Things aren't always what they seem...

Why does the "point system" for traffic violations unfairly put a greater burden on those of us who drive more?

Let me explain a bit. Recently, a friend told me that I must be a more reckless driver because I seem to get speeding tickets nearly every other year, and he only gets them every three years or so.

Sounds reasonable, right? Well, not so fast.

He, like many people, only drives 10,000 - 12,000 miles a year. So, if he gets a ticket every three years, that's one ticket for every 30,000 to 36,000 miles driven.

I tend to drive a bit more. I actually drive between 40,000 and 45,000 miles each year. So, getting a ticket every other year is about 80,000 - 90,000 miles driven between tickets.

So, my "safe" friend gets ticketed at nearly three times the rate that I do. In fact, if he wanted to match my true ratio of tickets to miles driven, he would only be allowed to get one ticket every eight or nine years!!! But I get to pay the price...

My insurance is higher because I carry more points on my license, and have "more frequent" violations than he does. Also, my fees to waive these violations are much higher, even though my ticket to miles driven ratio is nearly a third of his. Yes, that's right - the fines Change depending upon WHEN your last ticket was, not how much you've driven since.

So, here I am, being unfairly punished by our system on the basis that I drive more. And it sucks.

But, I suppose I should count my blessings. If our current leaders have their way, I'll be paying an "emissions fee" over and above all my other costs, merely because my job forces me to drive more.

I guess that's what I get for having a job and working my ass off trying to keep people working.

Rotten bastards.

Stupidity

I was driving home from work, and passed a woman mowing her lawn, with her small toddler in one arm, half on her lap, half off. I couldn't help but wonder, are people REALLY that stupid?

Now, don't get me wrong - if the blades are off, and you're just cruising him down the lawn, that's one thing. Maybe not the ultimate in safety, but that's part of life. But, to drive around with your kid on your lap with the blades on? Well, that makes you a dumbass. A complete, foolish, ignorant, without-a-clue dumbass.

Excuse the pic - it was taken via cell phone while driving. And don't give me any flak about that, either. I drive 35,000+ miles a year, 90% of those miles while on a cell phone for work, and am still safer than most of the idiots I see on the road. Perhaps instead of making more laws for that, the politicians should ask the police to start enforcing the existing laws that the "bad apples" break, instead. Because, last I checked, it didn't matter if you were on a phone or not - running a red light is illlegal. As are illegal lane changes, reckless operation, failure to yield... should I go on?

But, that would cut into the politicians "face time" on television, wouldn't it? Which I suppose is important, especially with so many voters being complete and utter dumbasses and morons, such as the woman in the picture above.