Law Would Require Cleaning Ice, Snow From Cars

The Associated Press ^ | September 15, 2005 | AP

[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.

[Swordmaker]

The actions of people who have chauffeurs to clean their cars for them...

[Cobra64]

I don't have a problem with a law like this. Anyone who has driven along a highway and sustained windshield or body damage from a chunk of ice flying off the roof of some jack@ss who didn't bother clearing off his vehicle understands what I'm talking about.

Just steer clear of Volvo drivers.

[Westlander]

Thanks for the comments to all Freepers who live in 'cold' states. You do understand. Next law Mass. will pass will be ice/snow removal from house roofs so the paperboy doesn't get impaled by a 3ft. icicle. (I do use a roof rake) You cannot legislate against stupidity. That is the point.

[midnightson]

I needed a laugh today and your tagline provided it-thanks!

[Cobra64]

Rule of thumb. "Drive the conditions. Timing, distance, speed, acceleration, decelleration are the formulae."

When I see some jerk who is too lazy to have cleared his roof of ice and snow, I back off. OTOH, I do not tailgate.

Why do we need more flippin laws to govern basic common sense? Hey folks, 200 years ago did we need all this sh!'ite?

The way this country is directed, we will need a pass, and pay a fee to drink from a public H2O fountain.

[squirt-gun]

[Keith in Iowa]

I needed a laugh today and your tagline provided it-thanks!

Glad to be of service...just changed it...before this one, it was, "Looters=undocumented consumers|Looting=purchases with indefinite deferred payment plans".

[Time4Atlas2Shrug]

Yeah, we could also allow drunks on the road (we can avoid them too, right?) and pickup trucks with unsecured furniture and other debris to roam the roadways.

How about dump trucks with uncovered gravel going 120 mph (can they go that fast?)..........

Why have speed limits while we are at it - heck we can just dodge the fast ones, right?

Can we throw trash out the windows while driving? Hmmm.... :)

[paul51]

I don't have a problem with a law like this. Anyone who has driven along a highway and sustained windshield or body damage from a chunk of ice flying off the roof of some jack@ss who didn't bother clearing off his vehicle understands what I'm talking about

Agreed. And if it causes an accident and/or injury, they should be held responsible.

[timestax]

I also saw a woman driving when the entire sheet of ice from her roof slid forward and she could see NOTHING.

Was she driving backwards?!

[timestax]

pinging

[Calpernia]

>>>When will they pass the, "Butt wiping is mandatory" law?

You make jokes; yet you may not be aware that they came out with the 'clean hands' initiative....to collect pork for programs to write checks to create positions that will create retirement funds....yada yada yada

In todays climate of Anti discrimination, do you think they will stop at hands and exclude the other body parts?

Look in the mirror, see dollar signs for fat politicians.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[nutmeg]

Just Damn ping!

[nutmeg]

probably coming next to Connecticut ping!

Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.

[nutmeg]

ping!

[Peace will be here soon]

About time someone made a law for this ( or at least is trying ).

I am so tired of dodging chunks of ice/snow flying from vehicles when I ride my motorcycle in the winter. : )

I wonder if the semi trucks are included in this? They throw off some pretty big pieces !

I bet there will be alot more people late for work on snowy days once this goes into effect......

[Time4Atlas2Shrug]

Well then, if you've never seen it, it must not have happened, right?

Have you measured the velocity and distance at which such an occurrence could take place? If not, and you have never experienced a windshield suddenly covered in snow on the highway while traveling 65, then perhaps you are mistaking your assumptions to be fact.

By the way - I never tailgate - that is as unwise and ignorant as not clearing your car because you are too lazy.

[paul51]

The nanny states spread

Actually, I would prefer that the state let me deal with the loser in front of me that was to lazy, stupid or irresponsible to clean the snow and ice off the top of their vehicle.

[Time4Atlas2Shrug]

Actually, much of our legislation IS to control stupidity. Should we remove stop signs and the regulations that accompany such signs? Isn't it obvious that we should all stop at intersections, but some people do not and the results could be bad so we enact some rules to govern such activity.

Your paperboy analogy is silly. I pay for the roadways involuntarily and have a right to use them. The paperboy has no right to my property and to demand safety measures through legislation so he can use my property. It is a private contract that can be broken. What would happen if I decided to stop paying my taxes for the roads because of the fools that are too lazy to wipe snow off of their vehicles?