Speeding

[Skids]

Following on from airbolt below:
Should we remove saftey device from vehicles in an effort to reduce speeding?
We speed because we feel safe in doing so. Our car's features give us that sense of security. ABS, traction control, multiple airbags, impact protection, etc. Auto-braking, radar cruise control, and night-vision are the latest offerings on the Mercedes S-Class.
Would we drive at excessive speeds if we removed these features? What if your steering wheel airbag was replaced with a large steel spike? Would you drive at 70mph about a hundred yards behind someone else? You'd certainly be more careful if you were.

[Catso]

I see the point you're making, but what exactly is 'excessive'? Surely it changes over time? In the 1930s, 50mph was fast, 70+ was probably a frightening thought. The actual value of 'excessive' should increase year by year as cars add more and better safety features. Just look at stopping distances (real ones, not theoretical) - surely they must have decreased drastically since the 1950s, what with radial tyres, power assisted braking, abs etc etc. So the dangers posed in a 30mph environment then possibly equate to a 40mph now.

To answer your actual question, I don't think the gadgets make that much difference to how safe we feel when driving (and hence how fast we drive). For myself, it's much more the basic handling of the car, how it responds. I won't go as fast in the wife's car as mine as it just feels more unsafe (Freelander vs Fiesta).

[Loosehead]

Back to the drawing board skids, safety features evolved because people where dying in unsafe cars, they didn't go any slower because they thought they'd get less impaled on the steering wheel. Who are the biggest group of speeders at the moment? yes take a bow fellow bikers, we have little protection and have a good chance of dying if we crash, hasn't stopped us speeding.

[pagey]

Its usually the driver not paying attention rather than the stopping distance itself. Why can't we have the unrestricted autobahn in the UK? I'll tell you why. It's because the standard of the average Uk driver is not up to it, and that is why the skilled amongst us lose out.