Brent P wrote:
>
> I simply do not see great numbers of MFFY red-light runners.

Boy, howdee, I see'em every day here in Las Vegas. When I'm first off
at a light, I ALWAYS look both ways, some of these *******s will barrel
through VERY late and VERY fast, not just a half-second behind the
yellow light at 5 or 10 over, something everyone's done. What I've
heard called, the Orange light.

Sorry, I'm new here. What exactly is MFFY?

> >>RLCs don't reduce collisions. They simply record them.

Some argue they cause them.

> > Actually, people are much better behaved when they know that Big
> > Brother is watching.

Is this reason enough to let him watch?

>>Think about the way you drive when there is a cop
> > car behind you.

I don't like that feeling. Should I feel that way all the time, that
cop-in-the-mirror feeling, just to make sure I behave? Why stop there?
Besides, I don't feel safer with a cop on my tail, and definitely
wouldn't want one there all the time... I know that cops are not
themselves always to be trusted. I live in Las Vegas, for pete's sake!


Not that I'm paranoid. But are they out to get me???

>>And when people are better behaved, they don't pull as
> > many stupid, dangerous moves. Kinda like the way my son drove my
car
> > when the tracking device was installed.

True enough. But your son's a kid, he has no rights. And truckers,
hey, it ain't their truck, and if it is, it ain't their cargo. They
don't want the job or the contract that badly, they can move on. When
the gov't requires such devices on my car, like with that per-mile tax
idea, well, let's just call me non-compliant, ok?

> Sounds like an arguement for a viewscreen in every home. That aside,
I
> haven't seen anything that indicates a massive change in people's
> behavior because of RLCs. Just as parking tickets haven't put an end
to
> illegal parking.

Hear, Hear. As for changes in driver ability, I'd like to rant a bit,
if I may. I've been driving (legally) for 22 years, for a living for
some of those years, over most of the country and in many of its great
cities. I can't say it's gotten worse. It has not gotten better.
Overall safety has definitely improved, due to technology. As for
driving skill, there is regional variation, to be sure.

(WARNING! The following contains regional generalities that may offend!
If you are easily offended DO NOT READ!)

I thought the worst drivers in the US were in South Florida, till I
moved to Vegas. It's like the worst drivers in the US all decided to
live here, kinda like all the smokers in LA have moved here, or will
soon. The midwest and NE, they drive fast, but are generally
courteous, particularly Michigan and Ohio. The South is fast, not so
courteous (on the road, that is.) Detroit is murder on cars, people
drive fast and the roads are terrible. The city seems to have its own
rules as always, an aggressive style is called for, expected even.
Washington DC drivers are appallingly bad, not surprising given that
the town's main industry is government. Boston's traffic sucks, but
they have really good public trans, that I used a lot when I lived
there. I LOVE my cars, so to get me out of it, the public trans has to
be good. I never drove in NYC, never lived there. Yeah, Southern CA's
pretty bad, the traffic Sucks on a Scale like no other, but you just
don't seem to see the same level of sheer incompetence as you do in
Vegas. You see a lot mistakes more overall in CA, I guess, due to
sheer numbers. I think here the avg. skill and attention levels are
lower, while the risk-taking is higher, a deadly combo. Could be we've
just got more drunks (per capita).

Just my Opinion, worth every penny you paid. ;-)