Re: AltInst: Effects-Based Government Regulation of Automotive

> From: Dcalei@aol.com
> Reply-To: AltInst@its.caltech.edu
> Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 20:28:58 -0700
> To: altinst@cco.caltech.edu
> Subject: Re: AltInst: Effects-Based Government Regulation of Automotive Safety
>
> Crazy. Manufacturers would race to create the equivalent of a Sherman tank
> with 360 degree airbags. Better to spend the creative effort on concepts to
> make cars smaller and simultaneously control traffic flow to minimize
> accidents. Vehicular entropy is the problem, not car design.
> D. Clarence Anderson

A response by Dale Gibby (forwarded by Nicholas Albery):

If the system provided an incentive to build "Sherman tanks", then the
idea has been improperly applied. In my suggestion, I stated "each person
killed in an accident involving the company's vehicle", not each person
killed in the company's vehicle.

This is a significant difference. If the vehicle is dangerous to its
occupants, to pedestrians, and to occupants of other vehicles, then that
is a measure of the external cost to society. If the system did not
consider the danger to others, then yes, Mr. Clarence, companies would
have incentive to build "Sherman tanks."

If the system were properly applied, the population of cars would trend
to a standard weight class. Those lighter would be penalized due to
occupant safety, and those heavier would be penalized due to safety
hazards to others.

Sincerely,
Dale G. Gibby (Dcalei@aol.com)

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Received on Tue Jun 20 10:42:31 2000