In 2008 there were 34,017 deaths (and nearly 100,000 major injuries) related to automobile accidents in the United States. Terrorists would have to blow up 113 Boeing 777-200s each year in order to kill that many people! That is, they'd have to blow up all but six of the 777-200's (which hold 301 people in a 3-tier international setup) currently owned by American Airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines (together they own 119 777-200s) and would have to do so every single year, which is probably faster than they can be built...
More along this line of reasoning from Yglesias.
Got into yesterday with someone from West Chester on twitter, I know, don't argue with idiots, so it was mostly one sided with her doing all the arguing about how dangerous it is walking around OTR.
ReplyDeleteDoing some research online I found out, 56% of all pedestrian deaths occur in and around cul-de-sacs that have main roads as their only access.
I couldn't find the percent of deaths that occur in dense walkable neighborhoods but I bet its low.
OK, sorry its only related because cars are doing the killing, but then, that's social acceptable too isn't it?
Schw4r7z has a good point. Also, the difference with killings by terrorists and death by cars is that death by automobiles are usually accidents, terrorist are hell bent on killing.
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