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But I'll bet it also reduces accidents from people pulling through spaces to the other side or cutting through the middle of a parking lot.

Personally... The ability to do these things increases safety(or at least, pedestrian safety) for me. It means you don't have to pull out backwards blind when sandwiched between two SUVs, or run through high-pedestrian areas repeatedly to find a spot.

Mike -
Random baggage checks are either deeply annoying, or very sparsely applied. They are also obvious stationary defenses.

If they are very sparsely applied, then you are relying on the risk-aversion sense displayed by a suicide bomber.

If they are very stationary, obvious defenses, then you are simply pushing the problem away. Most often, just as many casualties can be created in the baggage screening lines, or at another train station, or anywhere in the country that a crowd exists.

The problem is that baggage screening does not consist of a defense against terrorists. They consist of a psychological reassurance to stupid people. Visibility is counter-productive to catching anyone, and value-neutral to having the terrorism occur, but entirely positive if your goal is to perform "safety rituals" in front of an audience.

by Squalish on Oct 30, 2009 2:52 pm • link • report