Kinetic Energy Weapons ( cars )

This is just a rant about a pet hate of mine: how easy it is to get a driver’s license, and how shit most people are at driving.

Here’s the thing: KE = (1/2).m.v^2

— what does this mean?

• KE = Kinetic Energy — ie: the amount of energy in a massive body in motion at some given velocity;
• which is equal to half the mass of the object ( in kilograms ) multiplied by its velocity ( metres per second ) squared;

— which in turn gives an answer in joules of energy.

So, let’s say that on average:

your car weighs 1000 kgs;

you’re travelling at 60 kph;

and you’re an idiot;

— what this means is that you’re an idiot in charge of a kinetic energy weapon, capable of doing anything up to: (1/2).1000.60^2 = 1,800,000 joules ( 1.8 MJ ( megajoules ) ) of damage to a stationary object … and if we increase your speed to 100 kph, that becomes 5 MJ ( approximately tripled for a bit over a 50% increase in velocity ).

So why the fuck do we put so many useless drivers behind the wheel?

That’s right:

1. Politics;
2. Profit;

— because we make more money by selling more cars and fuel etc., and politicians get more votes by letting you have something that no one in their right mind should let you have, given that you’re too much of a narcissist to keep your attention on the road, and too much of an imbecile to drive well even if you did.

So for all those people out there who keep hitting stationary objects, rear ending other cars while texting or doing their makeup, or whatever other distraction is stopping you from paying attention to what you’re doing … and for all those whom not only cannot drive 20kph faster than the speed limit ( in ideal circumstances ) safely, but whom are also so useless behind the wheel, that you drive 20 kph below the speed limit in ideal circumstances — please, PLEASE, P L E A S E! Go hand back your drivers license, or take some more lessons, or something, because if all of you were off the road, there would be no road rage, there would be few or no accidents, and we wouldn’t need a speed limit, because everyone else is wise enough to judge what is safe for their vehicle, driving ability, and the conditions of the road at the time they’re driving.

You say you want a zero road toll ( deaths from driving related accidents )? FINE! Then hand back your license because you’re no fucking good at it!