Look at the sign on your outside rear view mirror. That is a federal mandate. So are the seat belts and air bags. The pedals too, I suspect, after the recent accidents of drivers confusing them. Bumpers of course. Windshields. Dozens if not hundreds of other things, baby seats among them. The products we buy are regulated by the Feds and by the states, there is no escaping regulation, supervision by Big Brother, even when buying cheap children’s toys in Chinatown. Are traffic lights, their sizes, brightness, positioning not regulated? Are lanes paintings on the roads, interstate, state, county, not regulated? What’s not regulated when you get in a car and drive away? And to be safe on the road, that’s what you and everyone else want, silly uninformed libertarian protestations notwithstanding!
Are you saying that rear view mirrors are an infringement on our liberty? I would hate to be on the road with you - especially when I come up behind you and try and pass you. You just might decide to change lanes about that time and THEN you might appreciate having rear view mirrors with which to prevent an accident. I would appreciate it also.
Seat belts and air bags do save lives. Personally I rarely use seat belts in town but do on long trips especially when traveling through town with heavy freeway traffic. With regards to air bags, I have never had one go off on me but I know of some people where the airbag did more damage to them than if it had not been set off. Some people have been almost decapitated due to air bags.
How in the bloody hell can you drive without pedals. If you have a manual transmission (how do you shift gears? In the case of stopping, how do you stop without the aid of the pedal?
Bumpers prevent excessive damage and can in many cases save your life.
Windshields. Now there is something I would like to see you do without. Wearing goggles is not exactly fun and think of all the bees and pebbles that would bop you in the face in a normal days outing?
Baby seats definitely are an infringement. Babies may be “Slightly” more at risk by not using them but generally, mothers carry babies in the laps and THAT is much more beneficial to them in their growth as stable human adults.
Cheep plastic toys is TRULY a personal preference. I think it teaches kids that they can break their favorite toys if they are not careful and if they didn’t like that particular toy it gives them an outlet to destroy something they didn’t like - giving them “some” power over their lives.
Yes traffic lights, their sizes, brightness, positioning are regulated? For a damn good reason. You become accustomed to a standard and know where to look and what to look for automatically instead of having to “wonder” if they are even present.
Lanes paintings on the roads, interstate, state, county, are regulated for the same reason.
The more consistant our driving peramiters the easier it is for us to recognize conditions which help us make safe and quick decisions. Without that we would be wondering and UNDER reacting to non standardized road conditions.
Ever come up behind a pre 50’s Buick, Plymoth, Ford? Many of those cars had tail lights that were a mere inch in diameter. You didn’t see them until you saw the actual trunk and bumper and then it was often to late.
Next time you go out driving at night why not just drive with your lights off and not worry about such things as rear view mirrors and the other cars on the road who probably won’t see you until it is to late, then you can think about the ramifications of such laws while you lie in the hospital or in surgery (should you be so lucky).