[TrailofTears]

I was shocked when i heard on wmal this am that the MD State police has started using night vision goggles to enforce the seat belt law in MD. I couldn't help think that we are seeing another encroachment on freedom and on reasonable expectation of law enforcement. I have for many years now worked in DC public housing doing work with various groups (feeding programs etc) and have watched a continious stream of cars runningfrom the dc area into MD after purchasing drugs. Where are the night vision goggles that will be used to capture those who go over the line and buy drugs and run over to MD to either use them or sell them. It would seem that the folks in MD would eventually say stop to the further encroachment in their lives by these governing authorities; but, it just doesn't seem that there is any point at which folks from MD will reject government intrusion into their lives. I remember that when they first came out with the seat belt laws they were not even able to garner you points on your lisence, let alone be a "first offender"action for ticket. At that time the state swore that they would never, and they were emphatic, never become even a ticketable offense. Then the slippery slope of the Nanny State has come down on us and it is not only ticketable but the government is now authorizing the police to wear night vision goggles to "watch the citizenry." I could tell them many places in PG County, Rockville, and the outlying areas that are infested with illegal drug markets and other serious activities where the night vision goggles would be able to keep our streets safer. They know those areas and have chosen to go for the soft target of the average citizen who might have either forgotten their seat belt, or who is sick of the nanny state telling them that they have to wear them. Either way, our streets and neighborhoods are not safer through this effort, they have chosen not to deal with the real areas of crime with this equipment, but have chosen to further the encroachment of a police state on the population. This all done in the name of the greatest enemy we seem to have as a people, safety. I will close with a quote from C.S Lewis, which im sure he plagurized from Adam Smith the father of economics who wrote more than 300 years ago some of the same ideas: "Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies, The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. It is this type law that drove our founders to revolution. It is this type law enforcement that would once again drive our founding fathers to revolution were they alive today. At what point will we say, "enough is enough!"

[TrailofTears]

At what point will we decide that the loss of freedom and the misdirecting of resources should end? We need to stop the government intrusion into the lives of the average citizenry and insist that they use these available resources to go after crime and criminals, not after the average Joe who passes down the highway.

[Moatengator83Herd]

As an old soldier, we would have to close down a whole installation if a "sensitive item" were thought to be lost or compromised. These items were weapons, CEOIs, and night vision devices. Will the Nanny State close down when one of their finest misplaces one of these NVGs?

[B4Ranch]

Police say 40 percent of drivers don't use their seat belts at night, making the roads much more dangerous after sunset.

[CPOSharky]

Is just my imagination or are the cops looking more and more for the easy "collar"?

[Lokibob]

My friend was driving an old Nash on the I-state. All the Nash had was lap belt, not a seat harness. A Utah highway patrol passed my friend, looked over , cought his eye, and stretched out his harness, telling my friend to put on his seat belt.

My friend pointed to his lap belt, accidently giving the universal sign of "BITE ME" to the UHP trooper. After the trooper stopped him, they both agreed that everything was ok.

[marylandrepub1]

I just heard the same report AM 680 (MAL)about 15 minutes ago.

[JudgemAll]

NVGs for belts?It's more than for armor...or are our departments overequiped-overfunded?

By the way, I wear kevlar to protect myself in case of crashes.The cop got all startled asking me why I was wearing armor.It's not about safety folkes,it's about an easy job and an easy profiling prejudice.It's about making the citizen as naked as possible before the law,under the pretense it is not dressed well enough with the belt.Muslims treat women the same way in the name of their safety.

Also drivers without belts usualy are more careful.

[fatnotlazy]

From the article:
"The new strategy is paying off. At a seat belt enforcement operation Wednesday night on Rockville Pike, officers issued at least 44 tickets for seat belt violations."

***

Bravo! Going after those hardened non-seat belt wearing criminals. (sarcasm)

[OXENinFLA]

A bit more HERE

[American_Centurion]

And people ask me why I hate cops.

I don't hate the individual cop, I hate what their organization has become. Long ago they gave up "Serve and Protect" in favor of "Tax and Collect".

So individual officer's reading this, you will certainly be called sir and treated with respect by me, but once you leave I will certainly generalize the lot as human scum. Y'all remember that lot's of people met their doom at the end of a rope for "following orders", if you don't resist the encroachment on our freedoms, you or future police may pay a high price for it. This country was founded on revolt against tyranny, it can happen again. I pray we change course before we get to that point.

[UseYourHead]

If the police sat in the same place during the day it would be okay for them to watch you? What's the difference?

You are only complaining about the NVGs being used for seatbelt offenders but not if used for drug deals?

Do you wear your seatbelt?

What if they already have people undercover for those drug deals you see going on and need to find the source of the drugs? How would you know what is really going on?

Yes, I think this is all about you being forced to wear seatbelts. I don't even notice the seatbelt. What will you do when we go to 4-point seatbelts?

It might be time for you to move to Montana.

[ovrtaxt]

I'm waiting for the day when I have to rip the Onstar unit out of my car because of Big Brother.

[sgtbono2002]

I have said for years that the Title Maryland State Police should be changed to Highway Patrol. Their policeing duties have so little to do with crime stopping its hilarious.

Running Radar and writing seat belt tickets accounts for 90% of their duties. By the way the cop who writes the most tickets gets to ride in a plain car, Not one with those ugly lights on top.

I dont know of anyone who habitually wears a seat belt who stops wearing it at night. If you wanted to stop wearing one dont wear it on a rainy day. No seat belt stops or Radar tickets on rainy days. what cop wants to stand in the rain and write tickets, Thats for sunny spring days, expecially holidays. When they get overtime for it. And another thing dont ever let a police officer tell you they dont have quota's.

[razorback-bert]

I was sitting at the one and only stoplight in this small West Texas town, when I noticed that the light had cameras on it.

Denver City must have some really bad traffic flow to require cameras to monitor the intersection.

[RebelBanker]

I think I agree with your sentiments, but PLEASE use paragraphs. I kept getting lost about half way through your post because it all runs together.

BTW, the Maryland State Police were created under the Department of Transportation for the purpose of traffic control and enforcement on the highways. Local police and sheriffs departments were supposed to handle all other law enforcement duties in the state.

[tiger-one]

Cops making stops at night enhances the dangers of driving at night for all involved.

Consider the strobe's and "like a moth to a flame"

PC, as Probably Cause, needed to make a "legal" stop is abundant. License plate marker bulb out, not signaling lane changes etc.

[gridlock]

The Click It Or Ticket evolution of the Seat Belt laws is a great example of how government always encroaches, never retreats. At ever stage, governments promised that it would be the last step. We have gone from police considering whether or not a person was wearing a seatbelt as part of accident investigation to the point now where it is a primary, ticketable offense. Step by step.

All other traffic regs are geared toward protecting the public at large. But now, the government has finally stepped in and is insisting that they need to protect you form yourself. Look for the public acceptance of this attitude with regards to seatbelts to be used as a justification for a thousand other intrusions into our personal decision making.

After all, being a little overweight is more dangerous than driving without a seatbelt. Should that person be allowed to order that hamburger for lunch?

Smoking kills more people than driving unbelted. Should people really be allowed to smoke?

The list goes on and on...

[ex-Texan]

This is all about the money. If 40% of all drivers forget to click their seat belts, then increasing ticketing means increasing revenue for the state. Seat belt tickets are also a way to initiate stops to search automobiles. If the driver appears impaired, or nervous, the officer may begin the usual litany of questions. "Do you mind if I search your car?" . . .

[Dionysius]

Too good for 'em. Non-Sear Belt Wearers should be shot on sight (by a well-paid firing squad made up of illegal aliens).