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I wish that the safety of the people outside of motor vehicles received at least as many resources (funding, research, legal) as the safety of motorists -- who
by david-gpu 2y ago
I wish that the safety of the people outside of motor vehicles received at least as many resources (funding, research, legal) as the safety of motorists -- who are cause of these risks in the first place.
Motorists already have strong incentives to make their vehicles safer for themselves, but they have very little incentive to make things safer for people outside of their vehicle. For that reason we need better regulations and infrastructure that account for those externalities.
- tocs3 2y agoAnd everything is so partisan. It does not seem to matter what is up for discussion. If party A is for it then party B is against (or vise versa). I like the notion that cars could have extra safety features but as is noted in other posts there are low hanging, lower cost, existing solutions that are not being implemented. By all means lets look into some of the tech solutions. But politicians (policy makers and pundits) are not the ones to listen to.
- cogman10 2y agoThe solution is one that is unpopular to a good number of consumers, it's to make cars smaller, lighter, and slower. While I'm sure it's happened, death via golfcart is a pretty rare occurrence. Death via a Dodge ram, on the other hand, happens all the time. [1] Giant trucks are super popular and super deadly. I was nearly killed by one myself (driver ran a red light while I was in the cross walk). While I wouldn't outright ban them, I definitely would be up to something like requiring a CDL before you can buy one. [1] https://www.autoblog.com/article/most-deadly-cars-other-drivers-crashes/?guccounter=1 https://www.autoblog.com/article/most-deadly-cars-other-driv...
- david-gpu 2y agoI completely agree on all accounts. Heavy vehicles such as pickup trucks should require a CDL... and drivers should lose it when they are found driving recklessly. I have no interest in unproven high-tech approaches when we haven't even implemented very basic proven pedestrian safety measures like eliminating street-level parking around pedestrian crossings to increase visibility, or mandating pedestrian safety tests for motor vehicles.
- echelon 2y ago> Heavy vehicles such as pickup trucks should require a CDL... I'm guessing you don't live in the south. Pickup trucks are a major way of life for a lot of people. They certainly wouldn't be happy about increased regulatory burden. Attitudes on roads vary wildly based on the community in question. There's a large surface area of this country that doesn't care to have non-vehicular traffic sharing the roadways. Urban communities will prioritize different needs than suburban and rural communities. The two ends of the spectrum aren't really compatible because these are wholly different lifestyles that are geographically separable.
- dmd 2y agoWe don’t let people carry around lethal weapons just because some people think it’s a “way of life”, so why should it be diff…… oh wait
- SoftTalker 2y agoNot relevant. Neither the right to drive, nor the right to drive a pickup truck, is guaranteed in the constitution.
- r-w 2y agoDoes that make it any less entrenched?
- darkhorn 2y ago
- Lance_ET_Compte 2y agoThis is exactly my feeling. Cars have gotten so huge now, erasing the fuel savings and causing the deaths of so many pedestrians and cyclists. I would like to see the cost to register these behemoths to be commiserate with the actual cost to society.
- 14 2y agoWhat is a behemoth in your opinion? I drive a Camry and if I have my step daughter I am short a seat. If I have an adult friend and all my kids I am short 2 seats. If I travel and don’t even take my step daughter or another adult it is extremely cramped with any sort of baggage. The next sized up vehicle like an suv or minivan still is not that big for me. So I am just curious do you have an example of a car that you would consider a behemoth?
- fragmede 2y agoAnything in the BMW 7-series-size or MB S-class, which Toyota does not make, though the Lexus LS is, so that's arguable.
- Swizec 2y ago> What is a behemoth in your opinion? I drive a Camry Toyota Camry 1979 – 980–1,060 kg (2,161–2,337 lb) Toyota Camry 2024 – 1,480–1,660 kg (3,262–3,659 lb) This is the problem: All cars are getting bigger and heavier. By a lot. But us squishy humans still have the same impact tolerances we did 40 years ago.
- giobox 2y ago> erasing the fuel savings While cars are undoubtedly heavier now than in the past, they are also in most cases the most fuel efficient they have ever been. Some of the weight is a direct result of fuel saving technologies in many cases; hybrid systems and traction batteries often weigh more than less efficient legacy ICE powertrains did.
- everdrive 2y agoFuel savings are not erased, but they are eroded. With the technology we have small, lightweight gas cars could be incredibly efficient. Consumer preferences as well as safety regulations have kept fuel economy down.
- ksplicer 2y agoCars are built for drivers, any inconvenience they cause for others is a problem for someone else to solve /s One example of this that drives me crazy is how soundproof vehicles have become. Horns and sirens keep getting louder to make up for it, which makes being near traffic incredibly painful. Sirens are often 120+ decibels, a volume that is unsafe for listeners for more than 10 seconds. All cars should be mandated to easily be able to hear a 100 decibel siren.
- aners_xyz 2y agoI find it much easier to judge my speed in my 90s car than any modern slightly nice car. Insulated to the point of being impairing…
- bobbylarrybobby 2y agoMost drivers probably consider this a plus. They can go faster without feeling it.
- wiether 2y agoAnd also one's siren should be more audible from inside the car. It would help drivers use it more thoughtfully, instead of pressing it multiple times at the slightest feeling of inconvenience.
- livinglist 2y agoImagine all these money being invested in building and refining public transportations and improving the zoning laws so the city don’t spread out but “spread up”.
- lynx23 2y agoThis is exactly why I, a blind pedestrian, are getting more and more weary of the future. AV freaks always tell me I am not supposed to be afraid. That doesnt help at all. We are a small minority that gets forgotten about regularily. I would be surprised if the same didn't apply to AVs.
- TomK32 2y agoWhy would motorists care? About 1/4th of killed car occupants didn't care about their own life when they decided not to put on the seat belt before the last car trip.
- beeboobaa3 2y agoMeanwhile musk with his truck is like "YOU won't be the one who gets injured if there's an accident!"
- barbazoo 2y agoA tax on gross weight might help to pay for externalities, that might incentivize people to buy smaller cars that are less dangerous.