4 ms·

No, not at all. The majority of drivers think that they are better than average and very few ever expect to be in a crash. Of course it is entirely likely that

by nagrom 14y ago

No, not at all. The majority of drivers think that they are better than average and very few ever expect to be in a crash. Of course it is entirely likely that you wish that you would have fitted this system after the fact, but how many people are, given the option, willing to pay up front to fit it?

jules 14y ago
Then why are normal airbags so popular? I understand that most people value their own life above that of others, but obviously people don't believe that they will not be in an accident (whether through their own fault or the fault of others). Therefore this: > and the person paying for it (the driver) derives minimal (no) benefit from it. Can only be true if you value the lives of others very low. There are plenty of people who do not value the lives of others very low, so there is most likely a market for this. Besides, even if you are purely selfish there are good reasons why you don't want to kill somebody in an accident.
- nagrom 14y ago
  Interior airbags are mandated by regulation, you don't actually have a choice about it oftentimes - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbag#Regulatory_specifications http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbag#Regulatory_specification... Plenty of people value the lives of others very lowly - or, really, they just don't think about it. How often do you see people speed, run red lights, tailgate, etc? I don't think that I've ever taken a journey without seeing at least some of these behaviours. That doesn't make those drivers psychopaths! Just distracted, pressed for time or worrying about something else. In the same way, not fitting this system doesn't make you a bad person...maybe you just don't have the $500 (or however much it costs) to fit it as an optional extra. Just to be clear - I don't think this is a bad system. I'm curious how to go about marketing it to the average driver who is economically-minded. Does it have to be regulation, can it be insurance premiums, or is there some other mechanism to encourage uptake?
  - jules 14y ago
    > or is there some other mechanism to encourage uptake? Yes, that's what I'm saying: empathy. There are plenty of ladies and gentlemen who do have it. I know a lot of people besides myself who would like an external airbag, if it is shown to be effective at reducing the severity of injuries and preventing death. If you really want to have a purely Randian viewpoint, consider this: empathy is something that people have evolved to have because it benefits them, and we're stuck with it even if not having it would be a benefit to themself in a particular situation, just like we're stuck with the tendency to become fat even though it may not be the best for you nowadays (not that I'm saying that empathy has become less evolutionarily useful over time -- just that humans do not make optimal selfish decisions all the time).
jimwhitson 14y ago
I wouldn't buy this particular car, but that's because I detest microchips. In general I would - and do - pay money for products or features to decrease my chance of hurting other people; I see this as a fundamental part of living in society, a simple consequence of the Golden Rule.
- kps 14y ago
  You are Capt. Quinton D'Arcy, J. P. Sevenoaks, and I claim my five pounds of small potatoes.
  - jimwhitson 14y ago
    Very interesting - I've had the 'you are x and I claim my five pounds' applied to me before, but the good captain is new to me. Having been to school an hour from Sevenoaks, I at first suspected someone who knows me, but thanks to google I see I can rest easy. Thanks for prompting an amusing bit of reading.

by nagrom 14y ago

jules 14y ago

Then why are normal airbags so popular? I understand that most people value their own life above that of others, but obviously people don't believe that they will not be in an accident (whether through their own fault or the fault of others). Therefore this: > and the person paying for it (the driver) derives minimal (no) benefit from it. Can only be true if you value the lives of others very low. There are plenty of people who do not value the lives of others very low, so there is most likely a market for this. Besides, even if you are purely selfish there are good reasons why you don't want to kill somebody in an accident.

nagrom 14y ago
Interior airbags are mandated by regulation, you don't actually have a choice about it oftentimes - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbag#Regulatory_specifications http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbag#Regulatory_specification... Plenty of people value the lives of others very lowly - or, really, they just don't think about it. How often do you see people speed, run red lights, tailgate, etc? I don't think that I've ever taken a journey without seeing at least some of these behaviours. That doesn't make those drivers psychopaths! Just distracted, pressed for time or worrying about something else. In the same way, not fitting this system doesn't make you a bad person...maybe you just don't have the $500 (or however much it costs) to fit it as an optional extra. Just to be clear - I don't think this is a bad system. I'm curious how to go about marketing it to the average driver who is economically-minded. Does it have to be regulation, can it be insurance premiums, or is there some other mechanism to encourage uptake?
- jules 14y ago
  > or is there some other mechanism to encourage uptake? Yes, that's what I'm saying: empathy. There are plenty of ladies and gentlemen who do have it. I know a lot of people besides myself who would like an external airbag, if it is shown to be effective at reducing the severity of injuries and preventing death. If you really want to have a purely Randian viewpoint, consider this: empathy is something that people have evolved to have because it benefits them, and we're stuck with it even if not having it would be a benefit to themself in a particular situation, just like we're stuck with the tendency to become fat even though it may not be the best for you nowadays (not that I'm saying that empathy has become less evolutionarily useful over time -- just that humans do not make optimal selfish decisions all the time).

jimwhitson 14y ago

I wouldn't buy this particular car, but that's because I detest microchips. In general I would - and do - pay money for products or features to decrease my chance of hurting other people; I see this as a fundamental part of living in society, a simple consequence of the Golden Rule.

kps 14y ago
You are Capt. Quinton D'Arcy, J. P. Sevenoaks, and I claim my five pounds of small potatoes.
- jimwhitson 14y ago
  Very interesting - I've had the 'you are x and I claim my five pounds' applied to me before, but the good captain is new to me. Having been to school an hour from Sevenoaks, I at first suspected someone who knows me, but thanks to google I see I can rest easy. Thanks for prompting an amusing bit of reading.