Rules, regulations, speeding in a car and forcing our thoughts and ideas on others...

Here in the US we drive on the right hand side of a two lane road and the steering wheel is on the left side of the car.  We have what we call freeways that are not free because we pay taxes to build them but they are not toll ways except when they are attached and you have no choice but to pay the toll.  The rules of the road are that the far left lane in a multi lane pathway going the same direction is the emergency and passing lane most places here.  Most often many use this lane as an unofficial fast lane and go over the speed limit both civilians and emergency agencies and law enforcement.  The only people I see getting speeding tickets are civilians.

On the way home listening to the radio there were two view points about those who follow the speed limit and stay in the far left hand lane and refuse to move over and will slow down if you get too close.

These callers called those who came speeding up behind them and honking their horn for them to move to the right to get out of the way “reckless dangerous drivers who should get a ticket and pulled over”

The callers who use the lane for passing and going over the speed limit claim that they are going with the flow of traffic and most often a police officer who does not have their lights on is right in that pack.  It is the reasoning if a law enforcement officer does not have their lights or siren on and are speeding and you follow them it is ok.  I have several friends in emergency services say that to go over the posted speed limit emergency vehicles and law enforcement must have either their flashing lights on or siren or both or they are breaking the law.

Law enforcement who sit on the side of the road and pick people out of the heard remind me of sharks, they pull out and take a bite out of a passing fish and the rest continue on thankful they were not the one chomped.  We are told it’s about safety then why is the money not given to charity?

Myself I have learned to stay in the right hand lane and make sure that I am not in the flow of traffic if it is going over the speed limit which it is most of the time and really love the automatic speed control.  I am like a lot of people who think the rules are silly and are just a way to levy an unfair tax on those who drive.  In part that is what the talk was about today on that stations while another part of the people take it on themselves to help enforce the law (speed limit) by slowing down traffic when they can.  I understand that yes when I am doing the speed limit and passing a car that is going slower and another car comes up behind me fast I get back in the right lane as soon as possible.

I am thinking that a lot of what goes on today is we agree with or don’t agree with what is going on and we find a way to protest that which we don’t agree with.  For me speeding is a cost issue if I want to take the chance of having to pay tickets, higher insurance costs, lawyers to defend me in court or I was very rich and it did not matter I would probably speed on the road way much of the time.  I have learned I will spend my money other places and it’s not worth the gamble.  OH I did learn stay a long way from the pack that is speeding because even if you’re not speeding or breaking the law you still may get nabbed.  No it’s not fair but it’s legal and just.  I know that makes no sense but that is the way it is in the way of the world.

This station covered this subject in a way that people could voice their opinions yet not argue or bring up the fairness of traffic tickets or talk about the income produced by ticketing drivers.  I don’t know about the rest of the world but we pass laws every day that most do not know about.  We have a law here that if you pass over the gore line it’s a $411 dollar fine.   It’s a painted line on the roadway.  See link. http://pugetsoundblogs.com/roadwarrior/2010/03/17/crossing-the-gore-can-cost-you-411/   

I am a advocate of peace and law abiding behavior.  Many forget that those who came before us -those who are with us today and those who will follow  stand up/sit down for change; even when they express their support for change in non-violent non-threatening way many have been put to death  and many more locked away or exiled from their homes  because they believe...

What are your thoughts about laws that pertain to road travel in your area?  Do you think it’s fair that the authority can levy fines and continue to raise them?  

Dave