4 ms·

How fun it must be to have twice the amount of car fatalities (per capita compared to EU).

by zokier 6y ago

carlmr 6y ago
Per km would be a more fair comparison, since Europeans drive a lot less. Yes, the per km numbers are worse than say in Germany, but similar to e.g. Belgium, which is a first world nation with high standards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-r...
- emteycz 6y ago
  Interestingly, Germany is also known for its unusual (within EU) acceptance of modified cars and high speeds... Where else can you expect a heavily modded Volkswagen Golf from the 90's to overtake you at 220 km/h on your way to work?
  - carlmr 6y ago
    Modifications are actually strictly controlled, compared to the US, also your vehicle has to pass a mandatory safety check every two years. The high speeds are a point of controversy. The pro high speed people say we have a low death rate, the pro speed limit people say all the studies indicate it could be way lower with more sane limits. Your example is actually somewhat common and it can be surprising how a car that isn't in view on your first mirror check can be next to you on your next mirror check, when you're driving 120kph.
    - Pokepokalypse 6y ago
      The fact that your modifications are strictly controlled DOES cause a market demand, that drives innovation and high quality in the aftermarket parts industry. Especially when it comes to engine modifications where they must be emissions-compliant. We have a lot of these hard regulations to thank for the availability of good quality aftermarket parts (compared to say, the 1950's and 60's.)
      - Sebb767 6y ago
        This, however, comes with the drawback of a quite high price. And there are quite a few things you can do in the US which you may not do in Germany, for example under car lightning, additional front lighting (think the illuminated Mercedes logos), anything that negatively impacts the emission profile much and - my personal pain point - large wing spoilers. I can see the reason for most of these - if you're allowed to go 300km/h in that car, it should definitely be in a good condition -, but it's not without drawbacks.
    - usrusr 6y ago
      And then there are those who consider the high speeds a considerable safety win (because it greatly reduces inattentiveness for everybody involved), and only advocate for limits because of the massive energy demand of high speed.
  - rasz 6y ago
    Not Germany, thats for sure. Germany is regulated up the ass, TUV approved bumpers, lights, bike racks, tail pipes, gas caps, everything.
    - emteycz 6y ago
      Yes, approvals are required, but this approval is straight up impossible in most EU countries.
    - qayxc 6y ago
      Just get a motorbike! Whenever I got stopped by the police and showed them my paperwork (i.e. a huge list of ABEs - like 10 or so), they just got annoyed and told me to just drive away already ;) Half the stuff wasn't even approved for my bike, but no one ever checks if you just confidently hand over a small book worth of paperwork...
high_byte 6y ago
this wouldn't happen if every kid had a gun to protect themselves
aphextron 6y ago
This is the fundamental tradeoff of the American way of life. Freedom to versus freedom from.
- sixQuarks 6y ago
  Haha, Sorry but Americans THINK they know freedom. The US is full of regulation and red tape. Let’s see you buy a house and do whatever you want on the property, even in rural areas. 3rd world countries have the true freedom to do what you want
  - aphextron 6y ago
    That's the true greatness of the US though. Finding a balance between provision for the rule of law, enforcement of contracts, protection of civil liberties, and environmental/food/drug regulation alongside the right to do whatever the hell you want personally. It's why many things like our homicide rate, car fatality rate, and poverty rates can seem third world in nature, yet our institutions and regulatory agencies are the gold standard for the world.
    - ncmncm 6y ago
      Poverty, infant mortality, mutagens and endocrine disruptors in drinking water, police impunity, more incarcerated than entire rest of the world combined, institutional corruption, $140M fighter jet with 600+ designed-in class 1 faults that cannot be cancelled because its parts are contracted out to 48 different states. So, yes, "third world in nature". But the billionaires find life here pretty convenient.
  - p1esk 6y ago
    3rd world countries have the true freedom to do what you want And others have freedom to what they want to you. Unless you’re rich and/or connected.
  - Pokepokalypse 6y ago
    I do own a house I had built on rural property, and there's a lot more lattitude (you might call it "freedom") for what you can do on your property. On the other hand, no matter where you live, there's always a few "karens" in the neighborhood who will do what they can to keep you from say, renting your property out and having large numbers of otherwise homeless people setting up a tent-city. (that seems to be one of the hard limits).

How fun it must be to have twice the amount of car fatalities (per capita compared to EU).

by zokier 6y ago

How fun it must be to have twice the amount of car fatalities (per capita compared to EU).

Per km would be a more fair comparison, since Europeans drive a lot less. Yes, the per km numbers are worse than say in Germany, but similar to e.g. Belgium, which is a first world nation with high standards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-r...

emteycz 6y ago
Interestingly, Germany is also known for its unusual (within EU) acceptance of modified cars and high speeds... Where else can you expect a heavily modded Volkswagen Golf from the 90's to overtake you at 220 km/h on your way to work?
- carlmr 6y ago
  Modifications are actually strictly controlled, compared to the US, also your vehicle has to pass a mandatory safety check every two years. The high speeds are a point of controversy. The pro high speed people say we have a low death rate, the pro speed limit people say all the studies indicate it could be way lower with more sane limits. Your example is actually somewhat common and it can be surprising how a car that isn't in view on your first mirror check can be next to you on your next mirror check, when you're driving 120kph.
  - Pokepokalypse 6y ago
    The fact that your modifications are strictly controlled DOES cause a market demand, that drives innovation and high quality in the aftermarket parts industry. Especially when it comes to engine modifications where they must be emissions-compliant. We have a lot of these hard regulations to thank for the availability of good quality aftermarket parts (compared to say, the 1950's and 60's.)
    - Sebb767 6y ago
      This, however, comes with the drawback of a quite high price. And there are quite a few things you can do in the US which you may not do in Germany, for example under car lightning, additional front lighting (think the illuminated Mercedes logos), anything that negatively impacts the emission profile much and - my personal pain point - large wing spoilers. I can see the reason for most of these - if you're allowed to go 300km/h in that car, it should definitely be in a good condition -, but it's not without drawbacks.
  - usrusr 6y ago
    And then there are those who consider the high speeds a considerable safety win (because it greatly reduces inattentiveness for everybody involved), and only advocate for limits because of the massive energy demand of high speed.
- rasz 6y ago
  Not Germany, thats for sure. Germany is regulated up the ass, TUV approved bumpers, lights, bike racks, tail pipes, gas caps, everything.
  - emteycz 6y ago
    Yes, approvals are required, but this approval is straight up impossible in most EU countries.
  - qayxc 6y ago
    Just get a motorbike! Whenever I got stopped by the police and showed them my paperwork (i.e. a huge list of ABEs - like 10 or so), they just got annoyed and told me to just drive away already ;) Half the stuff wasn't even approved for my bike, but no one ever checks if you just confidently hand over a small book worth of paperwork...

high_byte 6y ago

this wouldn't happen if every kid had a gun to protect themselves

aphextron 6y ago

This is the fundamental tradeoff of the American way of life. Freedom to versus freedom from.

sixQuarks 6y ago
Haha, Sorry but Americans THINK they know freedom. The US is full of regulation and red tape. Let’s see you buy a house and do whatever you want on the property, even in rural areas. 3rd world countries have the true freedom to do what you want
- aphextron 6y ago
  That's the true greatness of the US though. Finding a balance between provision for the rule of law, enforcement of contracts, protection of civil liberties, and environmental/food/drug regulation alongside the right to do whatever the hell you want personally. It's why many things like our homicide rate, car fatality rate, and poverty rates can seem third world in nature, yet our institutions and regulatory agencies are the gold standard for the world.
  - ncmncm 6y ago
    Poverty, infant mortality, mutagens and endocrine disruptors in drinking water, police impunity, more incarcerated than entire rest of the world combined, institutional corruption, $140M fighter jet with 600+ designed-in class 1 faults that cannot be cancelled because its parts are contracted out to 48 different states. So, yes, "third world in nature". But the billionaires find life here pretty convenient.
- p1esk 6y ago
  3rd world countries have the true freedom to do what you want And others have freedom to what they want to you. Unless you’re rich and/or connected.
- Pokepokalypse 6y ago
  I do own a house I had built on rural property, and there's a lot more lattitude (you might call it "freedom") for what you can do on your property. On the other hand, no matter where you live, there's always a few "karens" in the neighborhood who will do what they can to keep you from say, renting your property out and having large numbers of otherwise homeless people setting up a tent-city. (that seems to be one of the hard limits).