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Re: Repeal of the National Speed Limit Law

Kevin Atkinson (kevinatk@home.com) wrote:
: In article <3si436$rar@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, AAPR RB <aaprrb@aol.com> wrote:

: >Everyone has quoted that the speed limits serve as revenue enhancement
: >devices for the police. Could someone please explain then why the speed
: >limit fines are among the lowest fines in the CVC? If it were economically
: >motivated, wouldn't they be higher. They are currently the cheepest fines
: >you can pay for a motor vehical violation. 

: That is a good point however the cops issue tons of speeding tickets so 
: it all evens out.

    Speeding tickets are a good source of revenue for the police, but
a major source of revenue for insurance companies.  This is why insurance
companies have people in Washington lobbying against raising speed limits.
This is why insurance companies donate radar/laser devices to police 
departments.


: >                   Everybody knows the speed limit. If you get caught
: >speeding you knew what you were doing was wrong.

: You broke a law but you did't necessary do wrong.  What is wrong is only 
: in the hands of the beholder.  


    Right.  Murdering someone is wrong.  If there were a law on the 
books that said otherwise, would that change the moral/ethical status
of cold-blooded murder from wrong to right?  Speed limits may be 
law, but I view them, and the revenue generation resultant, as wrong.


: >                                                   If you REALLY want to
: >stop giving your money to the courts, stop speeding - or keep at least one
: >person going faster than you. 

    Stop giving money to the courts at the expense of surrendering my 
rights and freedom as an American?  No thanks!


: >Have you ever driven to Vegas (where speed is king) and not come across a
: >fatal/serious accadent? Have you noticed how many miles you can drive in
: >the city at slower speeds, with more cars and have fewer serious
: >accidents?

    80% of all traffic fatalities occur at speeds of 40mph or less. (NTSI)
The majority of accidents occur in intersections.  (Also NTSI)
Speed kills?  I think not.

: >Have you noticed that the people most in favor of eliminating the speed
: >laws and fighting tickets live in the rural areas of the state where you
: >have to go 20 miles through peach groves just to get to the next town?


    I have not noticed this, and if it were true, what does that have to do 
with anything anyway???


: >Mark my words now. I am saying this on the record. If the speed limits are
: >raised by 20 MPH or more there will be an immediate increase in accidents
: >and fatalities in those cars not equipped with air bags. The greatest
: >increase will be of people under 30 years old.

    How can you possibly say this?  You give no facts, no supporting
data!!  Are we just supposed to take your word for this?  Besides, 
good driver training would more than eliminate any potential for 
such an increase.  Germany has proved that society is smarter than 
the government would have us believe.


: I hope I have made my point quite clear.  The slogen "speed kills" is a 
: big misconception that almost every one belives but the NMA and the few 
: intelligent non-NMA members out there.
: -- 
: * Kevin Atkinson, Clarknet I'net Serv., Maintainer of the Usenet Info Center *


     "Speed kills" is a crock of you-know-what.  This has been proven time and
time again.  Its a handy, catchy phrase that idiots pull out of their butt 
every time talk of raising the speed limit comes up.  People have pointed 
out that race drivers, who average 200mph for hours and hours on end have
an extremely low fatality rate.  Did anyone catch the USA Today article
about the senate bill?  Some chode was saying that he was glad that 
busses, trucks, etc had to stay at 55mph.  He said that this would ensure
safety.  How can anyone be so STUPID?????  Those big vehicles, poking along
are going to create absolute HAVOC!!!  (I can see it now, fatality rates
increase, US govt. decides to instate a 50mph national speed limit.)  :-P

                                                 -Jon-

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