The More Things Change....

So -- what has changed since my last post? Everything -- and nothing! You still take your life into your hands driving around here; the authorities continue to do little or nothing to enforce existing laws or make real changes for our protection.

The speed cameras in front of the Bel Air Annex and Northview Elementary continue to catch the unsuspecting -- somehow, they managed to catch my wife -- twice! (And why exactly were they working on July 5th?) However, Bowie's selfish continue to slow down for the very brief stretches, and then return to cavalierly endangering the rest of us with their stupidity.

The new state laws banning texting or use of cell phones without hands free devices are now in effect -- but only as a class 2 offense -- you cannot simply ticket someone for these offenses. Instead, they have to be so stupid as to be pulled over for another offense and be caught in the act of using their cell! Sure, that will protect us all, and prevent this dangerous behavior -- NOT! And, again, another chance to pass a meaningful law, which could actually acknowledge that some of us actually ARE capable of safely operating a vehicle under circumstances that others are not, passes by with neither the intelligence NOT to lump us all together as one class of sheep, nor the real ability to make us any safer.

I actually had the privilege just recently of watching one of Bowie's dumbest driving at excessive speed south on 197 over the highway, only to cross over 2 lanes at the last minute to make the right to enter the Town Center from Northview -- a fairly regular occurrence. Only this time, when she did cross 2 lanes, with no signal, cutting off a driver in the right lane, that driver was driving a marked county police car! And the officer did nothing! If not there, when?

Personally, there has been one huge change -- my daughter is now a licensed driver with access to a vehicle. And yes, 5 weeks into her career, she had her first accident -- a minor miscalculation of space on her part that did just enough damage to the other car to require a claim on our insurance. Which meant that there was no reason NOT to file on our damage as well. The adjuster handed me a check for $1500. We replaced the front light and side mirror, but did not get the minor body damage repaired professionally. Total cost of repairs -- under $300. That's right, her first accident was income producing for us -- at least in the short term! Maybe THIS is what is wrong with the insurance industry!