Posted on 08/25/2005 9:32:59 AM PDT by Sarajevo
San Antonio, TX. The city is about to get tough with people who drive around barricades erected to prevent motorists from driving through high water. A new state law that takes effect September first will allow police to handcuff the drivers, arrest them, and throw them in jail, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
This is ridiculous. It essentially makes criminals out of drivers who have only demonstrated their personal stupidity by driving around a safety barrier. It isn't the same as someone who drives through a railroad barrier in front of a moving locomotive. It only involves personal safety and a modicum of common sense not to ignore safety barriers. This should be addressed by the issuance of a standard traffic ticket.
If you get stuck in high water and have to be rescued, each adult in the vehicle will also have to pay a $400 per person rescue fee.
This item also brings forth issues such as: Why pay more for a service which has alreay been budgeted for, using equipment already paid for? A different, yet similar analogy would be to charge extra for our military when they start their vehicles, or are alerted for war.
I think our politicians don't have enough to keep themselves occupied
No, it also involves the lives and safety of the people - officers and public - who try to rescue the idiots. Do you think that if the police let one of these dingbats sit on the roof of his car yelling, "Help!" until he was swept away, that his heirs wouldn't sue the city for a FReeping fortune, and win?
Swept away vehicles require a high risk rescue. I know, I know, thats what they get paid for, but....
Every time somebody drives through a posted area they are running the risk of requiring a rescue. That pulls resources that could be better used elsewhere.
My vote would be to say "Hey, stupid, swim your own way out."
Why pay more for a service which has alreay been budgeted for, using equipment already paid for?
It's called a user fee. Passing the cost onto the people who benefit from the service and equipment is rarely a bad thing.
They're putting in a rescue fee in my native city, as well. It's called "the city needs money."
No one there is really hiding the ball on this: the city is broke and that's one of the ways it is going to generate more revenue. The city passed that along with a number of other revenue enhancing devices.
I once got a $50 dollar ticket for not having a light on my bike. I wanted to strangle the cop.
It sounds reasonable to me. Every year, and it's usually a women with kids, gets herself and her kids either caught in high water or drowned. You have to pay a price for ignoring laws or being stupid.
"My vote would be to say "Hey, stupid, swim your own way out.""
Seconded.
They are both public safety barriers and it is illegal to go around either one.
It only involves personal safety and a modicum of common sense not to ignore safety barriers.
Wrong...it puts the rescuers at risk.
Why pay more for a service which has alreay been budgeted for, using equipment already paid for?
Having to bring out the boats to rescue idiots that go around the barriers costs money. Having to bring in additional personnel familiar with this particular rescue equipment to rescue these idiots costs money. If you think they use the existing manpower on that particular shift, you are mistaken, fires and crimes don't stop when it rains.
Blame the voters in addition to the politicians. Maybe if there wasn't such a huge incumbent re-election rate some of this nonsense would go away. Also, you're right, there's no need for a year long legislature. Part time the legislature and send the pols home to their constituents the rest of the time. Show the lawmakers that you're watching them.
Then make it a ticket offense and charge them the rescue fees. Making it a class B misdemenor? please.
unfortunately stupid people have their children in the car with them. I know from my work on the malibu search and rescue team.
It's a pretty big fine here in Phoenix... They have to pay rescue fees and if a helicopter is used, can be really expensive!! I think minimums are well over $500... They call it the "stupid driver law". While I agree with our laws that the idiots pay instead of the taxpayers, I dont think it should be criminal and drag them off to jail. I am not sure but I dont think it has to be barracaded here... everybody is continually told dont drive through a running wash!
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