If you had the slightest doubt that President Obama was onto something when he suggested improvements in federal regulations, get a load of this ...
Federal regulations limit truck weight on interstate highways to 80,000 pounds. That sounds reasonable enough, except that Quebec, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts are permanently exempt. So when perfectly legal 100,000 pound trucks come rolling over the border into Vermont or Maine, they must hustle right off the interstate and poke along the narrow back roads over mountains and through little country towns. Brilliant, eh?
Theoretically, regulations like this are supposed to be about safety. So what is it that miraculously makes a 100,000 pound truck that's unsafe in Maine or Vermont suddenly safe again the minute it crosses the border into Quebec or New Hampshire? Or makes that same 100,000 pound load safer on secondary roads and in school zones than it is on the interstate? Good questions!
Senators Leahy and Collins noticed this peculiar state of affairs, and about a year ago persuaded the Obama administration and the Congress to allow Vermont and Maine to operate under the same rules as their neighbors for a one-year pilot program, which expired in December. As you might imagine, the study demonstrated conclusively that there were plenty of benefits to eliminating this bizarre regulatory inconsistency. So an extension was included in December's budget bill, but that was blocked by Republican senators. Mother would like to send them to their rooms until they learn how to stop behaving like brats and start using some basic common sense, but she's afraid that would take too long.
Because this ridiculous inconsistency is unsafe, expensive and inconvenient for residents and truckers, and it needs to be fixed right now! So she's sorry she called them brats and asks them kindly to do the right thing and stop picking on the poor folks in Vermont and Maine. Senators Collins and Leahy have announced that they are introducing a standalone bill to make the pilot program permanent and create some blessed consistency in the rules of the road for all of us here in New England.
Check out this announcement for the complete scoop, courtesy of Senator Collins:
Now, by all means if there's good reason to believe that the higher weights are actually unsafe everywhere, then Mother will be glad to support reducing the limits uniformly instead of the other way around, but she suspects that if that were the case, the pilot program evaluation would have made that clear, and apparently it did no such thing, in fact quite the opposite. So let's support our voices of reason on this one, shall we?
Mother normally tries to avoid getting all preachy on you (OK, maybe a little nagging), but she started the week with a Daily Word on Monday that fits The Rider Method to a T, so hopes you won't mind my sharing my favorite part with my cheery friends:
I interact with many people each day, from friends, family and co-workers to sales people, fellow drivers and passersby. While some relationships may not seem especially significant, they provide opportunities for me to positively impact the lives of others.
I might be the only one to show another person kindness or consideration today. A simple caring gesture or acknowledgment can bring light to their day. I choose my words carefully and let my connection with others be a blessing in their lives and mine. We all share this life experience together.
If you'd like to read the complete message, you can find it here:
Would it be in bad taste to steal, I mean build on, the Rev. Dr. King's powerful concept? I don't think so; he seems like the kind of guy who would be glad to share, especially for a good cause. Sure, Mother's dream is somewhat different from the inspiring dream we celebrate today, but it's an excellent dream nonetheless. Would you like to hear it? Here goes...
I have a dream that one day all of us will travel together in peace on the roads of America. And I mean ALL of us, from the tiniest pedestrian to the biggest monster truck. Yes, even the bikers, the Hummers and the pokey little Subarus.
I have a dream that safety belts everywhere will be buckled and helmets will be worn every time, not because it's the law but because we know better, and we are much too responsible to stick our family, friends and emergency responders with the tragic consequences of our carelessness.
I have a dream that we will watch where we're going, avoid distractions, and absolutely never, ever, text or chat on the phone while we're driving. or get behind the wheel while impaired.
I have a dream that we will keep our windshields and windows clean, and our mirrors and lights too (and clean means not just dirt, but ice, snow and crap on the dashboard or the back window), because visibility is a key factor in getting there in one piece, without smashing into anyone or anything, and because my Dad, the father of salubrious driving, said so.
I have a dream that drivers will merge in a safe and orderly fashion, and remember to take turns when the situation calls for it (say at lane closures or 4-way stops), that they will refrain from excessive honking and taking up two parking spaces, that they will use their signals when turning or changing lanes and never tailgate or obstruct the traffic behind them. And if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like them to try not to go too slow or too fast.
I have a dream that we will treat our fellow travelers with patience and courtesy always, greet them with cheery waves occasionally, and never, ever display rude gestures or aggressive behavior.
I have a dream that from I-5 to I-95, I-10 to I-94, US 1 to US 101, the Lincoln Highway to Route 66, all of God's licensed drivers will travel together in salubrious harmony all the days of our lives, unless we can think of an excuse to just stay home.
And that's my dream - considerably less grand than the original, but still worth doing. So if you don't mind, let's start making my dream come true first thing tomorrow, shall we? Please? But tonight, I'll sign off with great thanks and a hearty Happy Birthday to the Reverend Doctor King, may he rest in peace. I like to think of him looking down from heaven and smiling at this wonderful performance by the 4th graders from Watkins Elementary School in Washington, DC (courtesy of PBS NewsHour):
Honestly, it was not my plan to kick off the new year crabbing about texting and driving. Again. I had every intention of starting out on a cheerier note with a funnier post. But the helpful folks at AT&T had other ideas, and now that they mention it, I can see their point. So it's back to the same old tired topic. You know how to make us stop, don't you? That's right! Stop doing it!! Please???
So we've pledged to Oprah. (We have, haven't we? Did you forget? Well, go on and do it right now. We'll wait. Here's the link: No Phone Zone) And Lord knows Mother's nagged you enough about it over the past year, hasn't she? Don't think so? Check out these examples:
And I suspect I may have missed one or two. So here I was thinking that was plenty enough, when a new Facebook page came along with the depressing message that I was wrong. Some Who out there in Whoville is apparently STILL texting while driving, so AT&T (mindful, no doubt, of its role in this sorry state of affairs) has created one more pledge, and a complete program to go along with it, bless its little pointed head.
So if you know one of those slackers who hasn't got the message yet, would you please, please, please pass the word along? Because Mother's heart has had more than enough breaking over these tragic stories and far too many others. She doesn't want to hear any more of them. Not one! You probably don't either, do you? And just to be be crystal clear: we don't want it to be because they've quit telling us; we want it to be because there are no more tragic stories to tell. So let's thank the poor souls with the really broken hearts who have lived those stories and been kind enough to share. Let's think about the consequences the next time we're tempted to pick up the phone behind the wheel, and don't do it. And let's resolve not to create any more tragedies for any more grieving victims. Not one! OK? Thank you!
Here's the AT&T Facebook page, where you can watch a powerful video, take the pledge and follow links to the full documentary and more resources:
Seriously, please promise Mother, Oprah and AT&T that you will NEVER text and drive so we can put this problem behind us once and for all. And stay tuned for that cheery post I promised you any day now.
Best wishes to everyone for a happy and salubrious 2011!
Here, I'll get you started. Who knew that Keith Olbermann, the all-purpose crazy liberal smarty pants stereotype du jour, is a funny guy with the resources to find hilarious driving videos from all over the world and the goodness to share them with us on his show? Well, now we all do, because Mother discovered them for us. You're welcome.Would you like to see a few? The nice folks at NBC have kindly made that possible by creating an online video setup that makes it easy to select and share clips (for the low, low price of watching an ad or two and overlooking the odd labels), bless their little pointed heads. Thank you, NBC! So if you don't mind laughing at the misfortunes of other drivers (and who does, really?), go ahead and enjoy these recent selections ... Fabulous floating car
Remember, driving is an important thing not to do while texting, but not the only thing. I hate to say I told her so, but I believe I did, quite some time ago (Have I issued a commandment lately?). Enough said.
Update and post: 1/24 Well, that was fun. And now that I've got you all looking forward to video treats from Keith Olbermann, I'm stuck giving you the bad news that he quit on Friday. Sorry! I didn't mean to disappoint you, and thought about just letting this post waste away in the drafts folder, but I did promise you a few laughs, didn't I? And hey, we're tough enough to handle a future without Keith Olbermann's funny videos, right? Right!
