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January 20, 2006
Two Problems
The Massachusetts House passed a bill that would let cops pull you over for not wearing a seatbelt. Previously, they could nail you with a $25 fine, but they had to pull you over for something else first.
Problem one: If you die in a car crash because you couldn't/wouldn't take 2 seconds to buckle your seatbelt...isn't that just Darwinism stripped bare? Why are we trying to thwart the laws of natural selection and working to ensure that these stupid genes pass on to the next generation?
Problem two: It's real easy to imagine a scenario like this happening:
Policeman in generic lily-white suburb (let's call it Notsew or Yelsellew): Do you know why I pulled you over?
Black Motorist: (honestly puzzled) No, sir, I don't.
Policeman: Well, it looked like you weren't wearing a seatbelt.
Motorist: Well, I am, as you can see, sir.
Policeman: Uh-huh. But since I've got you here, one of your taillights is flickering - that's a $25 ticket. You've got an air freshener hanging down from your rear-view mirror - that's a $25 ticket. Your muffler sounded a little off - I'll let you off with a warning there. I can't read "The Spirit of America" on your front license plate - that's a $50 ticket. And I'm pretty sure I saw you hurry to put on your seatbelt when I pulled you over. So there's another $25.
Motorist: (thinking) I'm never coming through this town again.
Policeman: (thinking) He'll never come through this town again.
Policeman: OK, now step out of the car please.
I guess this must be another one of those little liberties we have to give up so the terrorists don't affect our way of life. Or something.
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Comments
Scenario 2 can already happen - police already have the right to pull somebody over for having a broken tail light or covered-up license plate or whatever.
Posted by: adamg | January 20, 2006 02:50 PM
