[net.consumers] air-bags and the like

charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips) (09/10/85)

>
>If you want to force legislation of something useful, go for
>....
>anti locking brakes systems for all registered vehicles
>....
>	Nigel		The Mad Englishman or
>			The Madly Maundering Mumbler in the Wildernesses
>

I once had the experience of having two children on a banana-seat bike
come off the sidewalk directly in front of me.  I had nowhere to go
to avoid them.  I decided in the split-second that I had that, if I
broad-sided them, I would probably not kill them, while if I rolled
over them, I would.  I therefore locked up the brakes *deliberately*
and turned the steering wheel hard to the left, throwing the car into
a sideways skid.  The side of the car ended up over the wheels of the
kids bike, but they were untouched and unharmed.

I know how to pump the brakes to keep from locking up the wheels when
I don't want them locked up.  As with air-bags, why can't we make these
anti-locking brakes an option?  Why does everything always have to be
*mandatory*?  I don't *want* anti-locking brakes!

		charli