[TheForge] OT - The science of driving.

[Andy Vida]

Lynn Emrich wrote:
> 
> Andy and all,
> I should keep my opinions to myself but:
> Punishment or threat of punishment is not always the
> answer. I think it was 17th century England where
> stealing a handkerchief was punishable by hanging
> didn't't change the behavior of the thieves. Look at
> the present drug "war." Are we making progress on that
> or the murders?
> Opening mouth again, Lynn

	Yes, I agree.  My point, perhaps not so clearly made,
	is that the MEANS of punishment, when chosen wisely,
	will in fact deter crime to a great extent, all other
	things being equal.

	Death penalty doesn't appear to have much effect on the
	murder rate (Texas knocks em down like flies, yet the
	supply appears to remain abundant). Armed citizens able 
	and willing to ventilate violent criminals do.

	In this case, what I'm suggesting is that making unsafe
	behavior on the road such a godawful inconvenience that
	people will not do it.  If punishment is too draconian,
	then people act desperately and the end results are usually
	far more horrible than if the penalties were reasonable.
	Look at the idiotic "three strikes" legislation.  Imagine
	you're some po' sumbitch inner city negroid who for whatever
	reason got the eye of the police and have been arrested and
	convicted twice for felonies you may have done... or may not
	have (don't think this is far fetched.  It ain't).  Imagine
	the circumstances that are set up because of idiotic laws.
	The next time the police are paying attention to you what do
	we have?  Cops know he's a two-time loser looking at going to
	prison for life, so they now assume many things, some reasonable,
	and others perhaps less so.  The po black d00d also assumes
	some things.  What if he's innocent?  Would any of you go
	willingly through the gates of hell for eternity without a
	fight, especially when you know you have done nothing wrong?
	These sorts of laws are beyond insane.

	Who wants to spend a week in county lockup, having to eat
	that stuff they pass as "food"?  Not many, I would bet.  Who
	wants to have to deal with being away from work and the loss
	of wages?  There is nothing draconian here, but the hassles
	are immense.  A $1000 fine and a walk out the door isn't
	nearly as bad as a week eating jail food and missing all the
	things you love to do.