Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wants Congress to add to Washington’s non-existent police powers.
Tough federal legislation is the only way to deal with what he called a “national epidemic,” he said at a distracted-driving summit in San Antonio, Texas, that drew doctors, advocates and government officials.
LaHood said it is important for the police to have “the opportunity to write tickets when people are foolishly thinking they can drive safely or use a cell phone and text and drive.”
LaHood has previously criticized behind-the-wheel use of cell phones and other devices, but calling for a federal law prohibiting the practice takes his effort to a new level.
A level that formalizes the Ninth Amendment’s increasingly de facto status as a dead letter. Given their way, the Obamarrhoids would relegate the states to the status of provinces (and I don’t mean in the Canadian, we-have-states-too-we-just-don’t-call-them-that fashion).
…a republic, if we could have kept it.
You know when they can write me a ticket for talking on the phone when driving?
WHEN I CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Because until I do, I’m obviously not distracted.
asshats. I hate Ray LaHood.
Visuals? – – – – – – – – – -> Check!
Brain engaged? – – – – – > Doubleuncheck!
I’d just like Mr. LaHood to understand that every time I see a cop, an inspector, a City Council member, or any flavor of Unmarked Black SUV on a cell phone, I’m pulling out in front of them and screaming bloody murder ’til they’re brought up on federal charges. And I really don’t care how many junk cars I go through doing it, either.
This topic reminded me of something I heard that’s going on in Europe. Towns are removing road signs and markings to increase safety. Apparently it’s been working well enough. Drivers are paying more attention to the roads and intersections because they have to.
Defensive Driving distilled to one sentence:
Assume every other driver on the road is a complete idiot and doesn’t care about his own life or yours.
On that Darth, a related musical thought from Ledeen. These things seem to live in the world as a matter of human harmony. Shame the proggs don’t bother to look at them.
Assume every other driver on the road is a complete idiot and doesn’t care about his own life or yours.
Words to live by. Literally.
I assume every driver on the road is just waiting for me to drop my guard so he can run into me.
I carry the same philosophy to work on construction sites, I assume everybody there is looking for the first chance to hurt me.
Call me paranoid, but it works.
I like to think of it as being proactive.
Hey Mr. LaHood. Does this mean you now want Local Police enforcing Federal Law? Seems to me very recently your Justice Dept was suing a State to *prevent* them from enforcing Federal Law.
Make up your mind.
…a related musical thought from Ledeen.
Muti’s one hell of a conductor. I saw him in Philly a handful of times when I lived out East.
Ray LaHood is, of course, a Republican
A Government That Can Force You to Buy Health Insurance Can Do Anything
…except deliver the mail, guard the borders, keep the Secret Service’s collective dick in its pants, maintain the strength of the dollar, keep the effin’ Interstate from falling into the effin’ Mississippi, or defend the life, liberty, and property of its citizens.
But I suppose you’re probably limiting your list to stuff the government wants to do.
howzbout we resolve the sudden uncontrolled acceleration problem first.
After all, both problems have the same source.
are there ray lahoodies?
An Obama loving Republican.
“Manifesto” is a nice touch there oh Wiki-poo.
birds of a feather
McCain Endorses Lugar in Radio Ad
It’s a shame we can’t parade up all the folks who were injured when their car struck a deer. Or , like my husband, a guy gets a case of road rage and causes the three car accident fracturing my husband’s neck.
I believe if you are the cause of an accident and are found negligent…. You Re ticketed and can be sued. Why do we need a law?
Ray lahood is an asshole. I knew his political party. He’s from Michigan. Still an asshole.
union pickle
link
LaHood said it is important for the police to have “the opportunity to write tickets …”
Period. End of story.
The police primary function is to raise revenue. That is why gun sales and concealed carry permits are through the fucking roof.
oh my
link
This reminds me of Jim Treacher being plowed over by an unmarked US State Dept SUV while he was legally ambulatin’ a crosswalk, only to have the State Dept. employees flee the scene unidentified, while he gets to wake up in the hospital in horrible pain, with an exploded knee, and two DC Metro cops in the hospital room giving him a fucking ticket for jaywalking.
I wonder if those State Dept. guys were at the “summit”.
And “summit”?! Good grief. It was not a “summit”.
Reagan and Gorbachev had Summits.
This stupid thing was probably held in the same room where they have the AA meetings.
Oh. Also, I’d like to point out LaHood was the bad guy in Pale Rider.
Ray lahood is an asshole. I knew his political party. He’s from Michigan.
No he’s not. He represented Illinois in the U.S. House. He’s a complete chucklehead and knows nothing about either the auto industry or alternative transportation. It’s less dangerous to text and drive than it is to get between Ray LaHood and a camera.
My question for LaHood is that if using a cellphone or other electronic device is inherently distracting, that you can’t train yourself to not be distracted, and that’s exactly what his agency claims, shouldn’t any laws prohibiting cell phone and other electronic devices behind the wheel apply equally to government employees, including law enforcement officers?
Distracted driving is responsible for some 25% of collisions. That category includes reaching for falling items; batting at bees and other buzzing insects (including passengers); fondling the radio – CD controls; eyeballing a crash sight (or some other well-jiggling outside views). Texting is indicated as causal of many collisions, but any activity that distracts you from performing correctly behind the wheel is contraindicated.
OT: I was just going door to door for the Walker recall election this evening and by my very scientific method I can safely report that there is a complete correlation between having a pinched face and sputtering speaking style and your desire to get rid of Walker.
A teacher told me that Walker was objectively the worst governor in US history. Through her pinched, sputtering face. She must be a delight in the classroom.
…knows nothing about either the auto industry or alternative transportation.
Speaking of…Mr. LaHood, will this new “tough Federal legislation” for this “national epidemic” address vehicle NAV systems?
Cuz…I’m fine on my cell phone (hands free or up to my ear), but I’ve damn near hit people & buildings poking touch screen buttons & arguing with that damn woman’s “voice” about which fucking street I’m on.
And, just so I’m sure. Alternative transportation is a horse, a four-wheeler, boat, jet-ski, or dirt bike, right?
I think what I meant to write was, A Government That Can Force You to Buy Health Insurance Can TRY TO MAKE YOU Do Anything.
I forgot I wasn’t writing the title on Twitter and could potentially go over 140 characters, as Jeff has sometimes done.
A teacher told me that Walker was objectively the worst governor in US history.
is the teacher still paying union dues?
bh,
Just for shucks I Googled “worst Governor in US History”.
Man, Walker sucks at “worst Governor in US history”. He’s awful at it. Didn’t even make the first page. Was all Rick Scott & Sarah Palin.
You have more work to do. Keep knocking on doors.
Pssst. Cabela’s has a good poncho to keep the spittle off.
It’s also camouflaged.
If you need to dive into near-by bushes or whatnot.
God speed.
alternative transportation
unless it is the jettsons it is all status quo transportation
Yeah, it was specific enough that I was at a loss, LYBD. Worst? In history? Objectively?
I just smiled and moved on to the next house. The friendly smiling is what really pisses them off. They think they’re attacking like a big mean bear and then you basically pat them on the head like a cute little bunny.
That’s what’ll get me spit on one of these days.
That’s what’ll get me spit on one of these days.
its good to know how to do deal with lunatics.
It’s normally pretty boring with the occasional excitement of finding a right-minded voter who has moved to the area but hasn’t registered yet. Woot!!!
Did meet one lunatic during the Prosser (Wisco Supreme Court) election. Said that I had to admit to him that I was sent by the Koch Brothers or it was a crime for me to harass him. He had the crazy eyes. And face. And words.
…like a big mean bear…
Yeah…I saw one of those bears today.
And then one of those “meme” things I’m always hearing about happened.
Gonna be a rough year for the progressives.
Don’t know about you, but I’m not gonna put a fluffy mattress under any of ’em.
Koch Brothers
Can you imagine the shit Lex Luthor would do to get that kinda press?
Step up your game Lois.
Said that I had to admit to him that I was sent by the Koch Brothers or it was a crime for me to harass him. He had the crazy eyes. And face. And words.
the lunatic proggtard lies are “fast and furious”
Tell them that earthlings aren’t supposed to know about that and walk quickly away.
The Koch Brothers.
Can you feds just leave me alone? If you do, I promise I’ll continue to pay my taxes like a good doobie.
Otherwise, not. Etc.
Fluke Fails Current Events Quiz
RI Red gets IRS audit in 3…2…1
Fluke Fails Current Events Quiz.
When asked for the over/under on that bet, all of Las Vegas was busy counting progressives’ money, and, thus, unavailable for comment.
I don’t know what’s worse. The blessed Patron Saint of rubbers in Georgetown, or those Jimmy Johnson “ExtenZe” penis commercials.
I guess wake me up when Fluke coaches a team to a few Super Bowls.
And it’s gotta be the Cowboys.
God knows, they need any help from where ever they can get it.
It troubles me that Fluke didn’t go sooner in the draft.
Sexists.
Lamont, to protect my various licenses, I have to file squeaky clean with Uncle. Which I will continue to do until we get to the “Otherwise, not” stage.
Rush has always promised to let us know when he thinks it is over. I suspect I will be listening to that announcement on a battery-powered AM radio, having come to that conclusion ahead of him.
Sometimes I depress myself.
It troubles me that Fluke didn’t go sooner in the draft.
Yeah…I’m gonna go ahead and say it.
She would have gone sooner in the draft, if she wasn’t busy humping the rest of the football team.
There, I said it.
Glad I don’t have a radio show.
on a battery-powered AM radio, having come to that conclusion ahead of him.
Remember that part in 28 Days Later where the lovable Dad hand cranks the (no battery) radio, and they all hear “The answer to infection is here”.
How’d that work out for him?
Guns, ammo, food, water, medical + secluded place at tree line elevation.
It’s sorta like taking off and nuking the site from orbit.