What Government Mandates Save Lives?

[GeoHorn]

It’s easy to find exceptions and criticize gov’t regulations…. but most truly are worthwhile and good
Imagine taking a trip in an airplane and other airplanes didn’t follow the same rules regarding flight plans, pilot qualifications, safety-gear, Air Traffic Control directives, etc. Consider that the Titanic was an excellent example of lax gov’t oversight. How about Doctor education and certification. Food and Drug safety (which also has plenty of fails, but without any rules we’d be back in the muckraker days. What if Public Water Supplies were unregulated..? we’d be back into the days of typhoid epidemics. Workplace safety, etc etc.

 

[jimh406]

I don't think holding a cellphone is a real problem. You can be distracted without holding the phone. Of course, you can be distracted just talking to someone in the car with you, adjusting your radio, adjusting your heater, putting on makeup, eating your dinner, drinking a coffee, etc.

It feels to me like it's just another law that does nothing. It seems to me that if the people who wrecked got a consequence, they'd pay more attention.

 

[D2Cat]

Imagine school busses with seat installed facing towards the rear. Impact would put the passenger into the seat instead of out of the seat. But somehow that idea isn't a worthy one.

 

[Henro]

Well, being from the past, I think the government mandate that everyone over 18 be drafted and take the risk of going to Vietnam for death or at best disability, saved some lives of those brave enough to escape to the land of our friends to the north.

Myself, I wasn't brave enough, and thought joining the US Coast Guard would save me from South East Asia. Wrong of course, but at least I ended up spending a year in northern Thailand. Rather than on a riverboat protrol in Vietnam, which the Coast Guard did. So it worked out.

Unlike most others, I respect the decisions of those "draft dodgers" that headed north. So I guess that was the affect of one government mandate that saved at least some American lives...maybe at the expense of others that had less courage to resist their government. like me...

 

[armylifer]

Imagine school busses with seat installed facing towards the rear. Impact would put the passenger into the seat instead of out of the seat. But somehow that idea isn't a worthy one.

They actually do that on USAF MAC flights. The passenger seats are installed facing rearwards for Space A travel. I have flown that way many times.

I read somewhere a long time ago when airlines were just starting passenger flights that they used to install the seats rearward facing but the flying public objected to that and the airlines adopted forward facing seats because of public sentiment.

 

[Biker1mike]

They actually do that on USAF MAC flights. The passenger seats are installed facing rearwards for Space A travel. I have flown that way many times.

I read somewhere a long time ago when airlines were just starting passenger flights that they used to install the seats rearward facing but the flying public objected to that and the airlines adopted forward facing seats because of public sentiment.

Flew 'backwards' on a DC3. Almost the worst flight of my life. Just felt wrong the entire time.
As to backwards school bus seats. Great for little kids but for most older children the broken necks would be a real bitch.

 

[Biker1mike]

A few decades ago I collected a lot of data dealing with deaths per thousand miles verse helmet laws by state. Mixed results for sure, The attorney I was working with and I presented the data to a few bike groups.
Net result. Forget the right of way laws. If you are on a bike , it is up to you to make the correct decision. Right of way accidents on a bike are deadly. Assume the car will take the right and outweigh you by a ton.
Be alert, be defensive and ALWAYS plan on a way out.
Biggest factor in biker deaths at the time seemed to involve alcohol and/or drugs. Guilty for sure, but still upright !

Daytime running lights started with bikes. They are now so common that they no longer factor in.

IMHO: Loud pipes do not save lives. Seat belts in cages do.

 

[chim]

Some regulations are almost a necessity to keep stupid people from eliminating themselves Some regulations are an infringement on my liberty. Where these divisions fall for is always a debate

I always wear a seatbelt, and require family to do the same in my vehicle. Do what you want.

PA has a mandatory headlights when wipers are on law. Many drivers ignore it. Some also don't bother with headlights when it's foggy. We frequently see drivers start out from a well-lit parking lot and out onto the road with no headlights. In these cases, or at dawn / dusk - especially with some car colors - DRL's are helpful. Both of our vehicles have DRL's + auto headlights and I'm glad

 

[DustyRusty]

How many people cut their speed to half the posted speed limit when approaching a working tow truck, police car, fire truck, ambulance, etc? If they did, there would be a lot less accidents on the roadways. Some states have made it mandatory and have stiff fines for not cutting your speed in half or moving over one lane to give them space to work and do their job.

 

[mikester]

I think that DRL help in many cases but obviously not all. There is a move that I learned in a motorcycle safety class about 37 years ago that helps make you more noticeable. it used to be called the SMIDSY move. SMIDSY means Sorry man I didn't see you.

Anyway, the SMIDSY move involves weaving slightly within your lane when you approach an uncontrolled intersection or driveway where you see a vehicle waiting to enter traffic. It is a proven safety move for motorcyclists. These day I have seen aftermarket headlight switches that make your headlight flash continuously. A couple of my friends that I ride with use those and they seem to help them get noticed too.

A version of that for cars and trucks could possible help by rapidly flashing your headlights as you approach an uncontrolled intersection or driveway that you feel may have some level of danger. It works for me. YEMV

You might want to start doing that if you see a Tesla driving behind you in your mirrors

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I ride a 1959 BMWR60. It has no headlight unless you turn it on, that is, no automatic headlight. I can blink it on and off when approaching intersections. I haven't been cut off yet. It may happen but I think the blink is a positive thing. Since the bike is 6 volt and the lights were as bad as the brakes in 1959 I’ve changed out the bulbs for 6 volt LEDs. The switch is on the headlight though so it requires my left hand be off the bars.

 

[skeets]

Well, being from the past, I think the government mandate that everyone over 18 be drafted and take the risk of going to Vietnam for death or at best disability, saved some lives of those brave enough to escape to the land of our friends to the north.

Myself, I wasn't brave enough, and thought joining the US Coast Guard would save me from South East Asia. Wrong of course, but at least I ended up spending a year in northern Thailand. Rather than on a riverboat protrol in Vietnam, which the Coast Guard did. So it worked out.

Unlike most others, I respect the decisions of those "draft dodgers" that headed north. So I guess that was the affect of one government mandate that saved at least some American lives...maybe at the expense of others that had less courage to resist their government. like me...

Yinz was a puddle pirate,, LOL

 

[skeets]

A few decades ago I collected a lot of data dealing with deaths per thousand miles verse helmet laws by state. Mixed results for sure, The attorney I was working with and I presented the data to a few bike groups.
Net result. Forget the right of way laws. If you are on a bike , it is up to you to make the correct decision. Right of way accidents on a bike are deadly. Assume the car will take the right and outweigh you by a ton.
Be alert, be defensive and ALWAYS plan on a way out.
Biggest factor in biker deaths at the time seemed to involve alcohol and/or drugs. Guilty for sure, but still upright !

Daytime running lights started with bikes. They are now so common that they no longer factor in.

IMHO: Loud pipes do not save lives. Seat belts in cages do.

An old man I knew, may he rest in peace, had some good sayings about riding, If you want to know whats going on, watch 3 cars in front of you, and my favorite was,,, RIDE AS IF YOU WERE INVISIBLE !

 

[The Evil Twin]

An old man I knew, may he rest in peace, had some good sayings about riding, If you want to know whats going on, watch 3 cars in front of you, and my favorite was,,, RIDE AS IF YOU WERE INVISIBLE !

Yessir! I ride looking at where I want to be, not where I am. Anything closer than 5 seconds away is already in the past at highway speeds.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

drive in the center lane of three, gives you TWO choices when the idiot 4 cars up hits his brakes....

 

[Bmyers]

How many people cut their speed to half the posted speed limit when approaching a working tow truck, police car, fire truck, ambulance, etc? If they did, there would be a lot less accidents on the roadways. Some states have made it mandatory and have stiff fines for not cutting your speed in half or moving over one lane to give them space to work and do their job.

I do, but I have also had my ambulance and my fire truck both ran into by intoxicated individuals. Thankfully in both occasions, none of us were hurt.

 

[DustyRusty]

I was hit while responding to an ambulance emergency call in a controlled intersection. I had the only green light in the intersection. I saw the car coming at a high rate of speed and stopped, so if we were going to get hit, the impact wouldn't roll us over. As I had predicted in my mind the Corvette slammed into the left front only damaging the front edge of the fender and bumper. There was a patrolman directing traffic at the intersection since it was a holiday weekend, and he started to walk over to the ambulance to see why I stopped. I yelled to him to get out of the way, and it was only seconds before the crash. To this day I can't understand what that driver was thinking of with all those red lights flashing at her and a siren whalling. Since we were the only available ambulance at that time, we proceeded to the call after checking on the driver of the Corvette. We came back after we completed the call and she was sitting in the back of the police car waiting for our arrival. Her car had been moved to the tow yard. She wasn't a happy camper since she was cited for multiple motor vehicle violations. She kept insisting that I be cited for leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Hard to believe that was 54 years ago. I wondered if she just paid the fines or contested the charges. I was never called to give my version of the accident. I do know that her insurance covered the cost of our repairs.

 

[pigdoc]

What I love seeing is people driving gray or silver cars around, in the rain, when it's foggy, WITHOUT their headlights on. Brings a wry smile to my face.

Um, why would anyone accept those conditions as 'safe'?!?!
It's like they're begging for a head-on collision.
If nothing else, might save you some insurance $$$ in the long run.

To wit:
I converted my 6000lb 1977 Dodge M880 5/4 ton truck to all-wheel disk brakes a few years ago, after I couldn't stop in time for someone who stopped suddenly in the middle of the road in front of me to make an unsignalled left turn. That little nasty jacked my insurance up about 3X. I was then paying about $800/yr, for straight liability and medical. Now, years hence, I've been LUCKY enough to stay accident-free. My current rate for the same coverage? $360/yr. The savings in the FIRST year covered the cost of the disk brake swap, plus interest.

I mean, what would stop any intentional driver from just reaching down and flipping the headlight switch on? And, just about every car made in the last 8 years has a switch position that AUTOMATICALLY turns on the headlights whenever the car is running!

I think some people believe that having the lights on stresses the battery/charging system (PHFFFTHTT!).
In all fairness, the amp draw of the new LED headlights is a tiny fraction of the old headlights. [My M880 has aftermarket round LED headlights.] This DOES make a huge difference to the old-style analog headlight switches. That amp-draw creates heat in the switch, which begets corroded contacts. And, then, more heat due to added resistance at the contacts caused by the corrosion. Can be enough heat to cause a fire under the dash. Not an issue with newer vehicles.

-Paul

 

[D2Cat]

What I love seeing is people driving gray or silver cars around, in the rain, when it's foggy, WITHOUT their headlights on. Brings a wry smile to my face.

Um, why would anyone accept those conditions as 'safe'?!?!
It's like they're begging for a head-on collision.
If nothing else, might save you some insurance $$$ in the long run.

To wit:
I converted my 6000lb 1977 Dodge M880 5/4 ton truck to all-wheel disk brakes a few years ago, after I couldn't stop in time for someone who stopped suddenly in the middle of the road in front of me to make an unsignalled left turn. That little nasty jacked my insurance up about 3X. I was then paying about $800/yr, for straight liability and medical. Now, years hence, I've been LUCKY enough to stay accident-free. My current rate for the same coverage? $360/yr. The savings in the FIRST year covered the cost of the disk brake swap, plus interest.

I mean, what would stop any intentional driver from just reaching down and flipping the headlight switch on? And, just about every car made in the last 8 years has a switch position that AUTOMATICALLY turns on the headlights whenever the car is running!

I think some people believe that having the lights on stresses the battery/charging system (PHFFFTHTT!).
In all fairness, the amp draw of the new LED headlights is a tiny fraction of the old headlights. [My M880 has aftermarket round LED headlights.] This DOES make a huge difference to the old-style analog headlight switches. That amp-draw creates heat in the switch, which begets corroded contacts. And, then, more heat due to added resistance at the contacts caused by the corrosion. Can be enough heat to cause a fire under the dash. Not an issue with newer vehicles.

-Paul

You're being way too logical here. I think some folks don't realize how they could be safer, or maybe they're concerned about their headlight burning out faster, or they live in a coma. Not much on this planet going to change them!!!! Just have to know they are out there and drive extremely defensive.

 

[skeets]

I have to go with living in a coma!