Forbes reports the House Energy and Commerce Committee has passed a bill requiring federal regulators to devise clever caveats that make power windows safer, eliminate blind spots in jumbo-sized SUVs and pickups, and keeps vehicles from rolling away (and over young 'uns). What any of that has to do with energy or commerce is anybody's guess. Anyway, committee chairman John Dingell said the bill would "help protect these young victims by instituting common-sense safety provisions in the design of cars." Why nothing was said about instituting common-sense safety training for the drivers is another mystery for the ages. Sorry– there I go digressing again. Right. Where was I? Oh yes… Jacqueline Gillan, vice president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, added "nobody should have to back out of the driveway without seeing what's behind them." Well, no one should get in their car to back out of their driveway without first looking to see if there's anything in the driveway, either. Damn! At any rate, the National Highway Traffic Safety Admission has to create the new regulations within three years of the bill's enactment– too late to save Jamie Lynn Spears' first baby.
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Unfortunately, you can’t fix stupid.
Lawmakers have yet to realize this.
-ted
And the olde Europeans think we are dumb, wonder why…
I have an easy fix for this:
“…devise clever caveats that make power windows safer…”
Bring back manual windows. Kinda hard to kill yourself with a window you have to hand crank.
“…eliminate blind spots in jumbo-sized SUVs and pickups…”
Mirros, and lots of’ em.
…and keeps vehicles from rolling away…”
Keyed ignitions. No keys, no start. Of course manual transmissions are the single loophole, but nobody buys those anymore, so I think that’s of little importance.
Love it. Best quote: “help protect these young victims by instituting common-sense safety provisions in the design of cars.” Washington loves victims. But instead of victims of the auto they are victims of the driver. But that doesn’t matter to politicians.
Just put a cowcatcher from a train on the back of every car. Or maybe a plow. Just to move everything behind the vehicle out of the way.
Or prevent stupid people from driving. Either or.
I thought Dingell was Detroit’s guy?
“And the olde Europeans think we are dumb, wonder why…”
Actually, it’s the Euros who first came up with pedestrian-friendly front ends. How is that different?
A better thing would be keeping “children” from voting.