Pedestrian safety isn't a new issue - at least in Europe. Europe has a big problem with pedestrian fatalities. Europeans tend to walk more places, walk further and walk more often than Americans do. Europe is densely populated, with cars as well as people. So why does Europe have a big pedestrian safety problem? After all, Manhattan is full of very aggressive and arrogant pedestrians.

Blame the lawyers - or rather the relatively small number of lawyers and the small number of lawsuits in Europe. You can also blame the lenient attitudes of European law enforcement. If an American driver hits an American pedestrian, the American driver gets hit with a massive lawsuit. If an American driver kills an American pedestrian, you can bet there will be charges of vehicular manslaughter. In Europe, there are few concequences associated with running over pedestrians. Like it or not, buy Lawyers and Police do protect human lives.

Of course, the pedestrian safety issue is now migrating to the United States. I really have to wonder if we can just blame it all on the typical regualtory organizations and liberal lobbying groups.

Could it be that automotive parts suppliers would actually like to see "pedestrian airbag" requirements in the USA? After all, they already have a very large investment in this sort of safety hardware for the European market - and very limited marketing opportunities if the technology remains exclusive to Europe.

 

I hate it when this happens.

Im agreeing with him again...

This is similar to when US crash standards and bumper height requirements migrated east across the atlantic. The European manufacturers couldnt afford to incorporate the required features into a car, whilst retaining a home-market version without them. My favorite example is the MGB. MG had to either put it on all their cars, or withdraw from a market where (in MGs case) they were doing something like 50% of their business.

This is just happening in reverse. Doesnt mean I like it, but it does make sense from an economic standpoint.

I still think the world would be much better off if people would begin to take responsibility for their lives and actions. If you walk out in front of traffic because you're on a cell phone, drunk, or just not paying attention, its not really the fault of anyone but yourself is it?

 

You forgot the MG Midget - a car that was really butchered by the US's 5-mph bumper standards. For anyone that doesn't already know, the MG-B was the "big" MG and the really, really small Midget was MG's downscale model.

Like the MG-B, the MG Midget got huge black rubber bumpers to pass U.S. safety requirements. But it didn't end there. The Midget didn't meet minimum bumper height requirments, so they actually increased the ride height! Yup, they raised the suspension. Then there were the emission controls. They swapped the reliable 1275cc motor from the original Mini Cooper for a heavier, less powerful Triumph 4-banger.

In the end, MG completely ruined the MG Midget. The car looked awful, handled poorly and was slower than a pig.

 

insurance companies and an out of control tort system! I suppose one day a gozillion years from now it wont have been the machines that created the matrix

 

This must be more of that wonderful "European Driver Experience", some ppl are so fond of! How about airbags on the roof too? You never know, someone could fall out of the sky............and this way they'll be saved, if they happen to land on your car. Safety first, eh!

 

The MGB got the same black bumper treatment and ride height increase... Not as dramatic, due to its larger size, but pre-1974 models are MUCH more desireable than 1974-on. The ride height increases and suspension changes ruined the car's handling, which, honestly, was its main selling point.

There is one small sportscar that I would absolutely love to have. A 1973 MGB-GT V8. I simply cant think of a better car to go flinging around corners in on a weekend.

'Cept maybe a new ZO6...

 

To the best of my knowledge, the MGB-GT V8 was never imported to the United States. Wierd, isn't it? MG finally produced a V8 powered MGB, then they didn't sell it to the one market where people might have wanted it.

Anyway, the closest you can get to a MGB-GT V8 in this country is the MGC, which was an MGB with a gigantic Austin inline 6 crammed into the nose. Before you say that it sounds like a poor man's Austin-Healey, you should remember they were very unpopular - and probably for a good reason.

 

I looked into it years ago... GT V8s were never officially imported here.

As for the MGC, my father had one when he was my age. Along with a few MGBs and a Sunbeam Tiger. He speaks reverently about them all, except the MGC. The I6 weighed more than the V8 (let alone the 4), made less power, had a CG way foward of the 4, and necessitated a different front suspension arrangement. It was a pig. That, and it had a ridiculously complicated brake system.

The aluminum V8 in the MGB-GT actually weighed LESS than the iron 4. (prior to accessories)

A 4 cylinder MGB-GT weighs within 100lbs or so of a V8.

 

and people in the US don't walk much. that's why you have an obesity problem and europe doesn't!

they've just got a dead pedestrian problem instead!

research out here (and our roads a sort of a mix of US and europe, culturally) suggests that in more than 84 percent of cases of car v pedestrian, it's the pedestrian's fault. doesn't help the poor driver, who has to deal with the recurring mental picture for the rest of his/her life, but that's how it is, and that's a good indication of where the resources should be spent and what should be targeted...

 

They should build bridges over the roads for pedestrians rather than waste all the money on changing cars.

 

Make it so they don't have to walk anywhere near the roads! I agree. And yes........WE DO need to get out a walk more!

 

America easily has its own share of fat asses, but I wouldn't say that Europe is without a problem here either.

http://www.zurich.com/main/productsa...041213_003.htm

People may walk more in Europe, but where are they walking to apparently? McDonalds?

 

It's not a new issue here in the states either.

Back around 1950 (I don't recall the exact year), the government issued a mandate to all US carmakers to stop using hood ornaments that protrude above the hood sheetmetal, and/or are mounted on "pedestals". This was because of the high percentage of fatalities that were caused by people becoming impaled on hood ornaments. What should have ordinarilly been a very minor incident with a person getting knocked-down with only cuts or bruises were turning into severe and even fatal accidents when the person had their head, lungs, and even heart penetrated by the sharp protrusions of hood ornaments like these.

That legislation was based PURELY on the benefit of pedestrians and the occasional motorcylist. I recall reading the story in an old restoration magazine I subscribed to YEARS ago - like 1988 or so. Maybe there is some writing on the internet about it if anyone cares to look it up.

Now you know why all those swoopy winged hood ornaments disappeared from cars in the early 1950's.

 

I ran over a pedestrian once... apparently it IS a big deal!

 

Yeah. The hood ornament thing merited scrutiny because it could turn even a low speed (5 mph) accident into a case of very severe maiming or death. Clearly having a sharp pointy object protruding from the front of car is gonna do a lot more damage and it seems reasonable to do something about that. The current euro-intent that will probably ultimately seek to make every car look like a nerf-ball on wheels on the other hand is clearly taking things to far .