CONTROL OF SPEEDING

       Speeding has to be controlled. It is too dangerous to have speeders and, in particular, very high speeders. Too many people are killed or injured because of speeding. 

       In my last post I dealt with present day situations. We have a hit and miss ticketing system. Only a very small number of speeders are caught. Should all speeders be caught? What percentage of speeders should be caught? How much would road safety be improved with stricter enforcement. 

    Last day I was thinking about present day enforcement methods. What about enforcement tomorrow?

   We now have the technology for self driving cars. We have AI. Would it be difficult to put a chip in each car and follow it. Okay, I know this is terribly invasive and has great issues around it. A modified plan could be used. You mess up with your driving and then you get the chip and your diving is monitored. We now have devices that prevent drunk driving people from driving if they've been drinking.

    I know some people will not like the big brother idea. But how many people have to be killed or injured because of speeding? 

   Cars could be programmed to not go over he speed limit. Traffic could be monitored for other things and traffic volume could be controlled. 

   What other high tech devices may be developed? 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT...

        Be it resolved that speeding tickets are not given and that drivers are given credits for driving the speed limit. 

       Okay,  I'll fess up and admit my bias. Since I've been 75 I've received 3 speeding tickets. They are the only speeding tickets I've ever had. So at least 90 % of my driving has been at or below speed limit and yes some just a little over speed limit. 

    So I don't think speeding tickets do much to make drivers quit speeding. Sometimes speeders are caught again a few miles down the road. Yes, a speeding ticket will alter some drivers. There would have to be a speed limit that would be classified as criminal and they should be punished accordingly. 

   Now I do think that rewards for driving the speed limit will encourage people to stay within the speed limit. I would like to think that speeders will slow down so that they will get a reward. So speed traps can be set up to catch those who are driving within the speed limit. Rewards? There could be many ideas. Take a few bucks off your income tax? Would you go for that? How about businesses giving something like free hamburgers or meals? Tickets to football or hockey. This could get creative and fun. 

     Now here's one you can argue against. I was a middle school teacher and I used rewards often. Some of these things were really silly but the kids went for it. How about if you get 100 % in your spelling three times you get a free week and don't have to do spelling. They went nuts over that one.

     I think that turning the speeding issue around would do more than the program we have now.

     What do you think?