Re: KO'd and KM'd

Daniel Veillard (Daniel.Veillard@w3.org)
Sat, 19 Sep 1998 01:21:49 -0400


> Not that it'll do me any good on Friday Oct 16th at 1:30 in Division 67.
> After all, my corroborating witnesses are a Frenchman and a Dane, and even
> lamuni.org won't subpoena a pair of foreign forks for my convenience :-)

Strangely, last time the same Frenchman went back from Canada, the canadian
which was driving also got a speed ticket just after the border. Coincidence,
or maybe frogs have done a deal with the U.S. govt or police ?
BTW I didn't have much trouble getting a renewal of my visa ... and still
don't have a car. When you see that driving speed wich are common in my
country get you to court here, it's somewhat less tempting. I prefer pass
bike, cars and buses with my bicycle than driving at this depressingly low
speed :-)
Ever considered the psychology behind speed limit ? I have the feeling that
whatever the limit, cops won't stop people if they don't drive more than 10%
in excess, and whatever the limit, there will always be a large amount of
people around the 30% overspeed. And if there is a limit (some part of highways
in Germany don't have a speed limit) people will always complain that it's
"unreasonably slow". My analysis is that over 30 miles/h the human brain has
a hard time estimating the speed (seat in a high end car and 100 miles/h will
"feel" slow), so it's only a matter of being used to a speed than a logic
estimation of the limits/dangers. The next factor to consider is how much
a state pay/earn for speed control (it probably costs money except in towns).
Then wouldn't that money being better use by securing highways or explaining
people the actual physical factors leading to the limits. This could also
have an impact on figthing alcohol consumption and driving behavior (which
still is one of the most important causes of serious accidents in France
where the speed limit is higher)...

Friday night ramblings from the Frenchman

-- 
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