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To: RealMuLan who wrote (82058)	7/25/2008 9:41:37 AM
From: John Carragher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

is that because of high cost of gas.. or because higher income people get in less accidents. g

To: RealMuLan who wrote (82058)	7/25/2008 12:00:20 PM
From: ajtj99	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

It is almost impossible to get killed in a car accident today unless you're not belted, hit by something that's twice your size, or go into the water and drown.

To: RealMuLan who wrote (82058)	7/25/2008 4:52:04 PM
From: Archie Meeties	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

Less driving is all around better for the health of the people. But expensive fuel is worse for business as it imposes a tax on the flow of goods. When Cuba was forced to go to bicycles after the USSR collapse the level of fitness went way up. You can directly correlate ER visits for lung problems to levels of car pollution (after factoring in wind conditions). And of course the accidents go down as you point out (time to go long automobile insure co's?) Unfortunately, people have been fascinated with owning their own glorious transportation since chariots and carriages - there doesn't seem much turning back. The best policy is to tax the consumption of fuel that is detrimental to health, much the way cigarettes are massively taxed, but that approach will be fought tooth and nail by corporations. However, if done well, those taxes can be put into infrastructure for mass transit or to support railways. On another note, around here the local drunks tell me they can't afford as much alcohol because of the cost of gas and so they're able to stay drunk only 2-3 days vs 5 days. Don't ask me how I know this. -g-