RoR: Forum

One instructive aspect of public road driving is that the bulk of drivers believe it is their right to use the roads just as they wish, for scenic or business or learning driving, whatever. Since citizens with minimal driving skills can gain the privilege to drive, we have a typical case of the tragedy of the commons, slightly revised from the tragedy pertaining to the public environment. In effect, this means there really are no rational rules of the road, give how many diverse uses they are put to by people with different objectives, skills, etc. It is a very good example of the Hobbesian state of nature! Everyone gets to do what he or she gets away with doing and most often will not recognize any standard of good driving other than his or her preference of style.

Post 81

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 3:15pm

Automatic sensing and avoidance of other vehicles and obstacles will increase the safety and convenience of driving dramatically in a few years. I believe it is inevitable that systems such as discussed in following article will be mandatory. "Idiot" drivers and "road monitors" will be a thing of the past. As the death toll on the highways drops to near zero the speed limits should rise making trips between cities less time consuming. I will, of course, miss the old "free for all" days and seeing cars upside down on the side of the road. (Two on our last trip down I5 to Los Angeles).

http://www.azinet.com/articles/real98.htm

Post 82

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 5:03pm

"They're like monkeys in cages that go berserk when the lab technician walks by their cage with a piece of food." I love that! LOL

Post 83

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 5:05pm

Robert,

Yes, that's so true - and the real heart of it - it's the disease of relativism!

Post 84

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 5:15pm

Steve, I came this close to posting that as a quote. Maybe Ed could edit it to Drivers with road rage... or something a little more specific than "they."

Post 85

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - 11:12pm

[wink, wink, nudge, nudge ... say no more]

:-)

Post 86

Thursday, January 1, 2009 - 9:57am

Just as a case in point, American cops arrest and brutalize thousands of drug"offenders" day and and day out. These people are innocent except that there are these ridiculous, unjust laws that technically make them guilty. And most cops just go along, following the vicious orders to catch these "criminals." And there are the cops who are in vice and those who seek out violators of licensing laws and city ordinances, etc., etc. No, this isn't comparable to Nazi "law enforcement" in its degree of severity but comparable in its injustice. And most of the cops are totally on board with it all.

Post 87

Thursday, January 1, 2009 - 1:29pm

I don't have a problem with police conducting raids on individuals, or groups of them, when they have charges of violence pending against them, but to conduct raids on people who have never been charged with a violent crime, or even accused of one, is abuse of authority beyond the scope of injustice to me.

Post 88

Thursday, January 1, 2009 - 2:05pm

It makes me uncomfortable to implore brainless politicians while the lives of productive individuals are destroyed over the active and blind acceptance and enforcement of unjust laws.

Call it a pet peeve I have.

The distance between these and a broken tail light isn't even worth mentioning.

Many thanks to Dr. Machan for facilitating these discussions.

Post 89

Friday, January 2, 2009 - 6:41pm