Oolite Bulletins

Escape pods are something I always buy, but never use. I always just restart from last save. However, for some reason the thought crossed my mind that Gold, Platinum and Gem-stones (which use no cargo space, supposedly because they are compact enough to be kept in a "safe" in the cockpit) might be stored in, and ejected with, the escape pod as an "emergency fund". No idea if this would be possible or even if it would serve any real purpose in the game as it now stands. Just thought it sounded like the sort of thing prudent space travelers (whatever there profession) would do.

I notice that sometimes my cargo is saved when I eject and sometimes it isn't. I haven't kept track of if it's JUST gold, silver, etc... or if it's all cargo. Someone will know.

WIth the auto-eject option I see no reason not to continue on. In terms of penalty you just need to replace the pod and whatever stuff got damaged before the ship blew (funny how that tags along? Considered a "pre existing condition" on the black box? )

If there was a way to hardwire it in, I'd say that gold, platinum and gems should always go with you in the escape pod. That makes for a good cushion to carry around with you. Maybe there is a chance that your regular cargo gets salvaged and returned, but if that is the case it should be a percentage chance since pirates are likely to scoop it up.

Even if your ship were recovered intact, the cargo should probably be used to cover "recovery fees"...since hauling someone else's ship to a main station is "non-trivial" at least for the player to do.
Just a cost of bailing out, since in real life insurance tends to cover only part of your losses...unless your insurance premiums are so high that they're usury.
Escape Pods don't have insurance fees with them, unless they really only cost about 100 credits and the remaining 900 credits represents "indefinite time" insurance. That would only work if very few successfully use an escape pod, since ships are very expensive relative escape pod costs.

...but Gold/Plat/Gems (up to 499 kg of each) should "escape" with you when you eject.

Well since I'm flying an Adder, I mostly deal with Gold and Platinum anyway