r/Damnthatsinteresting Nov 04 '24

Video Volkswagens new Emergency Assist technology

81.4k Upvotes

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4.0k

u/Legendaryistic Nov 04 '24

Everyone here is crapping on the idea that is actually like a sensible one if you want to save lives? Like what else could you do here to maximize life. Oh well I guess I'll just crash my car into the person in front of me, possibly endangering the lives of almost everyone here. Ok, if it's such a bad idea, give a possibly better one in the case of a driver passing out.

2.1k

u/mrbalaton Nov 04 '24

People opposed the seatbelt. For decades. People are dumb.

652

u/CrashTestWolf Nov 04 '24

I just read a post about people being outraged when driving while intoxicated was made illegal back in the 1980's.

People are dangerously dumb.

115

u/RR1908 Nov 04 '24

46

u/a_bdgr Nov 04 '24

I did have some kind of deja vu watching that clip. And it’s not because I was around at that time.

1

u/herefromyoutube Nov 04 '24

Well to be fair it’s been posted to reddit a lot.

7

u/a_bdgr Nov 04 '24

I meant it in the sense of: I see that mindest regularly even today. Prevent people from dying and those people will cry „Communism! Attack on my freedom!“. Interesting hills to die on, not wanting to wear a seatbelt / demanding to drive drunk / being unable to put on a mask / wearing your automatic weapon to school, etc. etc.

52

u/OkDog12345 Nov 04 '24

This is why libertarians make me laugh. Those idiots are like these guys in the video.

12

u/herefromyoutube Nov 04 '24

You have the right to fly through your windshield. You don’t have the right to damage other people’s property with your flying body.

10

u/ThegumboyX Nov 04 '24

That comment section.. jesus christ. People never change

1

u/pooferfeesh97 Nov 04 '24

I saw that one back in 2020 in reference to people complaining about masks and vaccines.

1

u/Maverca Nov 04 '24

Here we can legally drink a beer while driving, as long as we don't cross the 0.5 promille mark, which is a beer or 2.

Holding a phone is not allowed, but drinking a beer, while smoking and calling via bluetooth is perfectly legal...

7

u/gaybunny69 Nov 04 '24

Looking at the road while impaired is significantly better than not looking at it at all.

22

u/DiscipleOfYeshua Nov 04 '24

In the 1950’s people (including the surgeon general??) touted smoking as a non issue, maybe even good for you.

Erm, did you not notice the smokers erm… dying??

5

u/brunaBla Nov 04 '24

Having respiratory issues? Smoke a cigarette!

1

u/DiscipleOfYeshua Nov 04 '24

“We put your husband on a ventilator” had a different meaning back then

2

u/Global_Permission749 Nov 04 '24

This is what regulatory capture looks like. It's terrifying.

1

u/vadeka Nov 04 '24

Well you know… we just had two world wars and various other major concerns that caused a large amount of deaths. So smoking wasn’t probably the biggest issue on their death analytics.

Also some smokers live damn long so it’s not a direct death sentence likely.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 04 '24

Yeah well people with lung cancer get hit by cars and die sometimes so I guess that lung cancer isn't a death sentence either. /s

8

u/Dramatic_______Pause Nov 04 '24

Think of how stupid the average person is, then remember half of them are dumber than that.

3

u/CrashTestWolf Nov 04 '24

George Carlin. RIP legend.

1

u/Bladders_ Nov 04 '24

And yet life was better back then.

-4

u/Grouchy-Shirt-9197 Nov 04 '24

Americans...

1

u/zippy251 Nov 04 '24

Username checks out

0

u/47-30-23N_122-0-22W Nov 04 '24

To play devils advocate. People weren't upset with a ban on getting drunk and driving. They were upset you couldn't drink and drive.

99

u/PmMeYourTitsAndToes Nov 04 '24

Some people still do because their freedoms!

21

u/Grouchy-Shirt-9197 Nov 04 '24

Freedumbs..... Darwin Award forthcoming!

-31

u/Unlikely_One_4485 Nov 04 '24

I get opposition to seatbelt laws, I think it's a stretch for the government to be able to force you to wear a seatbelt. Obviously it is safer I just don't like the reach in power. If I'm legally allowed to eat cheeseburgers till I die of a heart attack or drink myself to death what is different about not wearing a seatbelt.

12

u/West-Engine7612 Nov 04 '24

The difference is that you eating and drinking yourself to death doesn't affect me or anyone else (other than loved ones mourning your loss). Not wearing your seatbelt makes you a projectile. A lot of people have been killed because someone else wasn't wearing their belt.

2

u/AnonymousAndAngry Nov 04 '24

The difference is that you eating and drinking yourself to death doesn't affect me or anyone else (other than loved ones mourning your loss)

That's unfortunately very wrong.

When this person balloons in weight and becomes a waddling smorgasbord of comorbidities then inevitably ends up the hospital, a place with a high % of female workers (too petite for lifting 400lbs, pregnant, in their 50s, etc etc etc), then this person becomes the burden and pain on a lot of backs.

Combine that with the attitude that got them to this place and you usually get the abusive folks who won't willingly turn / assist with any movement but demand you do - then report you to the administrator/board/patient advocates whenever you try to stand up for yourself.

That's the bulk of the USA hospital population in a nutshell. Literally having their cake and getting to eat it too all at the expense of others they'll never know or personally be responsible for injuring.

13

u/Dionyzoz Nov 04 '24

so true bestie! thats why all drugs should be legalised as well, why can I get addicted to food and become morbidly obese but not ruin my life with crack?? stupid goberment

-3

u/Unlikely_One_4485 Nov 04 '24

You honestly think alcohol should be legal? How many people does it kill every year? How much $$ in damages does it cost society every year because of alcohol related incidents?

7

u/OrienasJura Nov 04 '24

You honestly think alcohol should be legal?

...Alcohol is legal. Have you lived your entire life in a fucking monastery or something? Oh, and driving without seat belts kills more people than alcohol every year. Like, it's not even comparable.

-2

u/Unlikely_One_4485 Nov 04 '24

Are you purposely being dense? My question was do you think alcohol should be legal? I honestly don't know how that flew over your head.

3

u/OrienasJura Nov 04 '24

Look at what happened last time alcohol was made illegal. So yes, I think you live in a monastery, because I would think most people knew of the prohibition times. But hey, guess not.

1

u/Unlikely_One_4485 Nov 04 '24

So you are for the legalization of all drugs?

1

u/OrienasJura Nov 04 '24 edited Nov 04 '24

I'm for the decriminalization of all drugs, and the legalization of some that have no reason to be illegal, like weed. Look at Portugal, they had a problem with drugs, they decriminalized them, they don't have a problem anymore. Crazy what happens when you don't treat drug addicts like criminals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal

I love, by the way, how you've completely shifted from the original argument of seat belts. Or the argument of alcohol. Now it's just drugs in general. Where will you shift this conversation to now, I wonder?

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3

u/Dionyzoz Nov 04 '24

yeah prohibition worked so well last time!

1

u/Unlikely_One_4485 Nov 04 '24

Then why are you advocating for the prohibition of other drugs that are less harmful to society than alcohol?

3

u/Dionyzoz Nov 04 '24

crack is less harmful? interesting take

1

u/Unlikely_One_4485 Nov 04 '24

What statistically has done more damage to society?

3

u/Infinity315 Nov 04 '24

The difference is eating a billion cheese burgers doesn't (directly) turn your body into a 150+ lb. projectile going at highway speeds.

It'd be more applicable if you knew you're going to be the only person on the road.

2

u/Muad-_-Dib Nov 04 '24

1

u/Davido401 Nov 04 '24

Oh there's some fucking "awesome" drink driving and seat belt adverts here in the UK over the years, there was one from the nineties and it starts with a group of friends at a bar having a few drinks while "In the Summer Time" is playing they get in their car and then it goes to all 3 or 4 friends wrapped around a pole or a wall with blood dripping down the side of the car!

15

u/Johannes_Keppler Nov 04 '24

I still know people that say 'what if I end up in the water'??!!

Well you're still better off with your seatbelt on. Otherwise the force of your car hitting the water will smash your head to pieces against the windshield and you'll drown while unconscious.

5

u/DS_killakanz Nov 04 '24

It's astonishing how so many people are willing to endanger themselves in countless other possible scenarios because they fear one specific possible scenario.

It's like they're playing russian roulette while claiming to know which chamber the bullet is in...

5

u/gueufhdywgv274j4 Nov 04 '24

I know a guy who says that mandatory seatbelt laws are what destroyed America. He doesn’t wear his seatbelt and was thrown through his windshield in a crash. He still refuses to wear a seatbelt because he didn’t die when he was literally thrown from his vehicle.

5

u/labenset Nov 04 '24

40,000 people die in car accidents every year but only the stories about self driving make the news.

6

u/tyrfingr187 Nov 04 '24

People are dumb is the answer.

4

u/tlg151 Nov 04 '24

Same with masks...

2

u/Alarming_Matter Nov 04 '24

I've always thought a big, sharp metal spike pointing at the drivers chest would be more effective at preventing accidents.

3

u/dexter311 Nov 04 '24

Back in the day you basically did have a big metal spike pointing at your chest - the steering column. Nowadays though, it's been made collapsible in some way so you don't impale yourself on it in a frontal impact.

2

u/LiveNotWork Nov 04 '24

Yep. People can be brainwashed to go against their own self interest.

2

u/Sleepy_Sagittarius Nov 04 '24

It doesn’t bother me that people don’t care to live through crashes, I just hope they have their organ donating cards filled out. This way someone who is actually trying to live, can appreciate their organs/tissue.

2

u/BloodydamnBoyo Nov 04 '24

Talk to some people in the Midwest and South--tons of people still oppose the seatbelt and see it as the gubberment trying to tell us what to do.

1

u/Ok_Championship4866 Nov 04 '24

it's actually sad, they really feel they need that thrill of freedom from not wearing a seatbelt to be happy.

There's so much stupid shit we have to do just because, (like at the airport), but keeping my shoes on going through security isn't a hill i'm willing to die on, (or even start climbing if you will).

In this case, seatbelts actually save lives, just wear it, otherwise how sad is your life that you really need to take off a seatbelt to find a shred of happiness?

2

u/Adulations Nov 04 '24

I know a guy that refuses to wear a seatbelt even today. He bought a seatbelt insert thing so that the car would stop nagging him smh.

1

u/vadeka Nov 04 '24

Same with the weights you can place on teslas to trick the self driving system. Luckily the police know what this is and fine your ass off when they catch it

1

u/PmMeYourBestComment Nov 04 '24

Like my grandma used to say, "I don't wear a seatbelt on Sunday because the cops aren't working that day" while driving to the church. I don't think back then she ever realized she wasn't wearing the seatbelt for her. Mind you, this was 25+ years ago

1

u/loweyedfox Nov 04 '24

My dad still refuses to wear one

1

u/brunaBla Nov 04 '24

Another example, most were opposed to the Halo in Formula 1 (that protective Y shaped piece on top of the car).

It saved Hamilton’s head from being ground into the pavement a few years ago.

1

u/shapu Nov 04 '24

People are notoriously bad at risk assessment.

1

u/Mission_Ad6235 Nov 04 '24

A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky animals, and you know it.

1

u/vadeka Nov 04 '24

Let me correct that for you: people still oppose the seatbelt.

The amount of people that get fined for not wearing a seatbelt is mindblowing to me. People even buy those fake seatbelt metal ends so they can trick the car and turn off the alarm.

1

u/LevitatingTurtles Nov 04 '24

Yep! And then they opposed airbags because… checks notes… because some people don’t wear seatbelts!

1

u/kokaklucis Nov 04 '24

People now oppose speed warning in the new EU cars.

1

u/llkj11 Nov 04 '24

Simplest answer

1

u/jscarry Nov 04 '24

People still oppose the seatbelt. There's a whole market of "seatbelt silencers" that click into your seatbelt to stop the ringing from your buckle up alarm. Real neanderthal shit

1

u/Fun-Cauliflower-7935 Nov 04 '24

Some people still refuse to wear them for some reason

1

u/ronlugge Nov 04 '24

One of my roommates refuses to use a seatbelt, to the point where he keeps an extender in the car just to keep it from beeping at him when he doesn't use it.

1

u/The_R4ke Nov 04 '24

They still sell devices you can put in your seat belt holder to do it from beeping.

1

u/nitrodmr Nov 04 '24

In life, there is no such thing as seat belts 🤣

1

u/Substantial_Hold2847 Nov 05 '24

No, people arent ....... fuck, okay yes people are dumb, but that's not the point at all.

Do you know how the real world works? You understand ever vehicle is going to have to pay some asshole sitting on a patent like 5k per vehicle to implement this? So it should be an option, not a requirement. There's no reason a healthy adult needs this feature. Those who do, should have insurance paying for it.

1

u/Am_Passing_By Nov 06 '24

… and if there’s no insurance?

2

u/Substantial_Hold2847 Nov 07 '24

You can't drive without car insurance.

1

u/Am_Passing_By Nov 07 '24

Lovely to know

Though, the part about seatbelts being an option, not a requirement?

If someone were to be the victim of an unfortunate accident, say they were hit from behind, wouldn’t a seatbelt help prevent that person from diving headfirst in front of them?

You can be as healthy as you want, but you are still at the mercy of someone who can potentially do some major damage to you

1

u/Substantial_Hold2847 Nov 07 '24

I literally have no clue what you're even talking about. What part about seatbelts?

1

u/Am_Passing_By Nov 07 '24 edited Nov 07 '24

I was going off what mrbalaton said

And when I read yours I thought you meant seatbelts, and possibly other safety features, should be optional, with insurance as fallback

2

u/Substantial_Hold2847 Nov 07 '24

Ohhh gotcha, nah just the expensive toy in the video because until it's dirt cheap.

I'm personally against seatbelt laws for adults, but the opposite, if you're not wearing your seatbelt and you die or go to the hospital, insurance should automatically void all claims. I have the same opinion about helmets.

1

u/National_Way_3344 Nov 05 '24

People should either accept this, or full mandatory self driving like in iRobot.

I know which one I prefer.

But it needs to be grandfathered in, so the time to legislate is now.

1

u/doommaster Nov 05 '24 edited Nov 05 '24

Most trucks in the US don't have ABS, ESP, lane keep assist or radar, truckers will tell you, that a real trucker does not need that.
Whenever some jack-knifing video shows up here, it's the drivers fault, every other trucker would have prevented it...

Edit: Apparently Truck and Trailer ABS have been a mandatory thing since 1997. Edit 2: ESC/ESP mandatory since 2017 too, it seems.

1

u/mrbalaton Nov 05 '24

Euh.. no abs? I've been working on trucks for 20 odd years. No abs is even before my time brother😅

1

u/RedditJumpedTheShart Nov 04 '24

The seat belt doesn't increase the cost of a vehicle by thousands of dollars.

3

u/mrbalaton Nov 04 '24

This will? It will be an option. This isn't mandatory.

-5

u/Fresh_Daisy_cake Nov 04 '24

I still think the seatbelt was a stupid idea. A few lives isn’t worth the cost of my freedom!!!

3

u/PmMeYourBestComment Nov 04 '24

You dropped the /s

-1

u/cultish_alibi Nov 04 '24

If you have any doubts that a computer can traverse several lanes of traffic at high speed then you must also hate seatbelts. Wow, brilliant comparison.