"The Ever Increasing Terrors of Government Regulation", or, "Why Driving is Doomed"

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that "Obamacare" is indeed a constitutional program. This incensed those that think that the government should do nothing but build them park benches and stay the Hell out of their lives and it brought orgasmic delight to those that think that the government should regulate every last detail of their lives so that they can enjoy life to the fullest extent. As this blog strives to be apolitical, I'll endeavor not to comment on that. However, these developments have gotten me thinking about driving regulations.

Every year, it seems like there are new laws designed to create a safer road experience for everyone. On the surface, this is excellent. To be clear, I do not like crashing. Crashing is bad. Crashing is unhealthy. Especially if it involves injury. But is increased litigation the answer?

Frankly, I'm in favor of going in the opposite direction and raising freeway speed limits. Statistically speaking, the vast majority of fatal crashes occur on roads with speed limits of 30 mph or below. Why? Because people aren't paying attention. Think about this: would you be willing to text your cousin or turn back to pet Mr. Patches, the domesticated iguana that is sitting in a rear facing child seat in the back of your car, if you were hurtling down the road at 95 mph?

No. You would not. You would be clutching at the wheel like a kamikaze pilot and sweating profusely as you used every ounce of your concentration to not drive into the car in the next lane over.

The problem is, it's difficult to argue against the people in favor of increased litigation. I certainly won't be the person who has to tell a member of MADD that the cars that killed their children should be made to go faster or that drivers should be bound by fewer restrictive pieces of legislation.

This is why I believe that the joy will soon be sucked out of driving. As more and more people beg those in power to regulate the automotive world, the pure experience of driving will suffocate and die under the weight of 8 trillion new laws. Because it's impossible to say no.