Tax on Guilt

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

I saw an accident today that occured when someone braked before a camera and got shunted. The dangerous driver was the one behind following too closely, not the one in front who might not have been speeding in the first place.

Safety camera now replaces Microsoft Works as my favorite oxymoron.

It doesn't matter much if one car drives into the back of another, they were obviously both driving too fast/too closely, and are unlikely to have been hurt much.

On the other hand if a child or other pedestrian isn't killed, then actually that is rather important. If you are hit by a car doing 30 you are much more likely to survive than one going faster.

Originally Posted by Sholay

It doesn't matter much if one car drives into the back of another, they were obviously both driving too fast/too closely, and are unlikely to have been hurt much.

On the other hand if a child or other pedestrian isn't killed, then actually that is rather important. If you are hit by a car doing 30 you are much more likely to survive than one going faster.

How did you come to the conclusion they were 'obviously' going too fast? You have absolutely no idea. The vehicle behind was far too close, and thats the only thing you can say without a doubt.

Tailgating is far more dangerous than speeding. Say for example it was a padestrian that caused the sharp braking... well a few mph difference in speed is going to make much less of a difference to their survival chances than a car that tries to stop but is subsiquently shunted forwards over the top of person.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

How did you come to the conclusion they were 'obviously' going too fast? You have absolutely no idea. The vehicle behind was far too close, and thats the only thing you can say without a doubt.

If the first car had to brake for a speed camera then it was going too fast, if the second one was driving up their ass, then it must have been going the same speed.

I do agree with you I hate people driving on my tail, and I hate people who overtake and then sit in what was my safe distance.

I am thinking of speed cameras in 30mph areas. I go past five on my way to work. Four of them I think people would be mad to go much more than 30 through, and one you need to slow down right after it anyway. (If you're riding at 3.00am then ok you have to slow down for them still, but you also have to stop for traffic lights when there is no one around to stop for - it's not a big deal.)

My basic point is that I don't care very much if people crash their tin boxes into each other, but I think more vulnerable people like pedestrians and cyclists need some protection and speed cameras do fairly cheaply get people to slow down and stay a bit slower afterwards.

Tailgating is far more dangerous than speeding. Say for example it was a padestrian that caused the sharp braking... well a few mph difference in speed is going to make much less of a difference to their survival chances than a car that tries to stop but is subsiquently shunted forwards over the top of person.

Agreed.