[smallpoxgirl]

There is no honor in breaking traffic laws.

That's the new mantra, isn't it? Do what you're told. Don't ask questions. Stay in line. Don't ever think that you are beyond the control of your rulers.

[patience]

I stay under 55 because I want to, knowing there are idiot drivers out there. My neighbor's relative just got burned to death in his semi because some fool HAD to pass on a double yellow line, and head-on into the truck. No escape for the truck, nowhere to go, just take it in the face, jackknife, rollover, and burn to death.

I have no respect for idiot drivers. None.

I DO believe that driving is a right, as long as you play by the rules we need to make it possible in a complex society. I accept those rules. The rules of the road are different now than when my family moved here 200 years ago, but the rights we had then, and are SAID to have now, are not any different. I claim those rights.

edit: Was it Jefferson who said, "Your freedom ends where my nose begins"? He thought that way anyhow. So do I.

[KevO]

The rules of the road are different now than when my family moved here 200 years ago, but the rights we had then, and are SAID to have now, are not any different.

Jesus! How old are you?

[patience]

OLDER THAN DIRT !!! Gol dern grammar gremlins got me again.

Actually, 62, going on 90.

[mos6507]

There is no honor in breaking traffic laws.

That's the new mantra isn't it. Do what you're told. Don't ask questions. Stay in line. Don't ever think that you are beyond the control of your rulers.

What kind of bs extremist argument is this? How is a lawless society of "anything goes" a just and pleasant society to live in? You want to change laws, work within the system to do it. For instance, ballot initiatives are becoming very popular. They were very popular in southern california. That's direct democracy at work for you if you don't trust your politicians.

[mos6507]

I DO believe that driving is a right, as long as you play by the rules we need to make it possible in a complex society.

You may believe it should be a right, but legally it isn't.
Same deal with people who think they don't have to pay income tax. Take it up in the federal courts if you want.

[perdition79]

You may believe it should be a right, but legally it isn't. Same deal with people who think they don't have to pay income tax. Take it up in the federal courts if you want.

The people who think they don't have to pay income taxes, but really do, end up in prison. Wesley Snipes, for example, is an officer of a corporation, and is subject to income tax. He listened to bad advice meant for private citizens working in the private sector and got burned badly.

[3aidlillahi]

I drive 55 all the time. Wouldn't bother me one bit. I drive a Malibu (V-6) that gets 30 mpg or greater when it's running well.

[mos6507]

I drive 55 all the time. Wouldn't bother me one bit. I drive a Malibu (V-6) that gets 30 mpg or greater when it's running well.

Shhhh. You're supposed to be contributing to the "stick it to the man" sentiment. Laws are for chumps. It's all about anarchy, right? People can be trusted to do the right thing. We don't need no stinkin government to tell us what's wrong or right. Who cares about speed limits, red lights at intersections. Heck, if you want to drive on the other side of the road like in England, that's your right and don't let anybody tell you otherwise! Pursuit of happiness and all that other stuff.

I wish there were an island you could go to where there were no rules. It would be like one big carnival. You could drink and smoke and play pool and throw rocks through windows. Just tear the crap out of the place. And nothing costs any money. I'd call it, Pleasure Island. What's the worst that could happen?

[3aidlillahi]

What's the worst that could happen?

We turn into donkeys? I don't get that picture (I have no kids)...

[Ferretlover]

We turn into donkeys? I don't get that picture (I have no kids)...

Children who behave badly turn into creatures that reflect their behavior-jackasses. See: Pinnochio

[Byron100]

Just a couple of thoughts here - why is it in a country as big and wide as the United States have lower speed limits than compact Europe? I mean, take a country like Germany or England, with the longest distance that's possible to travel limited to about 800 miles or so, and yet they still have 130 kph or even unlimited speed limits on the autobahns. Even in the UK, the speed limits on the congested motorway system is 70 mph, compared to 55 mph in some of the northeastern states here in the US.

Things like speed cameras are nothing more than a money-making machine, and laws should be passed to keep them from being used. Anybody wanna start a petition? And this talk about driving being a privilege, well, they need to provide some decent alternatives to driving before they systematically take away this "privilege" for millions of drivers.

How about we do the sensible thing and start taxing the hell out of gasoline, now, while it's dirt cheap, and then start layering new car taxes based on fuel efficiency - SUV's get majorly taxed (commercial work trucks would get a biz exemption as to not hurt farmers, etc), and hybrids would get a tax rebate. Use these funds to construct new rail lines and public transport options so that people have other ways of getting around without having to rely solely on cars. Make it expensive and troublesome to obtain a driver's license, like they do in Germany. And let's stop building new freeways that are designed for 75 mph travel while we're at it, too.

But I guess these things make too much sense, huh? They'd rather make Montanans drive 55 on a 75 mph Interstate and put speed cameras out in the middle of nowhere to pop unsuspecting drivers for doing 1 mph over the limit.

[smallpoxgirl]

I wish there were an island you could go to where there were no rules. It would be like one big carnival. You could drink and smoke and play pool and throw rocks through windows. Just tear the crap out of the place. And nothing costs any money. I'd call it, Pleasure Island. What's the worst that could happen?

I've got a better idea. Since people obviously aren't capable of deciding for themselves what is and isn't appropriate behavior, let's pass hundreds of thousands of pointless laws so that everybody is pretty much in violation of at least one of them at any given time. Then we'll outfit everyone with GPS tracker bracelets with video and audio telemetry. We'll give the government direct access to our bank accounts, so any time we fart in public they can just take the fine directly out of our bank account. I mean hell. We can't just have people farting in public can we? Think of the children for god's sake. We MUST have a war on public farting.

Traffic laws have been this incredible segway to people accepting the idea of the government constantly monitoring regulating their every action. It has turned what were once proud independent citizens into a bunch of bleating sheep that can't think for themselves about the simplest action without fourteen signs and a police officer. Not only that, they'll ardently defend their ovine behavior with ridiculous hyperboles about anarchy and social chaos.

[vision-master]

Insurance companies are behind this.

Just like "[s]no[/s] my fault" insurance.

If "they" really wan't to protect us, why can't I purchase PIP for my motorcycle. That's correct. I get banged up on the motorcycle, too bad.

[mos6507]

Traffic laws have been this incredible segway to people accepting the idea of the government constantly monitoring regulating their every action. It has turned what were once proud independent citizens into a bunch of bleating sheep that can't think for themselves about the simplest action without fourteen signs and a police officer. Not only that, they'll ardently defend their ovine behavior with ridiculous hyperboles about anarchy and social chaos.

You don't think the bolded section of your post above isn't hyperbole? What a hypocrite.

Traffic laws should not be used as an example to demonstrate that there is some kind of evil 1984 Conspiracy afoot to turn us into mindless sheep. That's not why traffic laws exist.

As the machines we weild become more inherently dangerous, regulations must follow to protect public safety. A car is probably the most dangerous machine the average person can ever utilize. Dangerous to the driver and to anyone else in his or her path. It must be wielded responsibly. A car has been the cause of unintended mass-murder many times. We've just become blind to the statistics. Traffic fatalities are something to casually rattle off on the AM radio because, well, we need to know whether we're going to get to work on time. Who cares about the schlubs who lost their lives beyond whatever inconvenience it imposes on us?

Here is one famous incident from my old neck of the woods:
Farmer's Market Massacre

That guy never should have still had a license to drive. Driving should not be a right. You have to demonstrate that you can handle it and once you get on the road, follow the rules that in most cases were put there for a logical reason.

[smallpoxgirl]

Traffic laws should not be used as an example to demonstrate that there is some kind of evil 1984 Conspiracy afoot to turn us into mindless sheep. That's not why traffic laws exist.

The conspiracy is that people lack self confidence. Because they don't trust their own actions, they don't trust the actions of other people. They bleat for an industry of control to monitor their actions and parent them.

Cars kill people, because cars are dangerous. We create myths and stories when people die in car crashes. We dispatch armies of police to try to come up with an explanation. Drunk driving, speeding, jaywalking, cell phones. We feel like if we can explain the risks then we can somehow control the risks and make our lives less dangerous. We think that by passing laws and trying to create an industry of enforcement, that we can some how make cars not be dangerous. The truth is that cars are dangerous. Period. We can hire you a person cop if you'd like to ride with you every time you get in the car and give you a ticket every time you forget to use your blinker. People, lots of people, will still die in car crashes. It's an inherently dangerous tool. People just need to accept that the danger is part and parcel of the power of the tool. Nobody can give you safety. You can have a cop monitor your activities all day long writing you tickets and it won't make you safe. It's a risky world. But then, there really is no risk. In the end, there is absolute safety in the fact, that you are going to die. YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. So get out there and live and stop cowering in fear that your neighbor might make an illegal left turn at 2 am.

[Dan1195]

As mentioned above, in many areas west of the Miss. River, it is so wide open it will be difficult to convince people to go 55 again. Even in the western Boston suburbs I can get passed on my right going 75+ if if the traffic is not too heavy. I-495 west of Boston averages 70-75 in moderate traffic in rush hour (of course the result is many accident here tend to be bad although there are not that many)

[eastbay]

As mentioned above, in many areas west of the Miss. River, it is so wide open it will be difficult to convince people to go 55 again. Even in the western Boston suburbs I can get passed on my right going 75+ if if the traffic is not too heavy. I-495 west of Boston averages 70-75 in moderate traffic in rush hour (of course the result is many accident here tend to be bad although there are not that many)

When the law starts tossing around $300 speeding tickets people will slow down. But you're right, the new signs alone won't be enough. Enjoy this period of 70+ mph speed limits because their days are numbered. Expect the signs to go up about the time the next supply shortage hits.

[smallpoxgirl]

When the law starts tossing around $300 speeding tickets people will slow down

Or start buying radar detectors.

[mos6507]

YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. So get out there and live and stop cowering in fear that your neighbor might make an illegal left turn at 2 am.

Just so to get you to go on the record here, do you advocate a free for all on the streets where anybody tall enough to reach the pedals can drive, and drive in any reckless manner they wish?