The American Spectator

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Shakedown Highways

6.28.07 @ 12:01AM

COPS OR ROBBERS?
Re: Eric Peters's Highway Robbery:

I usually agree with Mr. Peters, but as a Virginia resident, I can't back him on this one.

In the last ten years, our streets and highways have become increasingly dangerous. Day after day, I see idiotic maneuvers on a routine basis, maneuvers that I never saw just a decade ago.

The state has a long list of failures. Almost no requirement to demonstrate driver competence before one can obtain a license.

But (like our borders), the state has (for the most part) refused to enforce existing laws, at least to the point where people obey them.

So if they are actually enforced (doubtful) I support $1,000 fines on people who are caught going 20 miles + over the posted speed limit. Odds are, this is not the only offense these drivers are guilty of. They're likely the same people who tailgate an inch or two behind people who are driving over the speed limit and in the center or right lane of the highway, who weave in an out of traffic without using their turn signals and who do the recent "drive up to within 2" of the rear bumper of the car in front then slash away, like you're the drafting car at a NASCAR event," maneuver.

Fine them all. And if they can't pay it, revoke their license and get them off of the road.
-- Brian

Usually I am all for the government staying out of my business, but in the case of your article I find I stand with the cops. I drove many back roads in my job here in N. Georgia and the people who came to these mountains every weekend brought their Atlanta bad manners with them. The same people who tailgate, pass on solid yellow lines, and speed are the same ones who run people off the roads and cause wrecks.

The only time I ever had road rage was because I saw a middle-aged man, with his wife in the car, tailgating a van that had small children in it. The van's driver couldn't go any faster because of traffic but that didn't seem to compute with the idiot driving behind. Once we all cleared the blockage the driver took off at about 70 in an area where the local people routinely pulled out with only a cursory glance around. I finally caught up with him and pulled in front and made him slow down to the speed limit. I wouldn't let him pass me either. I was an idiot, but so was he. I called the highway patrol after another near miss and was told Georgia was woefully short of patrolmen and didn't ticket for tailgating unless it caused an accident. I hope Virginia slows its drivers down to reasonable speeds. Good luck to them.
-- A Grateful Reader

Memo to Eric Peters: Congratulations to Virginia. It's about time somebody takes on the morons who think traffic laws don't apply to them. I hope the rest of the states take notice. With traffic increasing every day and road improvements not keeping up, people have to pay attention every second to their driving. Cars and trucks are so comfortable and quiet today it is easy to allow that speedometer to climb to unsafe levels. I remember an old Chrysler that had a needle you could set on the speedometer that would activate a buzzer if you exceeded the setting. Of course cruise control took that gadgets place but most people set them too high.
-- Richard Hall
Galion, Ohio

Fear not ye federal government employed suburban Virginians!

I'm sure these fines will not apply to the uninsured illegal aliens who work at the low wage jobs American's won't do. Like trimming your shrubbery and cleaning your homes.

The state has to get the money from some place to keep that beltway open and running. We people out here in flyover country count on you bureaucrats and pundits getting to work on time, dont'cha know?

By the way, isn't Fairfax a sanctuary city?

Keep your eyes on that odometer!
-- Bob Keiser
Wilkes Barre (not far from Hazelton), Pennsylvania

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