Right now I'm reading a fascinating book: "Traffic: Why we drive the way we do", by Tom Vanderbilt. It's filled with great anecdotes and facts about driving, but I was really struck by this chapter 7:

I couldn't help but think that of the two roads, it was the safer one on which I had nearly met my end. Lulled by safety, I'd acted more dangerously.

Now, that's not an argument against safety features (he goes on to praise the virtues of rumble strips) - but it does make me wonder about the efficacy of "safety over everything" in various walks of life. Would we be more careful with our bank choices if there were no FDIC insurance (or perhaps less)? Would we be more careful about driving if there were fewer warning signs that we tend to ignore? I don't know the answers, but they certainly are interesting questions.

Technorati Tags: books