[net.auto] Learn to live with 55????????

jeb@eisx.UUCP (07/09/84)

>>>

{Warning: this message has high temperature content, Nomex recommended]

The American people have a strange and frustrating problem concerning
government regulations that are intended to protect individuals from
their own sometimes stupid and careless actions.  This is probably
typical of a representative form of government; should our elected
legislators do WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT, or should they do what they
see as the RIGHT THING, in their own judgement?  It's obvious that
people don't care enough about the 55 mph limit to have it repealed;
if we wanted it out, we could get it eliminated.  It is also obvious
that the vast majority of American drivers have no intention of
observing the 55 limit.  Part of the problem comes from our own
inclination to say one thing and do something else.  This same
tendency keeps both the churches and the beer joints full.

Remember when the seat belt buzzers escalated into the ignition
interlock?  Everybody said "Yes, belts are a good idea, everyone
should wear them."  Of course the same people that said that
didn't wear the belts.  But when the NHTSA or somebody put in
the ignition interlock, it didn't take Congress long to put a
halt to it.

"Learn to live with 55"?  Put yourself back to 1944 and tell
the world "Learn to live with Auschwitz."  It's really only
a matter of degree.  Just because the government does something,
that doesn't make it right.  The current situation on the
interstates scares me because it gives the police a perfect
opportunity for selective enforcement.  When the whole stream
of traffic is moving at 70 mph, the police can pick out anybody
they choose, pull them over, and issue a ticket that can end
up costing many hundreds of dollars in fines and insurance
surcharges.  The choice of who to ticket may as well be based
on the color of your car, the length of your hair, or how
many tickets the officer needs to issue to look productive.

[calming down, and misquoting from someone I've forgotten]
"Democracy is a very poor form of government, but all the
others are so much worse."

Jim Beckman   AT&TISL, South Plainfield, NJ   eisx!jeb

mcb@hpfclo.UUCP (07/09/84)

<ten to one this line gets there>

Right ohn, bro!

	I thought I would add this  perspective  on the subject.  One of
	my petro toys is a '52 (really a '53?) Chevy 1/2 ton pickup.  It
	only has a door lock on the right hand  side.  Dumb  thinks  me.
	So I ask this old timer why that was done.  He pointed  out that
	about  that time this  truck was built,  there  were some  heavy
	Ralph  Nader'ish  folks  around that didn't think it was safe to
	get out of a car on the  traffic  side  because of the danger of
	street  traffic.  Much  better  to lock the left  door  from the
	inside,  slide across the seat and close and lock the right side
	door on the sidewalk.

	Get serious.

	Just think about the type of reception this would get from the
	dollar wielding public today.  Wouldn't sell => doomed to extinction.

	Still a nice truck, though!  Don't bother locking it.

	Mike Berry, hplabs!hpfcla!mcb, Fort Collins "Buschville", Colo