XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: YourName@YourISP.com   
      
   In article , Robert Bannister   
    wrote:   
   > On 20/01/2014 1:34 pm, Your Name wrote:   
   > > In article , Robert Bannister   
   > >  wrote:   
   > >> On 19/01/2014 7:52 pm, Thomas Koenig wrote:   
   > >>> Robert Bannister  schrieb:   
   > >>>>   
   > >>>> In fact, towards the end of the 19th century the traffic situation with   
   > >>>> horse-drawn vehicles was as bad if not worse than today. There are a few   
   > >>>> photographs and drawings around of grid lock in London and elsewhere.   
   > >>>> Road accidents were also very common. No speedometers or speed limits   
   > >>>> back then.   
   > >>>   
   > >>> There were also a lot of cases of sudden acceleration (many more than   
   > >>> with today's cars).  Traffic accidents were much more frequent as   
   > >>> a result.   
   > >>   
   > >> Although car drivers are no better and often worse than carriage   
   > >> drivers, at least cars don't get spooked by trivial noises or movements.   
   > >   
   > > Maybe not, but a driver can be spooked and lose control of the car.   
   > > Plus a car usually weighs quite a bit more and goes faster ...   
   > > therefore causing more damage.   
   >   
   > I'm not so sure about a loaded cart being lighter.   
      
   A loaded cart should technically be compared to a van or truck, rather   
   than a car.   
      
      
      
   > I'll concede the speed, although some young aristocrats in their light,   
   > but speedy 2-wheelers could set a cracking pace and who cares about the   
   > peasants?   
      
   You'd find it difficult to get a horse (with or without a cart) going   
   at 100km/h along a suburban street though ... but most cars on the   
   other hand can easily do that, if illegally in most places.   
      
      
      
   > > Cars can also of course have unexpected problems, whether mechanically   
   > > or due to road / weather conditions (for example if the driver doesn't   
   > > know or see oil spilt on the road). Or the driver for some reason   
   > > health reason loses control (heart attack, passes out, etc.)   
   >   
   > These, plus the reasons I have snipped, could all have happened to the   
   > drivers of carriages and carts,   
      
   I'm not sure there would be much oil on the roads used in the days of   
   just horses, and even if the cart driver suffered a health problem, the   
   horse is more likely to stop by itself than a car can (in fact a good   
   horse could safely carry on to the destination or home).   
      
   Which simply proves what I said at the start, horses are just as safe   
   (or unsafe) as any other form of transport.   
      
      
      
   > although I expect any kids throwing rocks from a bridge would have been   
   > caught and given summary justice.   
      
   They certainly used to (and likely still do) throw things off bridges   
   at trains going underneath.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)