Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Holiday Insanity

It was a holiday weekend in these parts. And every holiday weekend there is always a well publicized increased police presence everywhere, but especially on the highways leading to 'cottage country'. Late last year a new speed racing law came into effect. Very simple: if you insist on driving more than 50 kilometres over the speed limit you will face a fine of $2,000 to $10,000, have your licence suspended, lose points, and have your car impounded for a week. Immediately. And you have to pay the towing and storage charges for that week. And find your own way home from the side of the highway. Now, why would anyone ever need to speed that much? The highway limit is 100km/h. You can easily pass at 120km/h. Usually, there is too much traffic to even make it to 100km/h. Yet, somehow, by Monday morning 140 people had been charged. One 17 year old boy (with four friends!) in a Lincoln sped past a cruiser doing 239km!

Now, if he'd wanted to show off, I would have been impressed at having access to a Lincoln.

Sadly, his friends probably think this is one hell of a story to pass on. And they don't have to pay the consequences. Lucky for them to be still alive.

2 comments:

  1. strange law. But you still got a law and people follow it. Here in india we have laws but hardly anyone follows it. No helmets and you have to be very careful people overtake you from both sides.

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  2. Well, not everyone has gotten the message and follows it. And I think a lot of carnage on the highways could be greatly reduced by going back to passing only on the left instead of from both sides. From what I've seen and read of your roads, I would be terrified to be in any vehicle there!!

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