> pillars at respectable hieghts, there wouldn't be a problem, right?
> It's all in the symantics - I think.
>

Huh? So every car should be an SUV? There are strict car safety
regulations, teh problem is that SUC manufacturers use the "truck"
loophole to get away with them. Why not making the SUV's bumpers
compliant, afterall there are MORE cars on the road around the world, and
SUVs are a relative new design.

> I also don't think I really see the point anyway.  We can't regulate
> something just because a small part of the population doesn't like it.
> Well, in my belief anyway.  Pay no attention to the current wacky legal
> system.

I assume then, we need to get away with handicap laws, right? Afterall
only a very insignificant percentage of the population benefits from
them... I like my sidewalks tall and proud!