I thnk you should be able to use different types of caravan ( at different prices obviously); highly defended ornate caravan (goes slowly due to protection but very low chance of encounter) shabby undefended caravan ( the opposite fast with high encounter chance) and in-between so you can role play being rich or poor and have scenarios based upon it ( seriously what kind of bandit would attack a heavily defended caravan while an undefended one much more likely)

I love this idea, and would be happy if it were implemented.

Bandits not attacking the leader of all the guilds and champion of Skyrim doesn't make sense to me. It would stand to reason that yes, this person is a highly skilled individual. It would also stand to reason that with surprise, superior numbers, superior positions, and a bit of luck, this (assuredly) very rich individual could very well fall to an ambush. I would find it odd if bandits were not trying to rob rich, high-profile people. Sure, maybe not the King or Duke or whatever-- they would likely be the targets of assassins or very skilled thieves, not bandits, after all. But a well-organized bandit ring would have spotters in nearby towns. Hear an adventurer bragging about his haul in a local tavern? Let the bandit leader know and watch his travel plans! Hear from a loose-lipped fence about someone selling a load of stolen goods? Follow her and set up an ambush! Hear about a guild leader traveling between towns? Choose the time and place where you will strike to relieve them of their immense revenues!

As far as gameplay goes, I don't want people to stop attacking me just because I'm strong. Of course I'm going to win every battle (reloading as necessary)-- otherwise I'd have to restart! But that doesn't mean I want to live in some godlike state where everyone knows who I am and don't dare to cross me. That would be a boring game indeed. Challenging bandits are just what the doctor ordered!

This!

Also, can I just throw out there that I don't want the oblivion style fast travel available in the game. It makes it too easy to jump around and miss out on so much! Or at least have an option when you make your character: Fast Travel (non carriage) enabled/disabled

It's all on the list

http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv175/Proditus/Unnecessary.jpg

if its only a one in 100 chance then i think most people could live with it dont wanna be interrupted every other use of fast travel or carriage riding

I was thinking more like a 1 in 15 to 1 in 50 depending on what kind of travel you use and how far/ where you are fast-traveling to....

i assume your whole depending upon which kind of fast travel you use part of your speech means that the magic map fast travel would be interrupted just about all the time.

Random encounters would be nice but at a realistic level. If an arrow is shooting through the side of your carriage drivers head every other trip then you will fast be running out of drivers. Furthermore the probability of encounters should lower as your rank increases because no bandit in their right mind would decide to pick a brawl with someone who just so happens to be the leader of every guild and also wearing the champion of skyrim armour.

basically i was thinking of lots of factors. basically, map-traveling would give you 1 in 15 chance if you were on foot and traveling deep into the wilderness (which i don't think is "just about all the time" at all.) and then if you traveled on a horse deep into the wilderness you would have like a 1 in 35. traveling on horse on a main road, or taking a carriage would both be about 1 in 50. but hell, a constant 1 in 100 just seems like too slim a chance to me. I don't even use fast travel enough to ever even experience that more than twice or thrice.

but this is just my opinion. It just seems right to me.