On Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:21:59 +0000 (UTC), Brent

<tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS_at_yahoo.com> wrote:

>On 2011-12-14, D E Willson <sky_cop_at_rocketmail.com> wrote:

>> On Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:17:08 +0000 (UTC), Brent

>><tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS_at_yahoo.com> wrote:

>>

>>>On 2011-12-12, D E Willson <sky_cop_at_rocketmail.com> wrote:

>>>

>>

>

>Only if the insurance business isn't a government regulated cartel. But

>that's exactly what it is these days.

 It might be regulated at present, but that is nothing compared to

what ObamaCare will do.

>

>

>The government also uses those who signed up for the military as test

>subjects for all sorts of things from vaccines to radiation exposure,

>so perhaps they aren't a good example.

As a eretired GI/Combat Vet (as well as cop), I take issue with this

statement. 

 

>

>The mistake was allowing the government to get a foot in the door. The

>USA is full of control freaks and once the government has a little 

>power the control freaks merely need to encourage government and no

>government needs much encouragement to expand its power. 

Agreed. Unfortunately, this is the end result in allgreat

civilizations. The people, in the name of safety, relinquish more and

more power to the government. The government doesn't so much take

power as it does accept power. But, once it has it, only revolution

can return the power to the people. 

>

>> One other point... in the beginning, autos were not harder to operate.

>> They were very simple mechanical devices. Sure, you had to put some

>> muscle into turning the steering wheel, but, at the same time there

>> were far less distractions and far less traffic on the roads. The

>> highway next to my grandparents farm was two lanes, undivided, and we

>> pulled straight onto it from the gravel driveway. Today that same

>> highway had eight lanes, and in some sections, more.  

>

>Driving is a relatively simple task. Distraction and bad driving is due

>to the teachings we get. Distraction is easy because of the dumbed down

>conditions and mind-numbing slow speed limits, it craves distraction

>because driving as it has been legally dumbed down to is BORING. 55mph

>on a near empty 6 lane interstate... where's the television? Where's

>the internet connection? Furthermore we are taught to drive slow

>because of the other guy. The teachings make bad driving socially

>acceptable. It's gotten so assbackwards that people are offended

>and believe the other guy at fault when someone doesn't give way to

>their piss poor inattentive driving.  

>

I disagree, respectfully. At low speed, a distraction may cause things

to go bad, but, a distraction at high speed, caused things to go bad

everr faster. So much so that the ability to react is slowed, and the

reaction usually becomes far more than necessary. That leads to a

total loss of control. Think about what happens if a driver drifts off

the edge of the pavement. At slow speed, the driver may slow further

and stop, or may correct back onto the pavement (which may require

further deceleration). At high speed, a slight turn of the wheel to

rgain the pavement has a greater impact force against the pavement

edge. Toss in some loose soil/sand and the result is usually

disasterous. I don't care how many years the average drive has spent

behind the wheel, when unexpected things happen, the reaction is most

often the wrong one. Heck... Even professional drivers make errors in

judgement. 

You can also take a driver from one climate to another, and without

experience behind them, a dust devil, patch of ice, etc, can be the

end of a nice drive.