Is car safety technology replacing common sense?

Unsure as I am about which NG you are replying to, I congratulate you on
being one voice of sanity....

Auto makers are desparately trying to reduce their exposure to frivilous
lawsuits and are introducing "vehicle dynamic systems"..... Small wonder in
a society where people don't expect a cup of coffee to be "hot".

Many years ago, I spent insufficient time trying to learn how to be a good
race driver... I learned a lot - but, since you aren't watching me Sunday
afternoon - earning a whole whack of money for going real fast and turning
left - I didn't make it. But I did come away with a better than average idea
of vehicle dynamics and the physics implicated....

I welcome my ABS.... I don't have to spend time modulating brake pressure...
Interestingly, if I did modulate my brake pressure right - my ABS would
never cycle....

I recently purchased an 05 Mustang for my loving bride.... This car has a
traction control system. If I wanted to be an abject idiot, this system has
the possibilty of changing my day.... If I use my head, the system enhances
my driving experience....

Electronic controls will never mitigate "stupid"..... but they go a long way
to keeping "ooops" from happening....

 

The one you trimmed out:

The clear case where the manufacturers have done nothing to address a
safety defect in their ABS systems since the fix would probably increase
the manufacturing cost $10 for the additional sensor needed to detect
the fault condition.

 

IMO

As well as I think the biggest benefit of these technologies is for those
drivers who are less skilled than they think they are, which so far as I can
tell, make up a all of the drivers on the road.

HTN

 

The system can be only as good as the people who design it. I remember when
ABS braking first came out they put them on commercial trucks first
(mandated by Federal Law) and more than a few good drivers lost their lifes
because of a flawed braking system. It got so bad that one State even went
against the Feds and Ban the Trucks with the ABS system.... the brakes were
releasing and guys just couldn't get stopped or the brakes wouldn't release
at all and the driver would miss a few days of work while they tried to get
his truck to move out of the parking lot. A few years later, after the
'bugs' were supposedly worked out, they started putting them on cars. That
computer sensory stuff is dangerous. It might be just dandy if everything is
working OK, but eventually it will malfunction and it could cost you your
life. (just like airbags were killing short people & children when they
first came out). That crap is why your $5000 plastic car sells for $30000.

 

Usually when the ABS system detects a problem, it deactivates itself, and
you have standard brakes.

 

Have had ABS for years. No problems.

DAS

For direct replies replace nospam with schmetterling
---

 

It seems my safe driving record will be equalled by some fool in a modern
car with out a clue of any drivng skills .Loud music texting arguing
speeding no worries the technoledgy will compensate just like spell checkers
eh?

 

So the stupid driver swerves and also takes out your mother, wife, and lazy
brother in law, but if the stupid driver is killed too, you'd rejoice?
Brilliant thinking.

 

IMO there's a difference between real safety equipment and nanny-isms.

Take lawnmowers for example: deflectors and shields that prevent the
mower from throwing a rock straight in the operators face are real,
practical, valid safety devices and have been around since the 50s.

Blade brakes and "dead man" switches, on the other hand, are
nanny-devices that replace the common sense skills that I was taught by
age 10: "Don't stick your hand under a running mower, and turn it off if
you walk away from it."


In the same vein, brake/gearshift interlocks on cars are nanny devices
that replace the common-sense training of "put your damn foot on the
brake when you shift into gear unless you are 100% ready for the car to
move."

 

And here was I thinking that the '"dead man" switch' was to make sure
that the self-propelled mower, snow thrower, etc., wouldn't just keep
charging ahead if the operator slipped and fell or actually even dropped
dead. How silly of me!

Perce

 

Actually, we don't. That's sheeple thinking that safety nannies want you to
believe. For example - where was the runaway rate of cars mowing people
over as their owners started them up without their foot on the brake?
Right - there never was a problem here. Yet - it's too common to find
people jumping on board that this must be a great idea. In reality, it's a
solution in search of a problem. Likewise the requirement to put your foot
on the brake to shift an automatic out of park.

 

Raise the test standard to the equivalent of a commercial class B, and
ban automatic transmissions and you'll get the worst of the problems off
the road...