Risk

"John Adams is actually a colleague of mine, and when I read his book it completely changed my image of risk. For example, Adams discusses at great length whether seat belts actually have reduced the number of accidents, and his point is that when you have a seatbelt on, you might drive more dangerously, because you feel more secure. In other words, he’s saying risk is not a simple, straightforward thing. He has this brilliant idea which I always quote. If you want to get people to drive more carefully, have a spike set in the steering wheel, pointing towards the driver’s heart. Isn’t that wonderful? It’s about compensation and how you adjust for risk. I’m a cyclist. Adams asks, how wise is it to wear a cycling helmet? Perhaps it makes you cycle more dangerously. I do wear a helmet, I must admit."