It gets better.  Read recently where ECUs made in the last year or so can
record throttle input, brake input, vehicle speed, etc for up to 20 seconds
or so.  Much legal debate about using this info in court following an
accident.   And then there is a company that is beta testing equipment that
tracks vehicle position, speed, driver inputs (similar to what is used by
some major truck lines) and transmits it real time to be viewed over the
net.  Planned to be marketed to parents.

big brother where art thou?

scott

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey Schwaia" <jeff@TSSGI.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 3:16 PM
Subject: Re: Helmet laws

There you go....  let's all buy Caddilacs and move to Florida.

Cheers,

Jeff
(Soon to be trading in 12 Vanagons and 4 motorcycles for 1 Caddy)

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Woten, Rodney
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 12:01 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Helmet laws

The part about being able to automagically alert the authorities is already
here.  The Onstar system can monitor your airbag.  A soon as it deploys,
they can alert the authorities and send them to your GPS coordinates, which
they also already happen to have.  I'm not sure I need "someone keeping that
close of an eye on me!!!!!

Rod Woten
'87 Westy
Des Moines, Iowa

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeffrey Schwaia [mailto:jeff@TSSGI.COM]
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 1:52 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Helmet laws

--BEGIN RANT--

The way I see it, the problem with legislation that is intended to "protect
people" is that how far will it go?  How many additional lives would be
saved if we wore a helmet when driving a car?  For that matter, how about if
we were required to use 5 point harnesses in our Vanagons (required VC)?
That would sure cut down on all those shoulder injuries caused by 3 point
belts.  How about an automatic fire suppression system?  Perhaps an ELT,
like in planes, that would alert the authorities whenever your vehicle was
in an accident.  That would increase response times for emergency personnel.

Okay, I know I'm getting a little ridiculous, but I have NO confidence in
our politicians to do the right thing.  They're driven by special interest
groups and the almightly dollar.

--END RANT--

BTW: I always where a helmet.  Always have.  It's probably saved my life a
few times, I have the cracked helmets to prove it.  I just hate anyone
telling me I have to wear it.

Cheers,

Jeff