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Amazon accuses customer of racism & shuts down their smart home!
TimFox:
The April 15, 2020 pileup in Chicago I cited above was the first thing I thought of when the question of increased traffic crashes starting in 2020 arose.
As I remember, the serious Covid shutdown in Illinois started on March 18 of that year, and expressway traffic had decreased greatly, allowing higher speeds.
Monkeh:
--- Quote from: PlainName on July 02, 2023, 09:28:51 pm ---
--- Quote ---I don't follow why you think reducing the number of miles driven, would increase the death rate per mile.
--- End quote ---
Might, not would. And it's not just my idea.
The thinking is that with less traffic drivers drive more carelessly (because there's nothing to get in the way) and when something does get in the way the resulting damage is worse because of the higher speeds and lack of attention. There was actually quite a lot on this in the papers at the time, because the police were picking up serious speeders where normally congestion would tamp it down.
So, fewer vehicles implies fewer miles for a given period, and higher carelessness can lead to more incidents per driven mile (even though the absolute number of incidents might reduce).
Anyone else not able to grasp that? Like is it me unable to explain an idea or am I being played?
--- End quote ---
You're pretty much on the money, and the statistics in most countries I've looked at follow that trend - fewer total accidents due to less driving, more accidents per mile.
During and immediately after the lockdowns around here was.. bizarre and dodgy. Between the people who'd got used to ignoring speed limits and give way signs because nobody else was on the road, and the ones who hadn't driven for several months, things were quite exciting.
Quite why the rate has remained so high in the US I can't say. The numbers are, however, beginning to fall towards their usual unacceptable levels.
Nominal Animal:
I noticed the safe road culture in Norway back in 1993, on a bicycle trip from Kilpisjärvi to Tromsø and back. Even the fully loaded ore trucks gave plenty of way, moving clearly to the other lane when passing us bicyclists.
I like that sort of tolerance. It made for a very fun, safe cycling trip.
I don't like the sort of tolerance that says that it is okay to silence people accused of being racist, or perhaps just because they're ugly or someone heard them say an off joke. I find it shallow and short-sighted, and in the long run, not helping anyone. We shouldn't make people think "Can I help you?" might possibly be racially loaded; instead, we should replace that kind of tribalist oppressor-oppressed worldview with individualism, just like Morgan Freeman has suggested (for example, to Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes): don't treat others based on what group they belong to, treat them as individuals.
gnuarm:
--- Quote from: PlainName on July 02, 2023, 09:28:51 pm ---
--- Quote ---I don't follow why you think reducing the number of miles driven, would increase the death rate per mile.
--- End quote ---
Might, not would. And it's not just my idea.
--- End quote ---
Ok, that's a strange qualifier. It's a pointless mitigation, like saying, "kind of" or "I'm just sayin'..." An 11th grade history teacher broke me of that habit. If you have something to say, say it. Don't hem and haw around using "weasel words".
--- Quote ---The thinking is that with less traffic drivers drive more carelessly (because there's nothing to get in the way) and when something does get in the way the resulting damage is worse because of the higher speeds and lack of attention. There was actually quite a lot on this in the papers at the time, because the police were picking up serious speeders where normally congestion would tamp it down.
So, fewer vehicles implies fewer miles for a given period, and higher carelessness can lead to more incidents per driven mile (even though the absolute number of incidents might reduce).
Anyone else not able to grasp that? Like is it me unable to explain an idea or am I being played?
--- End quote ---
I understand the English language. I simply don't follow the reasoning. There are many, many situations where traffic is not thick in any way. I don't see more dangerous behavior at all. In fact, it is in the heavy traffic when I see people making dangerous lane changes, and speeding while weaving through gaps that could close at any moment.
But of course, there will be more speeding than when traffic congests roads. That's a bit of a "duh". I don't buy into the notion that driving 80 in a 65 zone makes the road noticeably more dangerous than when the traffic is heavy. I especially don't see a connection to lighter traffic causing a "lack of attention".
Sorry, but I think this is poor reasoning and poor logic. How many others buy into this idea is not relevant.
tggzzz:
--- Quote from: Nominal Animal on July 02, 2023, 10:15:21 pm ---I noticed the safe road culture in Norway back in 1993, on a bicycle trip from Kilpisjärvi to Tromsø and back. Even the fully loaded ore trucks gave plenty of way, moving clearly to the other lane when passing us bicyclists.
I like that sort of tolerance. It made for a very fun, safe cycling trip.
--- End quote ---
That's easier if the only other vehicles are on the horizon :) Less easy in London, Palermo, ...
Having said that, I interrailed up to Narvik in 1980, and was very impressed by the rail carriages having carafes of water at each end, and being able to rotate the seats so you were facing forwards/backwards group of 2/4. Clearly they were transporting people, not SLF or passenger-units.
--- Quote ---I don't like the sort of tolerance that says that it is okay to silence people accused of being racist, or perhaps just because they're ugly or someone heard them say an off joke. I find it shallow and short-sighted, and in the long run, not helping anyone. We shouldn't make people think "Can I help you?" might possibly be racially loaded; instead, we should replace that kind of tribalist oppressor-oppressed worldview with individualism, just like Morgan Freeman has suggested (for example, to Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes): don't treat others based on what group they belong to, treat them as individuals.
--- End quote ---
Basically: yes.
That should be a formal requirement for managers and human resource droids.
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