Saturday, December 29, 2007

Drunken Blogging...Episode XIXth nervous breakdown: Arnie's New Years Resolutions


Beginning January 1st,2008,it will be illegal,and punishable by $100.00 fine to commit the following heinous acts of fuckery in the great state of Cal-I-For-Ni-A;

1) Smoking in an automobile with a minor child in the vehicle.

2) Using a cell phone,or any wireless device while driving..UNLESS!...it's a hands free device.

Plus!) If you are 16 or 17 years old,you may not use any wireless device while operating a motor vehicle,..hands free,or otherwise...

Here's the thing..(tip o' the lid to lorraine).
By my way of thinking,all this stuff strikes me as totally bitchen,(or beefin'...or groovy,or the cat's pajamas..what do I know?).
I mean,anyone with an ounce of social grace would have to agree that these directives only promote the responsible,and conscientious behavior of the public.
Trapping innocent children in a rolling nicotine chamber is just bad form.
Why not just drop a few canisters of Zyclon-B in their lunchbox,and send them tidily off to school?..
And lord knows I'm gonna feel a helluva lot safer riding my bike to and fro,without having to worry about some self absorbed twat on her cellphone,blathering endlessly to the person she just talked to 3 minutes before,or will talk to 3 minutes hence,running my ass down in the crosswalk when she should have been..I don't know,..PAYING ATTENTION TO DRIVING HER TWO TON FRIGGIN' VEHICLE ON CITY STREETS!!..where myself,sundry other pedestrians,and small animals like to traverse.

This is common sense people!!
...wait a minute?..

Common.Sense!..
Hey!..

Why,..we really don't need to waste time and taxpayer dollars passing ONE MORE FUCKING PIECE OF USELESS LEGISLATION RESTRICTING THE RIGHTS OF OUR CITIZENS!!..
..not to mention pulling the local constabulary away from their precious donuts,and regularly scheduled nooners to enforce these fascist "guidelines",when all it really takes is for everyone in this country to pull their heads out of their asses,and THINK FOR THEMSELVES FOR ONE GODDAMN INSTANT!!..

Did I mention that bicyclists will be required to have headlights while riding at night?..

..don't get me started.

Labels: ,

26 Comments:

At 7:47 AM , Blogger billy pilgrim said...

you lost me with bicycle/headlight deal.

 
At 8:56 AM , Blogger Sling said...

billy pilgrim- ..I'm pretty sure they mean headlights on the bike,not the rider's head...I think?

 
At 10:01 AM , Blogger yellowdoggranny said...

if people weren't such fucking idiots the pols wouldn't have to pass these stupid laws...smoking in cars with or without kids should be outlawed..can't tell you how many times I have been behind some asshole trying to find his cigarettes, light his cigarettes or been the recipitiant of a flicked cigarette out the window into my car..smokers piss me off..

 
At 10:22 AM , Blogger Sling said...

yellowdao G.- I recently watched a documentary on the Autobahn.
You know,the German's feel that driving is is an art,and should require the driver's total concentration..They don't understand the American's habit of "multi-tasking" while operating a motor vehicle.
Consequently,the Autobahn,where there are no speed limits,is statistically safer than our Interstate highways.
..crafty Germans!

 
At 12:08 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh I jest lurve when you gits all riled up.

 
At 12:32 PM , Blogger Sling said...

Hat-Tastic - BASTARDS!!..heh,heh..

 
At 2:47 PM , Blogger Jan said...

Our legislators have way too much time on their hands to make all these granny state, unenforceable laws. While I don't agree with the intent of the laws, it's stupid ass to think they will make any difference in anyone's behavior.

 
At 2:49 PM , Blogger Jan said...

I meant I don't DISagree with the intent of the laws...

Now you have me riled up.

 
At 4:24 PM , Blogger Sling said...

jan- What we really need is a law prohibiting morons from blocking the aisles in Wal-Mart,punishable by having the shit slapped out of them!..
If I've only gotten 1 person riled up,then my work here is done. ;)

 
At 6:45 PM , Blogger more cowbell said...

Well, hate to say it (not really), but I love these laws. And I do use my cell phone while driving. I shouldnt, though. Smoking with a child in the car is insane.

On the money about the German Autobahns. Driving is a whole different ballgame over there, and is much much safer.

 
At 7:25 PM , Blogger Sling said...

more cowbell- It's hard to explain,but here's my bitch.
The ideas behind the laws are sound.I don't smoke in enclosed spaces of any kind,and I hate dodging the idiots that nearly plow into me,EVERY.SINGLE.WEEK,because they are engrossed in some conversation when they should be driving..My problem is the government intrusion into every aspect of our lives,that seems to becoming more and more acceptable..We just can't keep giving away the little things because they appeal to our immediate sense of indignation.
That sets precedent,and precedent is the open door that allows the liberty thieves easy access to all the things we hold dear as a nation...I just don't like it.
..This country is in serious need of another tea party.

 
At 8:18 PM , Blogger CS said...

Maybe the laws are just there so that they can have charges to make if need be, but they won't actively be looking to pull people over? I don't know, I have mixed feelings about it. But I d have to say, seeing someone smoking in a car with a kid is upsetting to me, and so is seeing some goombah diving down the road yakking on a phone and endangering me. Especially if they are driving a big SUV, Grrrr.

 
At 8:47 PM , Blogger Sling said...

CS- Let's say that the laws are a way in to bringing other charges against an individual.
That's kind of the point Isn't it?
So then it's a logical step to making it illegal to smoke in your home if you have children.
Buying a pack of cigarettes would then be probable cause to get a warrant to bust down your door in the middle of the night to search your home...all in the name of "public safety"..
..all animals are equal,only some animals are more equal than others.

 
At 8:50 PM , Blogger Allan said...

I feel your rage. People's negligent behavior is giving the government undue reason to legislate- more ways to skirt around 4th amendment protection...arghh...we shouldn't NEED these laws...
*pounds head against desk*

Ouch. That was stupid...is there a law against head pounding?

 
At 9:10 PM , Blogger Sling said...

allan- I hope not..or I'm guilty of felony frustration.

 
At 9:31 PM , Blogger Traveling Matt said...

it's smart to have a light on your bike but i want the law to buy it for me... my ass is broke.

 
At 9:41 PM , Blogger Sling said...

monica- we cyclists are gettin' off cheap,..so far.
Wait till the Insurance lobby gets 'em to pass a law requiring us to have comprehensive!..

 
At 9:04 AM , Blogger Kimberly Ann said...

I'm one of those misguided fools who contacted a local legislator about the smokin-with-kids-in-the-car thang. My legislator nearly laughed me out of the Internet. I give major snaps to Cali for the spirit of the law, but I realize that enforcement will be nigh to impossible. What is sad is that granny state antics are now required because people have no damn sense.

 
At 11:44 AM , Blogger more cowbell said...

"That sets precedent,and precedent is the open door that allows the liberty thieves easy access to all the things we hold dear as a nation...I just don't like it.
..This country is in serious need of another tea party.
"


I'm with you on that. I don't know where to draw the line, and I have mixed feelings on it. The smoking bit is the one I feel most strongly about -- I get riled up about it, because so many kids have to grow up for 18+ years in houses and cars full of smoke, they have no choice, and it IS bad for their health, plus they have to go to school stinking. I wish people would have more common sense and take that shit outside on their own; it forces their kids to be secondhand smokers for years.

So yeah, that's my rant, but you're so right ... it's a very slippery slope. I'm really not sure that the law is a good one. I think it's also going to inevitably lead to more profiling. Just another reason cops can pull over someone they've prejudged to be "suspicious".

I don't have an answer; there doesn't seem to be a good one. I just think kids' right to health and freedom from smoke is more important than some adult's need to smoke "right now". I guess the law may not be the best way to do it though.

 
At 12:40 PM , Blogger Lorraine said...

It bears repeating:

Sling/Iwanski in '08.

 
At 1:00 PM , Blogger Sling said...

kimberly ann- I am curious to see how the whole enforcement thing unfolds...
Regardless of how I feel about enacting these kinds of laws,I try to hold out hope that it will have a positive impact on people's behavior.

more cowbell- It really is the "slippery slope" aspect of the thing that disturbs me.You're so right when you say there is no really good answer.

But I do know this!..
I am so pleased that so many of my blog buds took the time to weigh in on the subject with such well considered comments.
Clearly,there is no shortage of people out there that really do think!.. :)

 
At 1:05 PM , Blogger Sling said...

lorraine- I'm having the,"Smoke 'em if ya Got'em" bumper stickers printed up,even as we speak!

 
At 4:00 PM , Blogger CS said...

I know, and I do see that danger. And yet, there is such a real health risk involved in exposing children to smoke in such a confined space. It's another one of those "where do you draw the line" questions that I don't think have an easy answer.

 
At 11:27 AM , Blogger Middle Child said...

Hey Sling. do you remember when some people had good manners, some had bad... some people had commonselse, some were ratbags but we knew the difference...
It had to do with courtesy a the sacredness of another's personal space and right to be who they bloody well watnted to be... and it often didn't work, but the standards were laid out and most of us really knew down inside of us when we were being a ratbag, or had bad manners or were treading on someone elses' toes...
Don't need legoslation for that...its COMMON SENSE...
Too much like Orwell's "Brave New World" for me.
And how on earth do dumb filum stars get to be Governors and presidents...? and why do we incessantly think that the opinions of actors and their ilk is worth a brass razoo... dson't get me started...

 
At 11:30 AM , Blogger Middle Child said...

A few too many typos above... its early : )

 
At 2:21 PM , Blogger Kimberly Ann said...

Oh, one more thing I forgot to add to my previous post. Driving is a privilege, not a right. So if the government wants to add additional limits (beyond seat belts, insurance, driver's license, age restrictions, yadda yadda yadda) I'm ok with that, if it is done by duly elected representatives (don't get me started on that issue). Walking down the street, smoking and yakking on the cell phone - hey, I say go for it. Of course, you can't walk within 25 feet of an entrance to any building while smoking or even the shadow of a building, but...well, you get my point.

 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home