Jose writes:

We don't treat road travel in a casual, callous way. What we =do= do is
treat it as a necessity, a given, almost a right. And for driving, this
is a good choice. With people spread out all over the place, the
automobile is just about the most practical method of transportation
there is, in most cases.

It is interesting to note that, based on what I've heard, air travel
in remote and rugged areas like Alaska has achieved a similar status.
Driving requires flat roads, but in places where flat roads are
impossible or impractical to construct, sometimes travel by air
becomes the more practical and widespread mode of transportation.
Unfortunately, it's still more dangerous than driving, but apparently
within certain limits it can be improved considerably.

Even in the city, where driving is pretty
aggravating, it usually still beats the bus, the subway, and certainly
the airplane, for the kinds of trips most people take (which is to
commute to work, to school, to the store, and to visit friends).

That depends. Here in Paris, which arguably has the best subway and
bus system in the world, these forms of transportation are superior to
travel by car. Once you're out in the suburbs where public
transportation is thin on the ground, though, the situation reverses.

Seat belt laws, while an infringement on people's personal freedom to
risk their own lives, are a counteraction to the other infringement on
people's rights to keep their money. MY money pays for YOUR injuries
when you crash unbelted, and this infringes on MY freedom.

I think it would be easier if insurance companies simply exempted
coverage for anyone not wearing a seat belt at the time of an
accident.

So, I don't
have a problem with seat belt laws (though I might favor a different
approach - crash unbelted and lose your health benefits).

Almost the same as above. It provides more freedom at lower cost.

I do find the strobes inside the red lights to be over the top, and rear
turn signals that can be seen for miles away are worse than silly.

Strobes inside red lights?

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.