[PLUG-TALK] Re: [PLUG] OT License plates and covers.

Jeme A Brelin jeme at brelin.net
Fri Dec 12 00:44:04 UTC 2003


On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, Michael Luevane wrote:
> > > Please let us all know when you've managed to change or remove the
> > > laws of physics...
> >
> > Those we can work around.  Those exist so that human life can EXIST.
>
> No, I don't think so. Laws just *are*. They don't have a "purpose".

Fair enough.  It was a poor choice of words.  I should have written
something more like, "Human life could not exist without those."

Better?

Sorry for the error.

> > We work around those laws by not pushing heavy shit really fast around
> > people.
>
> It doesn't have to be fast. Physics shows that it takes a large mass a
> *long* time to come to a complete stop.

Fast is relative, of course.  If we define fast to be "too fast to avoid
collisions with people", then we're on the same page.  That'd be my
definition of "really fast" in this context.

> If Joe Dumbass decides that he wants to walk in front of a train and the
> train driver *cannot* stop, it is not the train driver's fault. Now, if
> the train driver were acting irresponsibly (for a normal person in the
> real world) then I can see that he might have some (or perhaps all) of
> the fault. But if Joe Dumbass wants to become a train's hood ornament,
> the only way to prevent that is to not have trains. At which point we
> have a whole new conversation.

I think it's reasonable to ask folks to stay off of train tracks and I
think serious investigation should be required WHENEVER a person is killed
by a train.

Mostly, my problem is requiring the same thing of people staying out of
the path of automobiles in town.  Highways are like train tracks in that
they're relatively few and they aren't an undue burden (except in some
areas where there is a constant stream of traffic and no underpass,
overpass, or other reasonable means of crossing).  But forcing people to
cross only at intersections and putting no blame on the person wielding
the weapon in human/auto collisions is far too high a price to pay for the
very limited benefit of pushing cars around town at the speed they really
go.

Dig?

J.
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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