30 July 2007

I can't drive 55! or 60 or 70 for that matter

Ask my wife, nothing irritates me more than unsafe drivers.........sure they can put their own lives in jeopardy, but, please, leave my family out of your insatiable need to get to your destination 3 minutes sooner.

We leave for vacation-driving Highway 31, 465, and 65. OK, I admit, I drive usually about 5 mph over the speed limit. That used to be fast. Now, with cell phones and food in hand, folks are driving 75 and 80.........on 31! And where are the police?

I thought it was a huge mistake when our former state legislature raised the speed limit to 60 on most Indiana highways. Not because 60 is unsafe, but because it isn't enforced. I believe it was State Rep Marvin Rugsucker (could that be spelled right?) who said "let me know when our fatality rate is up 10-12% and we'll reconsider the change"

What's that????? So the 9% who die are acceptable losses? Is this guy for real? At a time when it is probably less safe to drive (note: semi-driver on toll road killed 8 people due to cell phone usage and is not being charged), why are we raising the speed limit? And where are the state police who are supposed to enforce it? Didn't Gov. Mitch just increase hirings substantially?

I must be getting old. I know, I'm holding up traffic.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let's prohibt the use of cell phones while driving and maybe this will decrease the number of accidents caused by folks who don't know how to talk let alone use a cell phone...driving 5 miles over is all right with me...how about those going 20 - 30 - 40 over where are those folks with the new cars and fancy lights?

Anonymous said...

I guess you are getting old! I am all for safety, but will you (and if not, who?) decide if it is ok to go 2,5,7,12,15, or 20 mph over the speed limit? where is the line? and are hands free phones going to be ok? is the dialing the problem, or the fact that the driver's mind is 100 miles away talking to someone on the other end? and if that's the case, what about talking to someone right in your car? will someone please tell my wife it is ok to drive 600 miles with her without saying a word?(seriously, I could enjoy that, but she definitely would not)

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