Any culprit but the real one!

[d00df00d]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-auto-scscolumn-050210-20100502%2C0%2C7208847.column

Summary:

A woman who lost her daughter in a street race, and successfully campaigned to increase penalties for street racing, is now lobbying to tax companies that benefit from motorsport. She even wants race fans to pay a 1% surcharge on tickets.

Why? Because the street race in which her daughter was killed happened on the way to a real race. She claims the big racing leagues are targeting kids with their marketing, too...

 

[L_Sludger]

Parents of decedents have a tendency to lobby hard for unspeakably stupid legislation.

 

[FL_Rob]

Any parent would thats' lost a child.

 

[GeaugaFletcher]

Yeah, a person in that situation is not the most likely to have an approach free of emotional reasoning.

 

[OilNerd]

Years ago, we used to have a problem at the local race track with drunk fans with heavy feet after the races.

Some State Trooper and Sheriff patrols later, not so much a problem.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: GeaugaFletcher
Yeah, a person in that situation is not the most likely to have an approach free of emotional reasoning.

Clearly.

Hope she finds closure soon. She did great work lobbying for legislation but there's already a backlash against her taxation campaign. Can't imagine it'll be good for her if it gets much worse.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: OilNerd
Years ago, we used to have a problem at the local race track with drunk fans with heavy feet after the races.

Some State Trooper and Sheriff patrols later, not so much a problem.

That seems to be the approach to similar events (including the release of certain movies) around here. Apparently, it's similarly effective. I used to see people flying around on those events; now, some of those days are among the quietest all year.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
That seems to be the approach to similar events (including the release of certain movies) around here. Apparently, it's similarly effective. I used to see people flying around on those events; now, some of those days are among the quietest all year.


Now, you're not implicating some fans of small, imported buzzbomb cars which sport useless, oversized ****(flatulence)-pipes, triple decker wings, cut springs which slam the chassis to the ground, and drivers with upside down and backwards sun visors and (baggy) pants waists almost to the ground, now are you DF??!!

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Parents of decedents have a tendency to attract lawyers that try to profit from bogus regulations and lawsuits

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Now, you're not implicating some fans of small, imported buzzbomb cars which sport useless, oversized ****(flatulence)-pipes, triple decker wings, cut springs which slam the chassis to the ground, and drivers with upside down and backwards sun visors and (baggy) pants waists almost to the ground, now are you DF??!!

Why, of course not!

 

[sciphi]

That lady's nuts.

 

[Gary Allan]

A Crusader is a dangerous animal. They're blind to the fall out from their crusade. They'll also be latched on to by people looking for an opportunity to promote themselves as the frenzy gets whipped up.

MADD is like this. When you construct a machine bent on destruction of a given thing, you have a real hard time telling it when to put on the brakes or go home.

 

[greenaccord02]

I cannot stand MADD. Just a bunch of crooked lawyers, ignorant women, and politicians. As Gary said, groups like this are made for a good reason, but they get carried away and who's going to be the guy who says, "OK, you've gone far enough harassing these drunks?"

I am.

 

[bigmike]

I can't stand people with agendas. Most of the time they're not thinking clearly or logically. Instead of taking the approach of educating, encouraging, supporting, she'll take the approach of BLAMING.

Sounds like a inductive thinking activist to me. But, that's my 2 cents.

 

[The_Jeff]

Glad I'm not the only one noticing MADD jumped the shark. The politicians who jump aboard doubling whatever punishment are pretty chicken, covering their inability to deal with a controversial problem, IMO. And, ironically, MADDs tea-totallers infiltrate town zoning, preventing neighborhood taverns one could actually, you know, walk to.

The March of Dimes cured polio, but the infrastructure still does good things, was well-reinvented.

 

[Scooter_man]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
MADD is like this.



I'm more of a supporter of DAMM = Drunks Against Mad Mothers.

Rob

 

[Virtuoso]

My mother was part of MADD back in the late '80s after one of my brothers was killed in car accident involving a un-insured drunk guy running from the cops. The night of his highschool graduation, no less. It was great.

I FULLY support causes like that as long as they don't go overboard.

I do believe this lady has gone too far.

 

[Gary Allan]

Oh, don't get me wrong. There was work to be done there. No two ways about it. I think we all support such things. The going too far thing tends to get trampled on in the reasoning. Do you think MADD is going to ever stop tweaking an insolvable issue even if they get no results with the tweaking? Go home and say "we're done. There's nothing more we can do?" - nope.

People without a purpose will create one long after they're no longer needed. It tends to come down to purity codes. Anyone without a hatred of alcohol is not pure enough ..whether they drive or not.


I hardly ever drink and I never drive if I do. I think that I could honestly say that I don't drink. It's mostly ceremonial or rare social occasions. I have nothing against those who drink ..even if to beyond "enjoying" alcohol, ... as long as they don't harm others in their distraction.


This will end up being the same thing if it ever gets any traction. Anyone who has anything to do with racing won't be pure enough for this lady.

 

[The_Jeff]

^ Exactly. Plus the "racing surcharge" will eventually apply to spray paint... because you can paint numbers on cars with it. Coffee, because the cans can go on the ends of mufflers. Etc.

MADDs mission, assuredly, is not over until every last drunk is off the road. This will never happen, and it's surely tragic if one's life is touched by this avoidable occurence. Their success since their inception has lead to a lowering of BACs to .08... presto... more "drunks" and a continuing mission.

 

[mjoekingz28]

I wish we could get a racetrack in my state. A nice road course with a long straight to please those with some speed in their system. I actually believe it would make everyone who drives too slow go faster (confidence) and those who drive too fast drive slower (get it out of their system on the course).

And a special day set forth for drunk drivers. I mean, speeding is illegal yet we have those who wish to speed and it will be okay to do so at the track. Now we'd have a special event that requires a case minimum to enter and have some fun. Or would it be better to just let the drunks go at it in demolition derby.

Nowadays, the only fun drunks can have is on their dirtbikes (although most drinkers I know like four-wheelers).