Comments on: Unsafe Cars Can Save Lives

By: David Foster

David Foster — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:58:01 +0000

This phenomenon may also apply to passenger railroads. I understand that American passenger railcar standards require much more weight than do their European equivalents. While this may increase survivability in a crash (and even this is questionable, since apparently the European approach uses improved structural design methods), the added weight requires more horsepower to haul, hence higher fuel consumption, shorter train lengths feasible for a given locomotive consists…all mapping into higher fares, less rail travel, and less driving.

Haven’t worked through the math to see if the effect is significant, but it would be a good project for somebody’s economics or transportation thesis.

By: James James

James James — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 08:28:41 +0000

See also: "Make Buses Dangerous" by Jeff Kaufman.

By: JBP

JBP — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 03:54:46 +0000

Damn government meddling. Any country that allows motorcycles should allow those cars like the kwid. It’s corporate cronyism.

By: Slovenian Guest

Slovenian Guest — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 12:12:41 +0000

It's not even that bad. All those cars are still way better than Yugos or Trabants, the cars of choice in former Yugoslavia and East Germany respectively. Here is Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear driving, and cursing out my first ever car, the mighty Yugo 45!