GO SOX!
Ahem. Yes, the bonding fight is still costing towns money. And no, there’s still no end in sight.
Gov. Rell is looking into expanding the prisons. Maybe she should have thought of that before curtailing parole…
Dan Malloy, world traveler, has apparently been out of his city a lot this year.
Stamford’s Independent Party makes a run.
There’s now a state hotline for this year’s disease du jour, antibiotic-resistant staph.
New Milford candidates face off.
The Day has a list of campaign websites for SE CT.
And lastly, there’s an article about presidential candidates wringing donations out of Connecticut, but it’s really a lot more fun to play with the FEC map, which is now updated to include Q3.
What else is going on?
24 responses so far ↓
“After two years, we should be beyond that,” Roy said. “If I were a policeman and I handed out 10 tickets for cell phone violations, and three paid the fine and seven walked away, I’d be a little frustrated.”
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-cellphone4oct22,0,216367.story?coll=stam-news-local-headlines
Well what did they think when they enacted this legislation – that it would be easy to enforce and adminster? It’s your word vs. the cop who gives you the ticket. That’s it. Any decent layperson can talk themselves out of it at court.
State Rep. Richard Roy, D-Milford, would like to reconsider the grace period that allows a first-time offender to buy a hands-free device and have their ticket nolled or dismissed, which essentially makes the first ticket a warning.
“After two years, we should be beyond that,” Roy said. “If I were a policeman and I handed out 10 tickets for cell phone violations, and three paid the fine and seven walked away, I’d be a little frustrated.”
Now do you understand the problem NPH? I thought you’d read the article before commenting.
At first glance I thought the whole idea was stupid. But as phones got smaller & smaller and are now about the size of cigarette lighter forcing the user to actually hold it with one’s hand, as opposed to holding it in the crook of one’s neck as had been the custom when they were much larger and still call “car phones” I saw the logic and purchased a headset around 5 years ago.
People stared as they thought I was driving along, talking to myself.
I found however that talking on the cell while driving, smoking and drinking coffee became much less complicated and would strongly recommend a hands free device regardless of any law.
Driving around 6-700 miles a week I will say that while the number one road hazard used to be guys in baseball caps (I’ve no idea why putting on a baseball cap makes the wearer oblivious to the world around them) young women chatting on the phone while cruising down the left lane, no they’re moving right, no they’re staying left, nope there she goes again…has become a noticeable problem. Some guys as well, but most road warriors (people who make a living making sales calls that thus put down miles like I do) regardless of gender use a hands free device.
The only other device that I would recommend as strongly, at least for those of us that find ourselves driving in excess of 15 – 20 hours a week would be this thing.
Yea I only read about half the article – I should have read the rest huh. Anyway I do understand why he said what he said.
BUT here is a gripe I have, and EXACTLY what type of precedence I was afraid this law would set. Seriously, how do you enforce putting on makeup. You must define makeup, putting on, etc. etc. This is a waste of my tax dollars at work. Hartford should be concentrating on larger issues.
[quote post="1097"]While considering the law, lawmakers saw studies that showed cell phones stood out as a distraction that causes accidents. But now they may draft legislation that would target other electronic devices and distractions, such as eating or putting on makeup. Officers now cannot stop drivers for such behaviors.[/quote]
So eventually, some beaurcrat who gets driven around is going to tell me that I can no longer change the radio station because some idiot who doesn’t know how to drive crashed his car while doing the same thing?
The focus ought to be on how easy it is to pass and obtain a drivers license. And why is it so easy? Because the DMV is our state’s IRS. If we trained our drivers better, and made it more difficult to obtain a license, maybe we wouldn’t need these laws. But that’s too proactive for Hartford.
>>If we trained our drivers better, and made it more difficult to obtain a license
Hallelujah
Exactly – why can Europeans blast along at speed but we can’t all while Germany enjoys a LOWER accident rate than we do?
Land of liberty….Germany? Who would have guessed that?
The police seem intent on setting up speed traps and hiding while refusing to actually cruise the highways to chase left lane bandits over, pull over the dimwits that are putting on makeup, dining while driving, fixing their hair etc.
Think about it – when was the last time you got passed on the right fast by some nimrod who then went on changing lanes like crazy at real speed (110+) and you saw him pulled over later? I only see that maybe once a year if that often. Plus – I’ve never seen a CT Trooper clear out the left lane like the Mass Troopers do.
Why are the police exempt from the hands free law? Some of them are the worst high speed drivers I see all year – the rare middle aged guy in a car built for it is invariably a better speeder than troopers in cars not really meant to handle well at 100 plus.
Wow, so glad someone sees my point here. I was in Germany last October. We drove a total of about 1000 miles, and not once – I stress, not once did we get passed on the right.
There is respect for the road and other drivers out there.
And yes, I never see a cop pull someone over for going in and out of lanes at 100+.
Germany has higher speed limits (well, no speed limits in certain areas) because their roads are significantly better than ours. Their roads are also significantly more expensive to build. That’s why gasoline taxes are much much higher in Germany.
In Germany, there are strict limits on grades of an autobahn: they’ll build a bridge over a valley instead of going down the hill and back up, because when you are driving 150 mph, you cannot have steep hills. Building these bridges costs money, and their roads are also better designed to remove water buildup than our roads are. Again, hydroplaning can cause serious problems at high speeds.
German road constuction companies usually have to insure a road for fifty years after construction. Compare this our slap build repave system here. However, in the US, many of the road construction companies are small, primarily local places, while in Germany, there are a few large companies that have most of the market.
Of course, if you’re going to have people driving 150 mph, you need to make sure the drivers know what they’re doing. Thus, much stricter driver license exams.
Is the higher tax – better road – no speed limit system a good tradeoff? I don’t know. Bear in mind that Germany is smaller than Texas, so the people are fairly concentrated. Driving 200 miles will cover a much more significant portion of the country.
I would say that most drivers could not maintain 150 mph on I-95 or I-84 even if these roads were closed to all other traffic. The banking, the grades, etc. would probably send most people into the Jersey barriers. Now add a few other hundred cars per mile, all traveling at different speeds….
gmr, all true points. Yes, their roads are much more expensive than ours and their gas prices are also 3 times, if not 4 times ours.
I am not, by any means, advocating that we have stricter driving license courses/exams so that we can drive 150 safer. I’m advocating that we have them so that we drive 55, 65, 75 safer.
The reason we don’t have stricter policy here is that one of our hidden taxes lies within the DMV.
>>I would say that most drivers could not maintain 150 mph on I-95 or I-84 even if these roads were closed to all other traffic
You’re correct; however north of Vernon on I-84 one could open up a Ferrari without being unsafe, but of course there is virtually always a plethora of speed traps in the area and that’s also an area well known for the use of planes.
Route 8 north of Waterbury & Rt 9 south of Middletown; the same story.
Clearly if it was a safety issue that would make sense – but it’s not, it’s revenue enhancement and nothing more. Harassment of the citizenry doesn’t strike me as a valid gov’t. function.
NPH:
>>advocating that we have stricter driving license courses/exams so that we can drive 150 safer.
Over 55 and now driving a minivan no-less (the thing that frightens me is that I don’t mind it) it’ll make no difference to me; but to decriminalize ultra high speed driving on open roads while simultaneously enforcing a stay right except to pass law (which we have but no one ever enforces it) wouldn’t bother me one bit. Aside from the law, there’s no legitimate reason not to zip down rt 9 in a BMW 5 or 7 at 130+.
ACR,
Your comment,
“Aside from the law, there’s no legitimate reason not to zip down rt 9 in a BMW 5 or 7 at 130+. ”
Am I reading what you say there correctly?? Are you suggesting that those driving Hi performance cars are capable of understanding how they perform just because they own or drive them?? If so, I must say, I respectfully disagree.
As the past owner of several Porsches, BMW’s and Lexus, I certainly can say while they all make driving at 80 MPH seem effortless, each takes on a different personality up from there….. I certainly hope a driver of a Porsche 911 who maybe doing triple digits, has spent a few days with Skip Barber at Lime Rock for example. It’s one thing to be able to afford one of these engineering marvels, it’s totally something else to be able to safely handle the top end capability that has been designed into them.
Doing 130 on a race track, with well trained drivers, all in cars designed, and maintained, to perform at that level ( BTW also with tires specifically designed for hi speed performance) is one thing. Doing 130 anywhere, on any road here in CT, meant to be used for the general public who are in some cases driving cars that have no business being on the road in the first place, is something totally different.
I see no difference between someone driving a car at 130 on a road with a speed limit of 65, and someone driving that same road at the speed limit drunk……Both are serious risks to the lives of others on that road.
Also, thats a pretty big aside.
But I can add a legitimate reason aside from the law: Everyone else will be doing 65-75 and won’t be expecting the Beemer to be doing 130 – its a recipe for disaster.
>>Am I reading what you say there correctly??
Yes – I’m quite libertarian and see no reason for speed limits on open roads (we have what, maybe 20 miles that would qualify in the whole state?) at all.
I learned to drive in the west where in the 60’s it wasn’t at all uncommon to see a mother in a wagon full of kids blasting along at speed that would probably have already been a felony on the east coast…..and that was just the trip to the grocery store!
Prior to the nerf-coating of America (Nanny State) a few western states had “safe & sane” speed laws which allowed (encouraged) such behavior.
>>Both are serious risks to the lives of others on that road.
Only due to lack of enforcement on the stay to the right thing.
I recall getting passed by a trooper while my brother-in-law was going over 100 in Nevada in the mid-60’s.
>>As the past owner of several Porsche’s, BMW’s and Lexus,
I dealt in that stuff for decades; name it (save for anything by Toyota after August of 1990) I’ve either owned it, or had it in inventory long enough to play with it for a while. Biggest disappointment to me was the Ferrari 308 which I couldn’t move fast enough – the car was a nightmare. Porsche has it right – there is no substitute for a 911. Loads of BMW’s of various series (5’s and higher seem to be better cared for) had an older 7 I still regret retailing; I should’ve kept it.
(BTW – Why does anyone want a Corvette anyway? I was unimpressed.)
Alfa however was my addiction. While no where nearly as fast or exotic they’re as habit forming as heroin – I’ve had 5 or 6 and had to sell the one I had all done up and expected my estate to sell (the one I would have for the rest of my life) when I was embezzled 4 years ago. That hurt more than the rest of that experience.
>>its a recipe for disaster.
No – that’s the idiot in the left lane; NOT the car that’s undoubtedly being driven by a more productive member of society (the speeder).
We need to ban decaffeinated drivers and begin adding something besides fluoride to our water supply. Yes indeed we need to add amphetamines! How else can America possibly compete in a global economy? It would be the patriotic thing to do and would beyond any shadow of a doubt increase the average speed on our over crowded highways. Due to less drive time per-driver, that alone would save us billions in new highway costs.
[quote post="1097"]No – that’s the idiot in the left lane;[/quote]
All I am pointing out is that the idiot is, in fact, in the left lane – thus, recipe for disaster.
ACR,
Look, I loved to push my cars as far a possible myself….. I have also driven across Montana when there was no speed limit during the day. But quite honestly I don’t see speed limits here as an example of a “nerf-coating of America (Nanny State)”. There are plenty of other better examples for sure.
I think Gabe makes the better point here……….When we take to the roads the problem is less a problem of how well the car is engineered, and far more the problem of poor driving habits……..Unless you are suggesting that the laws of natural selection weed them out over time on the high ways, you cannot just pretend those poor drivers are not there…..
BYW, I think you are from Southington?? I so I guess you are familiuar with Kensington Ave off of East St? I used to love years ago to take my first Porsche, a 1970 914-6 out there through the twists and turns…… Never had to go over about 50 to get that pit in your stomach feeling that I never got anyway else…… I had a 1986 944 turbo…..Very fast, but very boring……And a real mint, red 911 Carrea whale tail…… Fish tailed it into a guard rail not doing over 35mph….. Sexy as hell, but a real hand full to drive.
? I so I guess you are familiuar with Kensington Ave off of East St? ? I so I guess you are familiuar with Kensington Ave off of East St?
I take it to church, the company warehouse and to my in-laws all the time.
>>red 911 Carrea whale tail
The name Bedard ring a bell?
>>All I am pointing out is that the idiot is, in fact, in the left lane
Darn! Why can’t we just shoot `em?
Because its murder (or at least manslaughter).
>>Because its murder
We’ll have to get the NYC police to do it then; they do that with some amount of regularity anyway.
ACR,
The name Bedard ring a bell?
I assume you mean the driver?? Other than that, to me the name means nothing special……To my brother however, who is very active in formula racing maybe something else.
BTW, just to keep peace in town, and avoid any gun play……I have a deal for you…..You stay under say 80 on 84, and 691, and I’ll stay out of the left lane except to passs!!!!
>>You stay under say 80 on 84, and 691, and I’ll stay out of the left lane except to passs!!!!
I’m an old fart in a minivan now, and haven’t broken 100 in ages….in fact I find myself listening to Mozart and enjoying a cigar in the right lane lately….when I got old is unclear….but that it’s happening is unquestionable.
BTW – There was a Bedard here that had a red 911 w/a tail for a while.
BTW – There was a Bedard here that had a red 911 w/a tail for a while.
Nah, not me…… Mine was just mint!!! It was so red you could see shine it in the garage with the lights off.
Driving it was something you didn’t do while listening to Mozart…..Or anyone else…… Like any beautiful woman it demanded your full attention, and certainly let you know when it wasn’t getting it!!!
>>Like any beautiful woman it demanded your full attention, and certainly let you know when it wasn’t getting it!!!
The Ferrari was like that – I hated it as soon as the novelty wore off (about 50 miles) I had an 84 911 Cabrio in 86 and found it forgiving, not at all whiny and very very fast.
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