I guess this article talking about how the Minnesota State Patrol is cracking down on Highway traffic violations explains a trend I’ve noticed on the highways.  In the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed more and more people traveling at just slightly under the speed limit.   If it’s 55, they’re going 52…if it’s 60, they’re going 58.

It’s a little annoying, as it is difficult to negotiate between them and the people who are riding your ass or whipping past at 90 MPH…or both.  I especially like the people who zoom right up to your bumper at 90 or so, and then swerve around you…only to realize that there is already someone there, swerve back, and ride your bumper without ever once slowing down either their car or their important phone conversation.

Now I’m going to be one of the turtles.  Apparently, you can get pinched for going 1-2 MPH over the speed limit.  If that’s the case, the best way to avoid it is to go 1-2 MPH below the speed limit.

Anyway, G33kgod3ss at Northern Misfit has an anecdote:  describing someone who got a whole mess of fines thrown at her for a variety of relatively obscure violations…none of which were going over the posted speed limit.

It’s true something needs to be done.  The number of near-head-on-collisions I’ve been in with people cutting corners at high speeds is just frightening.  Also, it’s not unusual to see people drive through stop signs without even slowing down.    Tailgating has a whole new standard.  You don’t even notice people riding your bumper until they get within five feet of you anymore.

It’s a little scary.  Cops on a mission usually are.  They don’t seem to be able to do anything half-way.  They either don’t care at all, or they turn into single-minded pitbulls.  You just really, really don’t want their attention.

In many ways, I feel that my fellow motorists (myself included to a certain extent) are to blame.  We’re killing each other out there (the first article I linked to says that we’ve killed 512 so far in Minnesota this year).

The number of times I’ve nearly been creamed by some asshole changing lanes in the middle of an intersection without signaling, or some dumb prick driving through a red light because he’s on a cell phone; it’s ridiculous.  I once saw a lady drive through a red light on a cell phone and nearly cream a young kid (probably 10 or 11) on his bike in the intersection.  She never blinked.  Never hit the breaks, never moved her head…never stopped smiling for Christ’s sake.  She almost ended another human being’s life through sheer carelessness…and never even knew it.

So all those times I saw stuff like that and thought “something has to be done”…and all those times I squeeked through a yellow light because I was in a hurry, or rolled through a stop sign because I was being tailgated and didn’t want to piss off the person behind me any more and besides there was no one coming…or all the times I fudged the speed limit by staying “inside the margin of error” or “going with the flow of traffic”…

Well, the problem’s gotten out of hand, and “something” is being done.  It’s not comfortable, it’s not fun, and it’s probably overkill and unfair.  But hey, we all helped create this situation.

So I guess the best thing to do is get the word out.  The cops are on the war-path.  Don’t let them catch you doing ANYTHING wrong, or you are going to get majorly screwed.  Change your habits, bone up on your laws, and if you think your being treated unfairly for God’s sake challenge it in court so they get a little sense and keep themselves under control.