Driving Miss Lazy

I usually like studies…but this one sucks ass. According to the American Journal of Public Health (my second favorite magazine) crankin’ up the speed limit led to more than 12,000 deaths on US roads between 1995 and 2005. Now the chuckleheads are lobbying the Government-Cheese to re-lower the speed limit because they say it’ll save gas and save lives. Aye caramba!


-- First of all, everyone knows speed kills. But people were flyin’ around the freeways long before the Red Rocker expressed his inability to drive the speed limit…so it can’t just be speed.

-- In 1995, no one drove while talkin’ on a celly. Now, everyone does it. Hell, people these days even drive while Twittering! It’s so bad that a couple of states have made it illegal to drive while talkin’ on your cell. You think inattention had anything to do with the death spike? I do. BTW…”Death Spike” is an awesome name for a heavy metal band!

-- How ‘bout size? In 1995, people were drivin’ ‘round in Yugos, Saturns and Toyota Tercels. Nowadays, people are drivin’ ‘round in humongous SUV’s, monster trucks and Hummers so gnarly that the only thing missin’ on ‘em is the .50 caliber machinegun mounted on a top turret. You get hit by one of those bad boys and it’s sayonara sucka!

-- What about longevity? These days people are living (and driving) longer. And senior citizens think they’re just as invincible as teenagers! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been cut off and flipped off by blue hairs with their blue plates, rollin’ ‘round in their hoopty wagons. SHEESH!

-- And lastly, what about sheer volume? In 1995 the population of the USo’A was roughly 263 million people. In 2005 we rounded out to 296 million folks. That’s an increase of thirty-three million Americans. Hell, there are so many people on the road nowadays; you can’t help but to hit friggin’ something (and if Lou Dobbs had his way, you'd hit a brown-skinded brother)!

So, the AJPH wants to reduce the speed limit to save lives. I say, the speed limit has very little to do with it. As a matter of fact, reducing the speed limit would actually increase freeway deaths. How do I know? Take the drive from the RNO down to the 702. Keep your speed to 55 miles an hour on that long hump. You are gonna want to kill yourself. Personally, I usually make it to Tonopah before I contemplate the cyanide pills. True dat.

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