COMMENTARY : TRYING TO FIGURE ALL THIS OUT IS ENOUGH TO DRIVE ANYONE CRAZY.Byline: Linda Sharp Cox News Serivce As the new year begins, I find myself reflecting on some of the driving public's significant happenings and curiosities of 1996. At last, speed limits were raised. Naysayers cried that increased speeds would produce increased fatalities. Just as I expected, that has not happened. Perhaps the most significant result of the increased limits is that fewer of us will be penalized pe·nal·ize tr.v. pe·nal·ized, pe·nal·iz·ing, pe·nal·iz·es 1. To subject to a penalty, especially for infringement of a law or official regulation. See Synonyms at punish. 2. by our insurance companies for receiving speeding tickets Ask a Lawyer Question Country: United States of America State: Ohio I was traveling on a two lane street with an officer driving toward me in the opposite direction. . Car safety technology now often means controversy: anti-lock brakes and air bags. Insurance companies are contending that anti-lock brakes actually produce more fatal accidents. This contradicts evidence from the aircraft industry that anti- lock brakes have done anything but enhance the stop-ability of MD-80s and 747s. I'd welcome more information on how insurers gathered their data. Is it the brakes or is it that uneducated drivers don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how to use them? In an age of endless warning labels, perhaps it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a to place one on the steering wheel of each new car that reads, ``Never pump ABS (Automatic Backup System) See backup program. brakes.'' The air bag controversy increases daily. First, we didn't want them. Then, we had to have them. Then after many people refused to wear seat belts, the government said we had to have them. Now that they have proved potentially fatal to small adults and children, we don't want them. Government may allow us to disconnect disconnect - SCSI reconnect them. Why must we pay for what we want to disconnect? Automakers, trying to maintain their multimillion-dollar investment in air bags, now want to give us ``smart bags'' with weight sensors. Volvo and Mercedes-Benz are looking to install air curtains
What's all this going to cost? Guess who is going to pay? With new car sales vulnerable and more cost-conscious buyers opting for used vehicles, can the industry afford to increase technological content? It seems that less costly and less complicated solutions are in order. Europe has almost total seat belt compliance. Yet in most European countries, you have a choice whether to wear your seat belt or not. But if you are involved in an accident without one on (regardless of who is at fault) your insurer doesn't pay. Instead of smart bags, why not smart drivers? An educated driver will always be the best defense. Speaking of drivers, is it me or are more and more drivers speeding up when being passed by another vehicle? Everybody can't be the lead dog. Is this just the initial manifestation of road rage See Web rage. ? Finally, could someone explain the Infiniti Q45 ad, you know, the one where the woman has the live swan - or is it just a hat? - on her head? I've searched in vain for the ad's ``inner'' meaning. I'm not sure I can face '97 in this frenzied fren·zied adj. Affected with or marked by frenzy; frantic: a frenzied rush for the exits. fren state of confusion. Or was this state brought on by holiday traffic? Drive safely and have a happy new year. |
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