In article , just bob
kilbyfan@aoldotcom wrote:

"Pudentame" wrote in message
...
RichA wrote:

Recent study on the news the other night. You are twice as likely to
die in an accident
with a small car than a large one, internal compensation devices
(airbags) nothwithstanding.


OTOH, my own experience indicates a smaller, more nimble vehicle allows
the driver avoid accidents he might not be able to avoid in a larger,
heavier, less maneuverable automobile.

I'm not worried about me being able to get out of the way, I'm worried about
the teenagers, alcoholics or both who I never see coming.


Ayup. It ain't how good you are, it's how bad they are. The lowest
common denominator is the one you have to worry about here, 'cause they
can come from nowhere when you don't even have the time to react, let
alone defend.

It's like handing Joe Luser off of the street a DSLR in auto-program
mode and saying "go take some pictures" and handing a photographically
skilled individual the same camera and saying "photograph me a
masterpiece", then comparing the results. 50% of it is the workspace
between the ears, 40% of it is meaningful experience, and the last 10%
is just dumb luck. Most "drivers" on the road in this country today
rely mostly on the last 10% to get them through. The way I see some
"drivers" "drive", I wonder how they have lived as long as they have.

As I noted elsewhere, a majority of it is a problem of people not being
taught how to _drive_ properly, but rather how to "operate a motor
vehicle" and how to pass the "drivers'" license test.

Then there are the "just plain stupid" variety, like the lady I saw the
other day, doing about 25 in a 55 zone, and when I finally got room to
pass her (5 miles & 10 minutes down the road), she waa READING A
F*^^&*KING BOOK while she was "driving".

--
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a
reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating
the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for
independence.
-- Charles A. Beard