On Mar 19, 3:33=A0am, Patrick Turner <i...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Iain Churches wrote:
>
> > "Eeyore" <rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> >news:47DFA3AB.43819498@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> > > Patrick Turner wrote:
>
> > >> But how many Americans die on the roads each year?
>
> > > About 45,000. A shocking rate. It's a little over 1/3 the US rate
per =
head
> > > of
> > > population here in the UK.
>
> > I have never driven in the US, but even in various
> > countries in the EU the difference in the driving
> > standard is quite marked.
>
> > Despite the high level of traffic density, the
> > British are still very polite, and very flexible
> > road users. Even though they still insist on
> > driving on the wrong side, at speeds measured
> > in mph, I enjoy driving there very much.
>
> > Iain
>
> Tehran is where its really exciting to drive they say.
>
> The death rate from motor accidents is one of the highest in the world.
>
> They put their trust in Allah, and as you should know Allah akbah!
>
> Its the kinda place I would not be seen dead on a bicycle.
>
> India and China are getting more wheels, and as they do the hospitals
> are filling up....
>
> Patrick Turner.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Patrick:
I have driven in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A few small points: The term is
"in'sh'Allah" meaning "God Willing". I will make this left turn from
the right hand lane in'sh'Allah. I will get through this intersection
against traffic in'sh'Allah - you get the picture. I would put driving
in Riyadh the equal of anywhere in the world based on the white-
knuckle factor. The UAE, Jordan, and Bahrain are distant seconds,
Istanbul is a piece-of-cake. New York City is a pleasure by
comparison.
The in-city highway speed limit is 120kph (75mph for those still on
the old currency). The most popular vehicle in Saudi is the US-made
Chevy Suburban a massive SUV. Women are not permitted to drive.
Traffic signals and stop signs are optional, lane markers are
meaningless. Merge or die. Desert highway speeds are catch-me-if-you-
can.
One needs to put American driving in perspective as well. All of
Europe could fit inside the US east of the Mississippi. Picking one
example, my state:
" The total area of Pennsylvania is 45,308 sq mi (117,348 sq km), of
which land occupies 44,888 sq mi (116,260 sq km) and inland water 420
sq mi (1,088 sq km). The state extends 307 mi (494 km) E-W and 169 mi
(272 km) N-S. Pennsylvania is rectangular in shape, except for an
irregular side on the E and a break in the even boundary in the NW
where the line extends N-E for about 50 mi (80 km) along the shore of
Lake Erie. "
This is about half the size of England, and is the 33rd largest state
of 50.
http://www.wisegeek.com/how-big-are-the-states-in-america.htm
gives
you more detail.
Accordingly, Americans who do not live in the very few cities where
personal cars are truly a luxury (New York, Chicago, Philadelphia
(barely), Wa****ngton DC and a handful of others) drive A LOT.
Typically, I drive ~24,000 miles a year (38,400km), of which 2/3 is
business. My wife drives about 10,000 (16,000km) miles per year, very
little on business. And by US standards we are very conservative in
our habits.
So, if accidents are a function of being in harm's way, and measured
in per-mile-driven rather than per-capita, I would posit that the US
accident rate is rather low by comparison. Right now, per NHTSA (as of
2002) fatalities + re****table injuries are running under 2/100,000
(160,000km) miles driven and trending down. Similarly in England, but
their rate (also 2002) is just over 2, close-but-below France and so
forth. Most of the rest of the world is several orders-of-magnitude
higher.
Figures don't lie, but liars sure can figure.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
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