The Feds

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Absolutely no doubt the vast majority of these regulations have benefited us greatly. I don't like riding in a bus anymore because they don't have seat belts. And anti-lock brakes have saved me a few times. But I wonder why regulations don't mandate that all cars have mechanical crank handles in addition to electric. One of my nightmares is to end up underwater with a shorted out battery.
 
Regulations are a 2 edged sword. They can help or hurt. Cars in the 60's cost about $3,000. Today they are??? A lot of improvements have been due to competition and racing also. Chrysler cars typically are more efficent and did not require as many add ons to meet emissions. You also get to a point of diminishing returns. Cars today put out almost "0" bad emissions. It took multi port fuel injection and computer monitored and controlled engine functions. Racers are all about efficency. We want the most power out of the same size engine put out by the factory. My 64 Barracuda was capable of high 20's mpg cruising on the highway with a HIPO 273 and a 4 speed. I got better milage at 70 than 55. So the blanket 55 MPH regulation was stupid for my car. Thanks to South Dakota, that stupidity is dead. No regulation can make sense for everyone. Regulation is a one size fits all.
 
Safety standard regulations are fine. Fuel economy & emissions regulations have their places too, but the EPA is out of control with some of it! They routinely impose future efficiency regulations on automobile manufacturers for which the technology isnt available yet. Then the manufacturers are faced with fines if they fail to comply & the costs get passed on to the consumers. Because at the time it's cheaper to pay fines than it is to install technology that doesn't exist yet. The same thing happens to the oil companies.
 
zigs said:
Don't forget that racing had a huge inpact on car safety and Federal standards.
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Absolutely! The first rearview mirror was used on a race car in the very first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 - on the Ray Harroun-driven Marmon Wasp.

From www.popularmechanics.com:

Driver Ray Harroun stirred controversy at 1911's inaugural 500 by ­entering the only single-seater in the field, a stinger-tailed Marmon Wasp. His fellow drivers, each of whom had a "mechanician" riding shotgun, knew that by motoring solo, Harroun would have an edge in weight and aerodynamics. They complained that without a spotter beside him, Harroun would be blind to racers closing in from behind and thus be a danger to all. His solution: a rectangular mirror mounted to the cowl on four steel dowels. Harroun won the race, and by the mid-teens the device—marketed as a "mirrorscope" or "cop-spotter"—was a popular aftermarket accessory. Incidentally, Harroun's mirror was a bust: It vibrated so fiercely during the race that he couldn't see a thing in it.

Read more: 15 Ways the Indy 500 Changed How You Drive - Indianapolis 500 100th Anniversary - Popular Mechanics
 
One of the ongoing results of the safety regulations is cars are incredibly safer than our older a-bodies. As a firefighter, I've seen auto crashes (in my area) from '79 on. The injuries have decreased significantly due to these measures. The only thing that scares me is the biggest factor left in the complete "circle of automotive safety", the loose nut behind the wheel. I hope that they don't take the steering wheel out of my hands!
 
bvt69dart said:
One of the ongoing results of the safety regulations is cars are incredibly safer than our older a-bodies. As a firefighter, I've seen auto crashes (in my area) from '79 on. The injuries have decreased significantly due to these measures. The only thing that scares me is the biggest factor left in the complete "circle of automotive safety", the loose nut behind the wheel. I hope that they don't take the steering wheel out of my hands!
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That's coming. some day all you will do is get in the car sit back and tell it were to take you.
 
ocdart said:
Absolutely! The first rearview mirror was used on a race car in the very first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 - on the Ray Harroun-driven Marmon Wasp.

From www.popularmechanics.com:

Driver Ray Harroun stirred controversy at 1911's inaugural 500 by ­entering the only single-seater in the field, a stinger-tailed Marmon Wasp. His fellow drivers, each of whom had a "mechanician" riding shotgun, knew that by motoring solo, Harroun would have an edge in weight and aerodynamics. They complained that without a spotter beside him, Harroun would be blind to racers closing in from behind and thus be a danger to all. His solution: a rectangular mirror mounted to the cowl on four steel dowels. Harroun won the race, and by the mid-teens the device—marketed as a "mirrorscope" or "cop-spotter"—was a popular aftermarket accessory. Incidentally, Harroun's mirror was a bust: It vibrated so fiercely during the race that he couldn't see a thing in it.

Read more: 15 Ways the Indy 500 Changed How You Drive - Indianapolis 500 100th Anniversary - Popular Mechanics
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Whoa. Cool stuff! I had no idea. Thanks for sharing.

Old man ray said:
That's coming. some day all you will do is get in the car sit back and tell it were to take you.
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Old man ray, you just described my personal version of hell. :p

Honestly, so long as we can take the wheel back into our own hands when we want to, I can imagine putting the time spent on the dreadful morning/afternoon commute in the daily beater to good use-- like reading up on hotrodding Mopar small blocks for example.
 
MRGTX said:
Whoa. Cool stuff! I had no idea. Thanks for sharing.



Old man ray, you just described my personal version of hell. :p

Honestly, so long as we can take the wheel back into our own hands when we want to, I can imagine putting the time spent on the dreadful morning/afternoon commute in the daily beater to good use-- like reading up on hotrodding Mopar small blocks for example.
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Your statement about hell reminds me of an old joke.

An elderly couple where driving down the road when they were suddenly cut of by a tractor trailer and driven over the embackment.

A bright flash of light appeared and when the husband could see again he was surround by friends and family all with various kinds of exotic cars.

Am I in heaven he asked. Sure was the reply there really is no hell.
It's just that when you get here married people are judged by how faithful they were in there life and get to pick the transportation of there choice based on that. You can have anything you wish..

He looked around then said wait were is my wife. Silence was in the crowd. Then a voice was heard to say I just saw her heading this way she sholud be here any moment. You can't miss her she's riding a nice red scooter.
 
Old man ray said:
Ralph Nader, started the ball rolling with the corvair.
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Close but no cigar. Unsafe at Any Speed was not entirely about the Corvair. The book condemned Detroit in general for not caring about the health and well being of their customers. The NHTSA came about as a result of the Congressional hearings about the issues raised by Mr. Nader, who at the time was a young investigative reporter. I find it ironic that by the time the public was made aware of the Corvair's shortcomings, GM had already redesigned the car to correct them. The '65 to '69 Corvairs were the best cars GM ever put on the road in my opinion. Doesn't say much for GM does it?
Emission standards weren't a direct result of deficiencies in auto design but more a reaction to the fact that in the late '50s and early '60s our air was unbelievably foul. I can remember riding down the road with dad at noon with the head lights on so we could see where we were going. Out of 27 people from 8 families in our little neighborhood, 19 have been treated for cancer or died of cancer. Something had to be done and auto emissions was a good start. Sorry, I'm starting to climb up on my soapbox so I'd better stop for now.
 
grumpuscreature said:
Close but no cigar. Unsafe at Any Speed was not entirely about the Corvair. The book condemned Detroit in general for not caring about the health and well being of their customers. The NHTSA came about as a result of the Congressional hearings about the issues raised by Mr. Nader, who at the time was a young investigative reporter. I find it ironic that by the time the public was made aware of the Corvair's shortcomings, GM had already redesigned the car to correct them. The '65 to '69 Corvairs were the best cars GM ever put on the road in my opinion. Doesn't say much for GM does it?
Emission standards weren't a direct result of deficiencies in auto design but more a reaction to the fact that in the late '50s and early '60s our air was unbelievably foul. I can remember riding down the road with dad at noon with the head lights on so we could see where we were going. Out of 27 people from 8 families in our little neighborhood, 19 have been treated for cancer or died of cancer. Something had to be done and auto emissions was a good
start. Sorry, I'm starting to climb up on my soapbox so I'd better stop for
now.
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All good points. Climb back up onthe box anytime.
 
I'm hoping SlantSixDan posts about our lame lighting standards.

A very under appreciated aspect that racing has had on production road cars is aerodynamic stability - this is why you can drive a minivan one handed at 100 MPH and most vintage muscle are scary over 80 MPH. (thank you Jim Hall of Chaparral race cars).
 
Old man ray said:
Your statement about hell reminds me of an old joke.

An elderly couple where driving down the road when they were suddenly cut of by a tractor trailer and driven over the embackment.

A bright flash of light appeared and when the husband could see again he was surround by friends and family all with various kinds of exotic cars.

Am I in heaven he asked. Sure was the reply there really is no hell.
It's just that when you get here married people are judged by how faithful they were in there life and get to pick the transportation of there choice based on that. You can have anything you wish..

He looked around then said wait were is my wife. Silence was in the crowd. Then a voice was heard to say I just saw her heading this way she sholud be here any moment. You can't miss her she's riding a nice red scooter.
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LMAO!! she was having the mail man in for cookies I guess :D
 
RaniDart70 said:
whats most interesting to me are the dates each mandate occoured
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I think the move away from front brake drums in 76 had to do with that year being the Bicentennial year - they needed all the drums they could get for all the parades.

;-)
 
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