It doesn't help. Why would more expensive losses equate to more meaningful to everyone? It just means people would be MORE risk averse you twit. You raise the barrier of entry, they dont want to risk loosing the ship, they end up not playing OR paying, subscriptions go down, and gg Eve. GG free expansions, GG more content, expanding company, more gameplay, more fixed, more ANYTHING.

because an erebus hull, which represents ~40,000 max-yield hulk hours of veldspar mining for the trit requirements alone, being so easily replaced, is somehow good for the game?

Okay, usualy i defend miners (especialy in buffed-barge-whine case). But in this case... OMG... Do you know that you can orbit asteroid in 5-10km? it is realy hard to bump you if you are ...**MOVING**.... Do you see that bumper is approaching you? Set full speed, dodge, and LOL as he miss.

But miners keep assuring me that the minerals they mine are free, therefore indicating that their time is worth nothing. Since bumping takes nothing from miners but time, they aren't really losing anything, Q.E.D.

That requires the OP to be at his computer

...wut?
.

So is your argument.

"If I go into 0.0 people try to blow me up! They are interrupting MY play style! CCP, do something about it!"

Empire is no different, in being entitled ONLY to what you can enforce. In high-sec the odds are simply more in favor of the carebears, but by no means perfect. THIS IS HOW IT WAS DESIGNED FROM DAY ONE

You are also wrong in your assessment of AFK miners 'just minding their own business'. Their actions (or 'in-action' if you will), have a big impact on the market for ice, making it almost impossible for active miners to compete. Ever thought of that?

This whole thread is ridiculous; if you are seriously asking CCP to ban somebody for bumping other ships then you need to go play Star Trek Online or something; there are thousands of players that gank miners hourly, even with the recent rebalance, how come you aren't asking for them to be banned as well?

How come you aren't complaining about stupid bumping games at station undocks, or ambush bumping to make sure a target can't dock up into a station and avoid a gank?

tldr; OP is mad, bro.

Ah. Sorry. The thing is though, while you're right yes, they've moved and expanded their efforts. That is the concern. If it was in one system...they're still assholes, but fine. When it expands and multiple systems are being affected...no.

If their current numbers remain steady this is true and you are 100% correct. However, the bandwagon is getting bigger based off forum sentiment of some other players. What is your prediction of their numbers should this positive sentiment trend continue?

When it expands and multiple systems are being affected, there will be fewer on the ground so the chance of the rational miner being affected approaches zero.

because an erebus hull, which represents ~40,000 max-yield hulk hours of veldspar mining for the trit requirements alone, being so easily replaced, is somehow good for the game?

This argument could just as well be used against the proliferation of mining scum - for example, Johnny Newbie starts playing and like many first time players he turns to mining as an initial activity, but what he mines is worth absolutely nothing because the mining filth have caused all the prices to tank.

See how that works?