Driving Miss Crazy

Aug 1, 2007 - You can't outrun the law, so stop trying

With all the gadgetry and cameras these days it never ceases to amaze me the amount of stupidity running wild on the streets.  From time to time while in Los Angeles I'll wake up in the morning to the 5am news only to see the top story of some idiot taking the police on a wild car chase.  Up exit ramps, on ramps, through intersections (thanks for slowing while you make that illegal left) the car speeds, slows and swerves taking at least six patrol cars on a tour.  And don't forget the news helicopters overhead.  Hey, as long as we're buring gas, might as well burn it on land and air!  I certainly don't mean to single out LA, although it does seem since the OJ chase, LA does seem to be the capitol of car chases.

Sometimes the chase is over in under 15 minutes.  Most of the time it's half-hour or more ordeal.  Heck, there's even enough of them to have an entire TV series about car chases (advertisers and producers should be ashamed).  And for what purpose?  To try and get away?  Ummm, the law of averages would tell the offender that they won't get away.  Then again, we are talking about individuals with less than average intelligence.  Albeit, at some point you have to think that they've seen the Slow-OJ chase and the countless they simply don't learn.

There have been numerous debates around the country as to how the police should handle these situations.  Persue and endanger more people?  Let the perp go?  Radio tag team and cut 'em off at the pass?  Other tactics such as spike strips?  I'm for what is most effective in catching the offender with the least danger to the public.  Sometimes this isn't possible and endangering some (listen for the sirens) while in pursuit is better than the criminal continuing to drive recklessly until crashing and injuring or killing others including law enforcement officers.

There are too many sad parts about these situations. The obvious is the gut-wrenching loss of life by those who are in the line of duty.  It saddened me to hear yesterday that a CHP officer was killed in a high-speed chase in the Sacramento area after he put out a spike strip and the driver swerved to avoid it, hitting the officer who sustained fatal injuries.  I don't know what the driver will ultimately be charged with but I would hope it's the max the law will allow and even then it likely won't be enough.

6:12 am | Categories: road rage, traffic safety Permalink | Alert Administrator

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