NAC: Va Speeding Tax...oops, I Meant Ticket

[Enzeder]

At 09:03 PM 7/9/2007, Huw Powell wrote:
> > I had the pleasure of sitting through a $100 mandatory
> > course. .....   A few
> > people in the class didn't speak English, and had friends along to
> > translate.  How the hell are you allowed to drive if you can't speak
> > the language the signs are written in?!
>
>Um, I don't know if you've noticed, but road signs are in "sign"
>language.  The only literacy required is to match the numbers on the
>speed signs to the numbers on your dashboard.

In MD there are signs that are plain english - not pictograms.  Some 
that come immediately to mind are "Bridge Freezes Before Roadway", 
"Exit Only", "School Zone" and "Work Area".  Nevermind the overhead 
signs that are programmable and in english.

> > The whole "course" was hilarious; it's chock full of the usual blind
> > logic of "antisocial behavior" (like blipping your throttle at the
> > stop light) = speeding = death, doom, destruction, and the devil
> > himself.  And of course the problem isn't running red lights,
> > violating basic traffic rules, yakking on your cell phone,
> > tailgating, or anything like that.  It's speeding, speeding,
> > speeding, speeding.  Speeding causes death!
>
>Well, more than anything else, yup.  If I had to deal with an errant
>driver, it's the thing I'd least like them to be doing.

Hmmm, I'd rather they not be armed, drunk, drugged, asleep, or 
otherwise distracted...  excessive speed is another issue.  Anyone 
doing 10 over is pretty much a moving chicane on the DC beltway...

I like the fact that the legislator that helped pass the law is a 
traffic lawyer.  No conflict of interest there.