un-known-ome
Rising Star
I have gotten myself into quite a bind over something that I really never have taken seriously, and still don't to be perfectly honest. Consider this a confessional of sorts, but I'd also appreciate some feedback.
I was stopped several weeks ago on the highway because I was 16 miles over the posted 65 mph speed limit. This was my fifth ticket in as many years of driving, but this one has been blown out of proportion. My vehicle was towed, my license was taken, and I was given an appearance date in Superior Court for driving with a suspended license. I was shocked because I had completed a driver retraining course just the previous month that had negated a suspension, but apparently my license was suspended last year for a previous ticket although I received no notification from the DMV. It's a bit of a cruel practical joke if you ask me. Obviously I have no recourse, but I don't expect to serve any jail time. This all begs the question: is it fair to be convicted for something that you weren't aware of? Well it certainly isn't, but as the persecution of entheogen-users has taught me, fairness has nothing to do with it.
How do I feel about speeding? Well regardless, it's probably worth my while to reduce my speed to avoid any further complications, because my current situation is bordering on the absurd. All of my tickets have been within the 10-17 mph above the posted limit, which I don't consider particularly dangerous. Applying the law of diminishing returns to speed limit enforcement, I clearly drive at speeds that are just above the threshold for writing citations. Although this might sound dumb, I wouldn't be technically speeding if the speed limits were higher (which they are elsewhere), so if it's a matter of whether or not I'm engaging in dangerous behavior, I think I'm fairly innocent. It's a far simpler issue that I'm making it, but to argue for the sake of argument, here's my side of it: 1) I wouldn't be driving as "fast" as I do if I thought it was dangerous, plain and simple 2) better and more capable drivers will drive faster than less capable drivers by default, that is unless they rack up moving violations 3) driving slightly faster than the majority of drivers but not at excessive speeds is actually safer because slower drivers are generally worse and/or are distracted or impaired and 4) driving faster keeps you more engaged and heightens awareness. And I'll leave it at.
Thankfully most speeding citations are not criminal offenses, nor should they be. It is far too easy to exceed the speed limit, so much so that you can do it without even realizing. I am discouraged by anyone who think otherwise, and it bothers me slightly when people disapprove of speeding because frankly the vast majority of drivers do, and statistically so do you. Even if you're just creeping above by a few miles per hour, that's still technically "breaking the law" or whatever that means. For me, the premise of "speeding is dangerous" really falls apart when troopers will pursue you for speeding at the same speed you were going.
This my appeal to sanity: I know and you know and we all know this just about money, so can we stop pretending that it isn't? This certainly doesn't just apply to traffic citations, but I envision a traffic stop where the driver can just pay off the cop on the spot and do away with all of those other formalities. Or maybe a speeding tax? Anyway, those are my thoughts on the issue. I certainly will have to review my driving habits, and potentially will have to relocate somewhere where I don't have to drive which is probably in my and the environment's best interest to boot.
Sorry that was so long-winded, but how do you personally feel about it?
I was stopped several weeks ago on the highway because I was 16 miles over the posted 65 mph speed limit. This was my fifth ticket in as many years of driving, but this one has been blown out of proportion. My vehicle was towed, my license was taken, and I was given an appearance date in Superior Court for driving with a suspended license. I was shocked because I had completed a driver retraining course just the previous month that had negated a suspension, but apparently my license was suspended last year for a previous ticket although I received no notification from the DMV. It's a bit of a cruel practical joke if you ask me. Obviously I have no recourse, but I don't expect to serve any jail time. This all begs the question: is it fair to be convicted for something that you weren't aware of? Well it certainly isn't, but as the persecution of entheogen-users has taught me, fairness has nothing to do with it.
How do I feel about speeding? Well regardless, it's probably worth my while to reduce my speed to avoid any further complications, because my current situation is bordering on the absurd. All of my tickets have been within the 10-17 mph above the posted limit, which I don't consider particularly dangerous. Applying the law of diminishing returns to speed limit enforcement, I clearly drive at speeds that are just above the threshold for writing citations. Although this might sound dumb, I wouldn't be technically speeding if the speed limits were higher (which they are elsewhere), so if it's a matter of whether or not I'm engaging in dangerous behavior, I think I'm fairly innocent. It's a far simpler issue that I'm making it, but to argue for the sake of argument, here's my side of it: 1) I wouldn't be driving as "fast" as I do if I thought it was dangerous, plain and simple 2) better and more capable drivers will drive faster than less capable drivers by default, that is unless they rack up moving violations 3) driving slightly faster than the majority of drivers but not at excessive speeds is actually safer because slower drivers are generally worse and/or are distracted or impaired and 4) driving faster keeps you more engaged and heightens awareness. And I'll leave it at.
Thankfully most speeding citations are not criminal offenses, nor should they be. It is far too easy to exceed the speed limit, so much so that you can do it without even realizing. I am discouraged by anyone who think otherwise, and it bothers me slightly when people disapprove of speeding because frankly the vast majority of drivers do, and statistically so do you. Even if you're just creeping above by a few miles per hour, that's still technically "breaking the law" or whatever that means. For me, the premise of "speeding is dangerous" really falls apart when troopers will pursue you for speeding at the same speed you were going.
This my appeal to sanity: I know and you know and we all know this just about money, so can we stop pretending that it isn't? This certainly doesn't just apply to traffic citations, but I envision a traffic stop where the driver can just pay off the cop on the spot and do away with all of those other formalities. Or maybe a speeding tax? Anyway, those are my thoughts on the issue. I certainly will have to review my driving habits, and potentially will have to relocate somewhere where I don't have to drive which is probably in my and the environment's best interest to boot.
Sorry that was so long-winded, but how do you personally feel about it?
