Apparently, it is all right to drive over the speed limit, according to one of our judges. This judge ruled that, even though some young man hit and killed a 91 year old woman while driving 100 km/hr in a 60 km/hr zone, he is not criminally responsible for killing a human being. This young man didn't drive recklessly, because everyone speeds on that stretch of road where it happened.
Wow! Let me write this again: he didn't drive recklessly, even though he drove at least 40 km over the speed limit!
This opens up a whole can of worms. It means anyone can speed and get away with it, because people speed on every road. I see it every day.
Our son had a serious accident when he was younger. He came home late one night, being tired he dozed off and, consequently, rolled his car, demolishing it completely. He was extremely lucky to come out of it alive. The cops and rescue people who arrived at the scene couldn't believe he survived the crash. He was charged with reckless driving, had to pay a fine and received demerit points on his license.
But speeding and killing another human being while doing so is okay and not considered reckless driving. I don't see the logic in that.Something stinks to high heaven with that case. I hope the children who lost their mother and grandmother in that horrific accident put in an appeal.
There is always talk about making our roads safer, but nothing ever gets done about it. People still talk and text on their cell phones while driving. They drive without their seat-belts on, pass in no-passing stretches of the road, drive slow in the left lane on the highway when the signs say: Slow traffic keep right, drive through red lights...and they speed. Young criminals will steal cars and take them for joy-rides, sometimes causing serious accidents, even killing people, but they never get punished enough. Most of them are repeat offenders.
I got a $200.00 speeding ticket a few years back while driving 10 km over the speed limit in a construction zone.I was caught with one of those cameras. The sign said: 60 km when workers present. There weren't any workers there when I drove through that part of the highway. Many drivers got a speeding ticket that day. And on other days. The whole thing was nothing but a tax-grab. It had nothing to do with driving safely.
I am not a speeder. I always follow the traffic signs. This may sound like the whining of a kid who got spanked for misbehaving a little, while his brother got away with throwing a rock through the neighbor's window, but what I mean is it seems the wrong people get punished most of the time for minor infractions, while the serious offenders get away with their crime.
Real speeders should get fined heavily. If they get into an accident and hurt someone they should pay dearly with a hefty fine and loose their license. If they kill someone they should face jail-time. That, of course, depends on other circumstances also, but they should never get away with it scot-free. Drivers, who are caught using their cellphone should get fined a minimum of $500.00 and receive demerit points on their license. Instead of setting up traffic cameras, the cops should be out there on the streets and watch the drivers, watch for erratic drivers who are weaving in and out of traffic, drivers who go through red lights. Drivers who rev up their engines and take off like rabbits when the light turns green, drivers who are actually speeding on purpose. Records should be kept of offenders and repeat offenders should get higher fines, even loose their license.
Sounds harsh? These measures may save many lives. Possibly even yours. Like I wrote in one of my previous blogs, we live among idiots. They are everywhere, even on the road driving a car. The next one may just be headed your way.
Be careful out there and have a nice day.
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