From: "William Robb"
From: "John Sessoms" Subject: Re: Snow in Raleigh, NC
> I think they'd do better to register all 4WD vehicles, test the drivers
> and make a list of who to preemptively lock up whenever it snows.
>
Or do what they do where I am, which is to disregard completely the road
conditions when determining fault. I gave a lot of thought to the retesting
method of deciding if a person should have a license and concluded that it
isn't a useful determinant. Anyone can behave for 15 minutes when being
tested, so all the test does is show that they have a skill set, it doesn't
determine what they'll do with it in real life.
This is one reason for why 16-21 year olds have the highest accident
statistics. It's not just because they are inexperienced drivers.
I'd only have two questions of the test.
1. How old are you?
2. Do you have a 4WD vehicle?
Answer #1 with any number less than 50 or answer yes to #2 would be an
automatic failing grade, and the authorities would add that person to
the list of clowns to be rounded up until the danger passes.
Ain't likely to happen in my lifetime.
Actually we have two things converging here.
In the case of an accident, the police will assign "fault" to one driver
or the other; whoever is actually at fault.
But if either driver doesn't have the "proper equipment" for operating
in snow, they'll get a ticket as well. You could have one driver getting
a ticket for the accident AND for lacking proper equipment with the
other driver only getting the equipment ticket.
You can also get that "not having the proper equipment" ticket just for
getting stuck or sliding off the road IF you don't have chains or 4WD
... it has nothing to do with fault in an accident.
It's because your stuck or abandoned vehicle gets in the way and has to
be towed off before they can scrape that part of the road. If you have a
4WD vehicle or have chains and still get stuck, it's still in the way,
but they won't give you the ticket for "not having the proper equipment".
AFTER the fact, however, the insurance companies will use that equipment
citation to screw you over, to keep from having to pay if their client
is at fault. That's where the problem comes from.
Even though their client was out of control, coming sideways and upside
down around a blind curve through a red light, you "contributed" to the
accident just by being there and not having chains or 4WD.
It's just an excuse they can use to screw you. You can sue, and probably
win, but you're still going to be out of pocket even if you do collect.
And for me, no car = no job; no way to get to work. I'd end up without
transportation for too long to deal with it.
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