"Arif Khokar" > wrote in message
...
> Furious George wrote:

> I've always wondered why some people are obsessed with doling out greater
> penalties for speeding. It's clear to me that they're envious that the
> majority of us are more than capable of driving above the speed limit
> every single day and don't experience problems. It's also obvious that
> they're irritated by the fact that we get away with it as well.

Maybe they are irritated becasue they feel reckless speeding endangers their
lives. Or maybe it is the rude and arrogant behavior exhibited by many
"speeders." Often the speeders are the same people who tailgate, jump lanes
at intersections, cut people off at ramps, weave throught traffic, etc.
Persaonlly I've never worried about speeders on the open road. If someone
wants to go faster than me, I sincerely want them to get on up the road so
they'll be out of my way. I don't care if they get away with it or not. I
drive my speed (usually 5 mph aboive the posted limit) and don't want the
rigid limit enforced on me. However, if speed limits were actually enforced,
I'd be OK obeying them. As it is in most jurisdictions, the posted limit is
little more than a suggested speed. I do think it is wrong for the police to
decide to spring rigid enforcement of the speed limit on an unsuspecting
public. I prefer consistency.

> Given those facts, it's really pointless to complain about speeders
> because there's nothing you can do about them. Politicians aren't
> interested in lowering speed limits and many are considering raising them
> in the near future.

Don't count on it. Politicians can and do change their minds. I like having
the higher speed limits. I am worried that the nanny elements in our society
will manage to use some excuse (death rate, fuel usuage, etc.) to reimpose
draconian speed limits. Reckless speeders ( I am talking about people who
are driving 15 or 20 over the posted limit) are furthering the casue of
these nannies. I'd rather have uniformily enforced relatively high speed
limits than often ignored, randomly enforced, low speed limits.

> In the end, we speeders win, and those who complain can only resort to
> posting opinions on newsgroups that are either ignored or derided.

Sort of like the people who whine about left lane blockers and others who
may (or may not) be violating the inconsistent tangle of KRETP Laws. Only
difference I see is that most of the people who are offended by speeders
don't harass the speeders on the road (except by driving around in a legal
manner). The militants who want strict enforcement of KRETP Rules seem to be
quite willing to harass people that they perceive to be violating these
rules (harassment includes tailgating, flashing headlights, brigths at
night, rude gestures, etc.). In fact that they often harass people who are
not actually violating the actual rules.

I find it inconsistent that people are upset when one set of laws is
enforced while simultaneously complaining that another set of laws is not
enforced. Particularly when the other set of rules may not even exist, or
not exist as they wish they existed.

Regards,

Ed White