Posted on 09/15/2005 8:35:32 PM PDT by Westlander
BOSTON -- It's cold, it's snowing, and there's ice and snow on the car. So you hop in and go without clearing off all the winter precipitation.
That might soon be against the law in Massachusetts.
The state Legislature is considering a bill that would mean fines of up to $500 and a six-month stay in jail.
The bill is designed to reduce the danger from chunks of snow and ice flying off car roofs or hoods.
If it passes, Massachusetts could become the first state to require snow- and ice-free cars.
"""""In 1997 a co-worker was decapitated by a sheet of ice that flew off the top of the semi in front of him. He was on his way home from work. Killed instantly - closed coffin funeral""""
Is there a news story on this? I as a trucker, am interested.
My dad, who's a truckdriver, had that happened once. The truck in front of him and over one lane had a giant slab of ice slide off and when it fell it hit my dad's passenger window flat and blew it in. He had about a 30" round hole in his window and glass all over the inside of the cab.
He said he was really lucky it didn't hit on the driver's side. It probably would have killed him, or caused a really bad accident.
Except a new law is totally unneccessary because current law -- reckless driving -- already prohibits a person from operating a motor vehicle in a reckless or unsafe manner. There comes a point in time where we need to enforce the laws on the books rather than passing new laws.
I bet you tailgate, don't you?
Obviously the lawmakers have drivers who clean off their ice and snow. I'd like to see them drive in a snowstorm and keep ice and snow off their car. Another issue that comes to mind is how do you determine how much is too much?
I live in Maine. Every winter I see a dozen or so cars on the road after every big storm, with just a peep hole for the driver to look out. They are usually all over the road and "shedding" snow and ice like a dog with mange. I cringe when I see them coming. If you can't get your lazy a-- out of bed a few minutes early to clean off your car, maybe you should sit in the slammer until you smarten up. I hate the nanny state too, but getting dangerous individuals off the road seems legitimate to me.
I hate to burst your (frozen) bubble but what you described, a 1' x 2' x 3' cube of ice, would weigh. apx 330 lbs.
Ot Check out C-Span 2 The Rats are pulling a live haering on Halliburton!
So true! So true!
Will politicans be exempt from this? I bet they will be.
Thanks for the ping!
Actually, this law kind of makes sense. Chunks of ice flying from improperly-cleared cars or trucks on the highway can cause severe problems---and it is definitely a matter of willful negligence that the cars or trucks are improperly-cleaned in the first place. I can't tell you how many times I've seen cars covered with snow except for two little peep-holes for the windshield and rear window out on the road like it was a sunny day in July.
Too late....there was a huge sign in my former employers bathroom that stated (I'm paraphrasing, here) "OSHA standards require all employees to wash their hands after using the bathroom".
I never saw the standards enforced, however. There weren't any bathroom monitors......yet.
I don't have a problem either - in fact, I think there is such a law here in Utah, although everyone ignores it. Once I had a semi almost total me. It must have been 50 cubic feet of snow from his trailer roof that came at me at 70 mph. It was the day after the snowstorm, the roads were dry, and the sun was out.
I wish carwashes would offer a one-minute warm-water drive-through during icy, snowy weather for maybe a dollar. Just enough to get the chunks off and your windows clear.
I bet they have never seen Ice and snow or the damage it can do. I can not understand why this kind of law would be necessary. I people would just use sense and think of the safety of others.
Have you ever seen snow?
Saw a flying chunk completely blow out a windshield last winter and the trucker never knew a thing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.