The Life-Saving Car Technology No One Wants

Re:The Life-Saving Car Technology No One Wants by weatherman2 on Thursday August 13, 2020 @08:17PM (#24151625)

I'm fairly convinced that the safety features that have been making the A pillars and C pillars of passenger cars thicker in recent years have heavily contributed to the trend of greater pedestrian deaths. Visibility on new cars is worse than it's ever been in my lifetime.

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Re:The Life-Saving Car Technology No One Wants by johnwalkr on Friday August 14, 2020 @12:18AM (#24153315)

I recently drove a Daihatsu Tanto [1], it has 2 thin a-pillars on each side, with glass in between. It looks strange but the visibility is so much better!

Certain types of intersections are especially deadly, where at normal speeds an approaching cyclist can be obscured by the a-pillar for some seconds.[2]

1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_Tanto

2. http://singletrackworld.com/2018/01/collision-course-why-thi...

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Re:The Life-Saving Car Technology No One Wants by kranner on Thursday August 13, 2020 @10:16PM (#24152437)

I agree, I drive a RHD VW Polo and have to lean forward and to the left so I can peer over the A pillar to check for oncoming traffic while taking right turns. That's not to mention the glaring reflections on the windscreen while driving under leafy trees on sunny afternoons.

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Re:The Life-Saving Car Technology No One Wants by runamok on Friday August 14, 2020 @02:33AM (#24154458)

I run and bike so I often notice how many people are looking down at their phone at stop lights and while driving.

Just sit at an intersection and count sometime. It's terrifying.

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