Re: Kyoto, Driving our car

Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Wed, 10 Dec 1997 08:24:13 -0500

Brian D Williams wrote:
>
> From: Arjen Kamphuis <mountain@knoware.nl>
>
> (the problem in a nutshell - IMHO)
>
> >We're driving on a misty night at full speed along a road we don't
> >know. Braking distance is about 100 meters, visibility about the
> >same. Someone on the backseat claims that there is an obstacle
> >ahead but can't tell whether it's something solid or just a slight
> >thickening of the fog.
>
> >Now, we're in a hurry to get to a party (Cryo, Far Edge,
> >whatever...) and the driver wants to keep everybody happy so he's
> >not going to slow down because some backseater 'thinks' he sees
> >something. So here we are rushing toward an object that could be
> >anything from a whisp of fog to a solid wall of concrete. After
> >some discussion the still unclear object is now to close
> >for a full stop, the choice is: we just drive on and 'see what
> >happens' or the ask the driver to brake and hit 'whatever it is'
> >at the lowest speed possible. Bumpers and airbags might minimize
> >the damage (if any).
>
> Hmmm.... not a problem for the 1999 Synergy Hypercar, since it's
> forward looking collision avoidance radar will alert/brake you in
> case of any imminent danger. Besides, it's composite monocoque
> chassis/passive restraint system is years ahead of anything
> manufactured just two years ago. Not only that, but since each
> wheel/hub is an individual electric motor/generator (used for
> regenerative braking) the stopping distance is much less.

Unfortunately, the object ahead is a bull moose. 1100 lbs of bone and
meat and huge antlers. Unlike a stationary object, he moves around, and
unlike another vehicle, he tends to move in whatever direction your or
your fancy schmantzy collision avoidance computer thnks he's not going
to move in. The papier mache thin body of your vehicle crumples like
toilet paper when it hits, and since its low body hits the legs, the
body of Bullwinkle comes crashing down on top of the car, crushing the
cockpit and breaking the backs or smaching the skulls of everyone who is
pinned in their seats by their superduper airbags.

For those of you who don't put any credence in this scenario, I happen
to live in a state where moose browsing around downtown is a frequent
occurence. There are Moose areas where road signs warning of the local
pedestrian traffic have additional signs below them that remind me of a
MacDOnalds restaurant: "Hundreds of Collisions".

BTW: If anyone wants a digital photo of one of these, email me. Specify
day or night shot....

A guy died recently from hitting a moose with his 1/2 ton pickup truck.
Imagine what would happen to a little toy like Mr. Super-duper
Electromobile.

Recently, many consumer groups are targeting Sport Utility Vehicles,
because they are involved in more deadly accidents than normal cars.
They fail to mention that the fatalities happen to the OTHER guy, in
that tuna-can rice burner. SUV's have the lowest passenger and driver
fatalities of all vehicles. Funny how they misrepresent the statistics.
WOuldn't have a prejudice to further would they???? 

-- 
TANSTAAFL!!!
			Michael Lorrey
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mailto:retroman@together.net	Inventor of the Lorrey Drive
MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering
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How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?