Lies, Damn Lies, And Statistics
This article over at ZeroHedge (“These Are The States With The Highest Freeway Fatalities“) is summed up in its last sentence. Presented by a law firm, the article concludes: ““It’s time for decisive, proactive measures that prioritize lives over speed,” the spokesperson added.”
“States like Wyoming, New Mexico, and Missouri consistently see alarmingly high rates of interstate freeway crashes. Factors such as long rural stretches, high-speed travel, and limited visibility often create dangerous driving conditions that put lives at risk every day.”
They present “statistics” that imply Wyoming has the highest fatality rate “per 100,000“. Wyoming having little population, vast regions of open territory, and two interstate highways carrying heavy – non-Wyoming residents – inter-state travel, it’s easy to develop numbers showing Wyoming is the most dangerous … but limited visibility? In some places maybe, but in others you can see 15-20 miles ahead. To say nothing of “rural” implying low traffic density.
Wyoming’s population is under 600,000. If there are 6 highway fatalities in Wyoming, that’s a “death rate” of 6 per 100,000. That could be a singe bad accident. Six highway deaths in California (pop about 40 million) wouldn’t even register. There are about 20,000,000 people in NY. It would take 200 deaths for NY to have a death rate of 1 per 100,000; 1200 to “match” that 6 per 100,000 in Wyoming.
(reported actual numbers for Wyoming: 31.6 average fatal crashes per year/5.4 crashes per 100,000 between 2019 and 2023. No report of number of fatalities per crash).
Here’s where they get down to it:
“The law firm called on policymakers to take concrete steps, recommending a stronger highway patrol presence, improved road lighting and signage, and the use of technology to monitor high-risk zones. Public education on speed control and defensive driving was also highlighted as a critical need.”
I’ve driven every Interstate of the west and many back east. I’d suggest I-75 in Kentucky, or I-66 in Virginia, or I-95 most anywhere, or I-90/94 in Chicago, or any highway near Atlanta are far more dangerous than I-80/25 in Wyoming or I-90 in Montana. Though I-70 in Missery can be interesting, especially near St Louis or Kansas City.
Damn! I’m not fond of the direction people with too much power are forcing “technology” on to those with not enough. Too late to change it though.
I drove I-90 once.
Almost as bland as I-10 across Texas.
Drive for days it seemed without seeing anyone.
Driving west on I-10 mid day in March and the air was so big it took my breath away. Not another soul anywhere and out of the blue a big burgundy 74′ Chevy passed me on the right (I was in the right hand lane) hauling long ass with a long haired Indian at the helm. He was completely off the road, bouncing through the scrub turf at 80 mph, windows open and long assed hair flying.
My copilot was asleep in the backseat and I reached back and nudged him and said, “Ed, we got company, get up.” Ed got up, seen what was going on and readied the Remington 12 ga pump.
We came to an intersection with a dirt cattle road and the Indian threw it sideways and went down the road, disappearing in a cloud of tan dust. Just one of many brief adventures over the next few months….
Texas has many roads with a 75 mph speed limit. It’s the maximum, and there’s no law that states you have to drive that speed. If the engineers felt the road condition couldn’t handle that speed, they wouldn’t post it.
You can create some damning statistics about accidents in parking lots, get people on the bandwagon, and create all types of laws that prevent people pushing baskets, mandated valet service, and a bunch of irritated people that very seldom vote.
Interstate (I-84/86) speed limit’s 80 here in open areas. Not sure on I-90 way up north (400 miles or so north from Boise City) but probably same except through Coeur d’Alene. It’s only 75 miles across the state on I-90 there.
I-10 is 80 MPH from Kerrville all the way to EP, as far as I know.
And there are still morons that fly by going 90.
This is scary…
Both posted as one
If you can read, understand, and write an essay on the following you are capable of level 4 reading, and therefore in the 5% of the literate American population.
If you’re going to make a point about the “…alarmingly high rates of interstate freeway crashes…” in Wyoming and New Mexico, you really ought to mention the wind.
Not to mention NM has some of the worst roads in terms of maintenance I’ve ever seen.
I had a white knuckle drive from Boston to Philadelphia some years back. Sleeting and temperature hovering at 33F. Was glad to get to the hotel. While waiting in line to check in I downed two High Life’s from the hotel pantry. Just had them put on my room bill.
IT is NEVER TOO LATE! We just have to get organized. That means you have to be able to get a group of about 50(+/-) together to voice a well-thought-out opposition.
Having rolled a “Bug Eyed Sprite” down off a poorly cambered road I have become keenly aware of that fine engineering art form!
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1960-austin-healey-bug-eye-sprite-81/
Highway 12 from Lolo Montana to Idaho is one of the finest examples of that art form. Not every state highway engineer has that artistic skill.
However, I-90 through MT is as straight a road as possible; it used to be “unlimited”, but now it is set at 70MPH.
Almost all of the accidents have at least one out-of-state or newly arrived driver! For example, last winter we had a car on I-90 pull over for vehicle problems.It was dark, freezing and snowy–not a 70MPH condition. A local man pulled up behind the stressed car to help–helping is still a prevalent idea amongst those born/raised here. The road was slick. A third party from out of state tried to cruise on by at the legal (not smart for the current conditions) speed. Of course, he slipped off the road and killed the little grandchild who was sitting in the car while his grandfather tried to help the stalled driver.
You can move to MT and buy a big hat, you will be required to get a new license plate, but us locals know who you are by the way you drive, as if being in a car is the only opportunity that you have to demonstrate your “courage”.
DearGhostsniper, I promied you to try to find a picture of this building.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8536-Armstrong-Rd-Belton-TX-76513/58206851_zpid/
In the first picture you can see the central dome of the house. Later (picture # 30?) you will see an interior photo of the dome from the second floor. In that picture you will see a christmas tree in the background by a closet door.
Before preparing the house for sale that dome used to open up and that christmas tree would lower down to the main floor entry! They took the tree operation out for some reason. There was also a prairie dog underground system of tunnels that was glassed over so the owners could watch the prairie dogs from the comfort of their own home.
Thank you.
For causing me to spend an hour or more salivating over what I would consider a prime example of new millennium residential architecture, design & construction.
Wow!
I have an intense eye for detail, especially on a large scale, and this crib certainly entertained my appetite. This place is so spectacular that you have to have some knowledge on a variety of things in order to fully appreciate what is being displayed here.
For me, the pinnacle is the flooring in the living room-dining room.
Old world recaptured hard wood herringbone of such complexity the installers are probably collecting disability for their deformed knees. No shit. I’ve done a variety of floorings in my day and that herringbone is some of the most intense stuff I have ever seen. There is a double perimeter border around the whole thing and every single piece of ‘bone that intersects that serpentine-like border had to be custom cut and fitted. That floor alone surely cost a hundred thousand or so.
And on and on. Everything I saw was on the 9th level and is the result of intense scope and supervision over a long period of time. Certainly, a designer like I would charge well into 6 digits for such a contract. Again, I thank you for the link.
Oh yeah, the ceiling in that dome you mentioned. The description claims it is copper, and it appears to be, again, old world style, (imitation?) shored brick like what you would see in European groin vaults on the 10th to 16th century cathedrals. Amazing stuff.
Did I tell you that the Christmas tree used to be kept up inside the dome. At Christmastime, the dome opened and the tree was lowered down to the main floor. I have long thought you guys would have a lot in common the only thing is that he is a never-Trumper liberal!
Are you talking about the owner of that house?
In person, I am a master conversationalist, tempered over time and exposure. My paycheck depended on it.
The problem with leftists though is the depth and breadth of the conversation, it is very limited and quickly emotional. It’s exhausting. So conversations must be brief and to the point, and on subject.
No. I am referring to the architect. The man who designed it and oversaw contractors!