Right now, on my Face Book page there is a heated debate over yesterdays blog post about the proposed new powers for police officers There is a movement by insurance and the powers that be to allow the police to pull you over without probable cause and to administer road side tests for impairment - without probable cause.
The two major points of view are so divergent!
Like many, the violation to our rights and freedoms due to road side justice is something I have a really hard time with. I don't think that a police officer should have the power to have your vehicle crushed for racing, or take your license away - too often there are officers who abuse their authority and far too many of them IMHO - now before you go jumping down my throat because I am knocking the police, hear me out.
I also have a hard time with drunk and stoned drivers - years ago as a kid I did dumb crap and got lucky because my stupid actions never hurt anyone - and so I have over the years tried to adopt the attitude, there but for the grace of God go I. BUT - today, there are a hundred times more drivers on the road than back when I was a kid, and the likelihood of getting into a bad situation is 100 times greater. Many drivers today should not be on the roads (I truly feel some of the driver examiners who give these people licenses should be jailed or fined but that's a topic for another time) I mean really - why else is there a successful TV show called Canada's worst driver and how did the people on that show get a license in the first place?
I think of the 9 riders involved in the destruction on the Carefree Highway - 4 are dead and 5 lives and 9 families for ever altered and all because of one man who was on meth.
I read the news every day - this chair I sit in can become a very sad and depressing chair to sit in folks. I read of the hundreds of collisions and accidents every day.
I am all for impaired and distracted drivers being taken off of the road ways but I also understand one other thing - absolute power corrupts absolutely and if the RCMP or any other police force is going to have the kind of power that some of the laws and proposed laws give them then I have one thing to say. IT BEST APPLY TO THEM AS WELL.
I read about RCMP and other police service members who have been caught impaired driving - Monty Robinson might get away with murder because he has abused his authority IMHO - out of that Surrey BC country during the same time frame he killed Orion Hutchinson 5 other lower mainland RCMP officers were charged with impaired driving - some while ON DUTY.
If they are going to meet out road side justice then they need to be held to far higher standards that the rest of the population. FAR HIGHER - they need to be treated as virtually infallible - else wise the ability to use that authority against those they dislike or have grudges with goes up HUGELY and we do know they are human and that power can and does go to the heads of some.
Am I for road side justice - no - I see both sides of the argument - I see both points of view clearly - BUT - I also think our rights and freedoms would be far better served if we demanded that our prosecutors and judges did their jobs better. As long as there is a human factor in all of this - the answers will always be murky and illusive.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely and giving absolute power to the people who are in the trenches and who oft times suffer from PTSD and never get treatment - who deal with huge adrenaline rushes and danger we can only imagine every day - No I don't think those are the right people to give that kind of power to. They are no more clear headed than some of the people they deal with - adrenaline can be as big of an impairment as drinking or toking.
And that folks is my two bits worth - as always I WELCOME your comments and feedback - I will never get better at what I do without it - debate is healthy...
In the news today:
In Windsor ON a motorcyclist was struck by a vehicle
In Montreal the number of tickets being given out by the police services has some asking some HARD questions about big brother.
On Vancouver Island an emergency plan is being explored for the Toy Run
In Manitoba the Ride for Dad is getting ready to kick off
In Vancouver - the parking initiative by BCCOM is holding a rally
If you are a fortunate soul who is riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is out to get you and is BLIND! Ride proud - not loud - save the cranking on the wick for the idiot who drifts into your lane - don't be pissing the neighbors off and taking our rights to the safety our pipes bring us away because of selfishness.
Belt Drive Betty
The two major points of view are so divergent!
Like many, the violation to our rights and freedoms due to road side justice is something I have a really hard time with. I don't think that a police officer should have the power to have your vehicle crushed for racing, or take your license away - too often there are officers who abuse their authority and far too many of them IMHO - now before you go jumping down my throat because I am knocking the police, hear me out.
I also have a hard time with drunk and stoned drivers - years ago as a kid I did dumb crap and got lucky because my stupid actions never hurt anyone - and so I have over the years tried to adopt the attitude, there but for the grace of God go I. BUT - today, there are a hundred times more drivers on the road than back when I was a kid, and the likelihood of getting into a bad situation is 100 times greater. Many drivers today should not be on the roads (I truly feel some of the driver examiners who give these people licenses should be jailed or fined but that's a topic for another time) I mean really - why else is there a successful TV show called Canada's worst driver and how did the people on that show get a license in the first place?
I think of the 9 riders involved in the destruction on the Carefree Highway - 4 are dead and 5 lives and 9 families for ever altered and all because of one man who was on meth.
I read the news every day - this chair I sit in can become a very sad and depressing chair to sit in folks. I read of the hundreds of collisions and accidents every day.
I am all for impaired and distracted drivers being taken off of the road ways but I also understand one other thing - absolute power corrupts absolutely and if the RCMP or any other police force is going to have the kind of power that some of the laws and proposed laws give them then I have one thing to say. IT BEST APPLY TO THEM AS WELL.
I read about RCMP and other police service members who have been caught impaired driving - Monty Robinson might get away with murder because he has abused his authority IMHO - out of that Surrey BC country during the same time frame he killed Orion Hutchinson 5 other lower mainland RCMP officers were charged with impaired driving - some while ON DUTY.
If they are going to meet out road side justice then they need to be held to far higher standards that the rest of the population. FAR HIGHER - they need to be treated as virtually infallible - else wise the ability to use that authority against those they dislike or have grudges with goes up HUGELY and we do know they are human and that power can and does go to the heads of some.
Am I for road side justice - no - I see both sides of the argument - I see both points of view clearly - BUT - I also think our rights and freedoms would be far better served if we demanded that our prosecutors and judges did their jobs better. As long as there is a human factor in all of this - the answers will always be murky and illusive.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely and giving absolute power to the people who are in the trenches and who oft times suffer from PTSD and never get treatment - who deal with huge adrenaline rushes and danger we can only imagine every day - No I don't think those are the right people to give that kind of power to. They are no more clear headed than some of the people they deal with - adrenaline can be as big of an impairment as drinking or toking.
And that folks is my two bits worth - as always I WELCOME your comments and feedback - I will never get better at what I do without it - debate is healthy...
In the news today:
In Windsor ON a motorcyclist was struck by a vehicle
In Montreal the number of tickets being given out by the police services has some asking some HARD questions about big brother.
On Vancouver Island an emergency plan is being explored for the Toy Run
In Manitoba the Ride for Dad is getting ready to kick off
In Vancouver - the parking initiative by BCCOM is holding a rally
If you are a fortunate soul who is riding today - PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is out to get you and is BLIND! Ride proud - not loud - save the cranking on the wick for the idiot who drifts into your lane - don't be pissing the neighbors off and taking our rights to the safety our pipes bring us away because of selfishness.
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
A MAX Award winning web site!
National VP of Marketing
Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education
www.firre.ca
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.canadianriders.ca
www.riderfriendly.ca
A MAX Award winning web site!
National VP of Marketing
Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education
www.firre.ca
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.canadianriders.ca
www.riderfriendly.ca
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