Monday, February 28, 2005
Speeders suck
If you routinely drive like a bat out of hell, like you own the road, without a thought for others, I hope you speed into a gas truck. Wrecks like that always make good art for the papers.
Oklahoma City police are cracking down bigtime on speeders on the Broadway Extension, the short superslab between Oklahoma City and the northern suburb of Edmond. There's a four-mile stretch there where you take your life in your hands because of speed freaks.
It's about time.
I am not without sin, but, come to think of it, I don't think I've ever gotten a ticket for speeding. No seatbelt? Yes. Headlight out? Yes. Careless driving? Yes, when I was all of 16.
Driving crazy on dirt or asphalt out in the country when you're the only one on the road is stupid -- but excusable, since the only one you'll hurt is yourself. Doing it in town is the height of irresponsibility -- and I hate all you idiots who do.
Same for tailgaters. The day I finally have enough will be the day I actually brace myself, hold on tight and let the stupid idiot in the compact car riding my butt slide up under the suddenly stopped rear end of my big truck and taste axle grease.
I would love to see $1,000 or $1,500 fines for speeding. Might slow some people down.
There. I do b'lieve that is a rant. I do b'lieve I feel a little better.
--ER
Oklahoma City police are cracking down bigtime on speeders on the Broadway Extension, the short superslab between Oklahoma City and the northern suburb of Edmond. There's a four-mile stretch there where you take your life in your hands because of speed freaks.
It's about time.
I am not without sin, but, come to think of it, I don't think I've ever gotten a ticket for speeding. No seatbelt? Yes. Headlight out? Yes. Careless driving? Yes, when I was all of 16.
Driving crazy on dirt or asphalt out in the country when you're the only one on the road is stupid -- but excusable, since the only one you'll hurt is yourself. Doing it in town is the height of irresponsibility -- and I hate all you idiots who do.
Same for tailgaters. The day I finally have enough will be the day I actually brace myself, hold on tight and let the stupid idiot in the compact car riding my butt slide up under the suddenly stopped rear end of my big truck and taste axle grease.
I would love to see $1,000 or $1,500 fines for speeding. Might slow some people down.
There. I do b'lieve that is a rant. I do b'lieve I feel a little better.
--ER
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And this is a hands-waving-in-the-air AMEN! Don't EVEN get me started on drunken drivers or drag racers or we'll be here all week.
I really hate tailgaters. When they ride my bumper, I have to resist that braking impulse!
And drunk drivers should be shot. Too many people have lost their lives because of drunk drivers. It needs to stop.
And drunk drivers should be shot. Too many people have lost their lives because of drunk drivers. It needs to stop.
I have to admit that I speed. But, I don't tailgate, and I don't weave around people like a moron.
Tailgating really bothers me, especially when it's a mack truck on my rear end and I don't have anywhere to go. You *know* they're not going to be able to stop in time for anything.
I also hate people who throw cigarette butts out of their car windows.
Tailgating really bothers me, especially when it's a mack truck on my rear end and I don't have anywhere to go. You *know* they're not going to be able to stop in time for anything.
I also hate people who throw cigarette butts out of their car windows.
ER, I understand your point. And the point the PD is makin' is pretty sound, too. I've never seen more cars stopped at one time than I did last week -- five cars between Wilshire and Hefner at the same time.
And readers, mind you that ER noted he hasn't been ticketed for speeding. He didn't say he hasn't done it. He has, I'm sure, raced to the scene of a wreck or a crime or something else where exceeding the speed might benefit his career. If he hasn't, I shall apologize, but ... :-)
I will say, however, that I think you have gone a little overboard, ER. Hope someone gets a ticket. Hope someone's car breaks down on the side of the road. But "speed into a gas truck?"
Sorry, ER. I've got to call you out on that one. Death ain't nothin' to laugh about. If a criminal is firing his .38 at a cop, take his life. But don't condemn a person to death for going faster than the speed limit.
Those vehicles are dangerous enough without wishing more harm.
And readers, mind you that ER noted he hasn't been ticketed for speeding. He didn't say he hasn't done it. He has, I'm sure, raced to the scene of a wreck or a crime or something else where exceeding the speed might benefit his career. If he hasn't, I shall apologize, but ... :-)
I will say, however, that I think you have gone a little overboard, ER. Hope someone gets a ticket. Hope someone's car breaks down on the side of the road. But "speed into a gas truck?"
Sorry, ER. I've got to call you out on that one. Death ain't nothin' to laugh about. If a criminal is firing his .38 at a cop, take his life. But don't condemn a person to death for going faster than the speed limit.
Those vehicles are dangerous enough without wishing more harm.
Teditor, Teditor, Teditor:
1. Pbhthtph!
2. Rant: to speak or shout in a loud, uncontrolled or angry way, often saying confused or foolish things.
3. Note the very specific limitations I put on those wished into a gas truck.
4. Don't mean 'em to get dead, or even hurt. Wouldn't mine seein' get the Hades ascairt out of 'em.
5. In the country, when I used to have to speed to the scenes of fires and wrecks and bank robberies and shootings and such, I'd turn on my four-ways; people used to yield in Texas, assuming I was a volunteer firefighter or something.
1. Pbhthtph!
2. Rant: to speak or shout in a loud, uncontrolled or angry way, often saying confused or foolish things.
3. Note the very specific limitations I put on those wished into a gas truck.
4. Don't mean 'em to get dead, or even hurt. Wouldn't mine seein' get the Hades ascairt out of 'em.
5. In the country, when I used to have to speed to the scenes of fires and wrecks and bank robberies and shootings and such, I'd turn on my four-ways; people used to yield in Texas, assuming I was a volunteer firefighter or something.
When I was working at Mercy Hospital in OKC and driving there from Norman, I used to take backroads and avoid I-35 altogether because of the stupid driving on that road. Not just speeding, but the sheer rudeness of the other drivers, being cut off, etc. I caught myself more than once speeding on I-35 just to keep up with the flow of traffic and to keep from being run off the road. I found it safer and less stressful to just stay off that road.
Well, I've just had a reinforcing episode. Speeders certainly are not limited to the big roads. I'm in an old residential area with narrow streets and people parking on both sides. My house is a half block west of a grade school. I was about a half block west of my house just now when I found myself face-to-face with a mom in her SUV, speeding towards me and accelerating! Worse, she wasn't watching the road -- she was turned and leaned over her child who was also in the front seat. She barely looked up in time to see me trying to climb the curb and finally slowed down. Grr!
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